World War II Railroading In The United States

[Anonymous]

With the recent rail diasters in this country, Iran, and North Korea/China it make me think about our busy rail system during World War II. During this time our railroads carried more passengers and more freight than the previous years. Now I am sure there were some accidents but I can't remember reading about any right now. Our railroaders and equipment were overworked during this time. Many railroads needed new equipment but with war needs the railroads had to make do with old equipment that was worn out. The railroads did a splendid job in doing what they did and with so little to do it. We have all heard much praise for the railroads during this time frame and they all deserve every bit of praise offered. What I was wondering is . . . (during the war years) what accidents might have happened, where they happened, why they happened and any other info that our forum readers might offer?

[bnsfkline]

Jim, The derailments that took place recently were caused by sabatoge................The Amtrak wreck was caused by the feds because they want to get rid of Amtrak. Just Kidding.

[AltonFan]

In his book Decade of the Trains: The 1940s, the late Don Ball, Jr. mentioned incidents that occured in the year or so leading up to the war and the year after, when many young railroad men were drafted or volunteered for military service, and retired railroaders, some quite old, were recalled to work. He specifically mentioned an incident where an elderly switchman caused a collision by setting a switch the wrong way, and that this was not an unusual incident. Apparently all this led to the exemption of railroaders from the draft.

I also remember seeing some photographs, in North Shore Memories, I think, in which two wooden CNS&M interurban cars "telescoped" in a collision. The photos were presented to the War Production Board in order to get permission to have the replacements built out of steel. (It probably helped the CNS&M that Great Lakes Naval Station and Fort Sheridan were both on their line.)

[coalminer3]

Take a look at The Nickel Plate Story; there is some material on wrecks in there including a spectacular pileup/fire with loaded tank cars. Also, in 1963 (forget the month right now), DPM had an article in Tarins about NC&StL 4-8-4s. These were wartime locomotives; there is some excellent material about WWII operations in there. IMHO, Decade of the Trains, 1940s is one of the better books on WWII railroading; it's out of print but readily available in the used book markets. Also, try and get a copy of Iron Horse at War (magnificent photography by Jack Delano and others). Finally, the Library of Congress website has lots of color shots of railroads during WWII; again Delano and other FSA photographers.

work safe

[Modelcar]

....I'm trying to pull out of memory a happening [during WWII], over on the Allegheny mountains near Horseshoe Curve...think it was farther up the mountain..[more west], and I believe it was on the Pennsy's famed RED ARROW EXPRESS passenger train...I think it was climbing west up the mountain [1.8% grade], and a passenger car disconnected and the result was quite a few losses of life. And before anyone askes, I don't remember why the car didn't just stop with the emergency brakes being applied....But I believe I remember it backing back down the grade and of course derailed on a curve and then disaster. If anyone remembers more details....please respond.

[espeefoamer]

I recall reading about this accident. It seems a coupler on the Pullman had been welded previously,and the weld snapped,sending the car back down the hill.I don't recall why the air brakes didn't stop the car.

[RudyRockvilleMD]

In 1942 the second section of the Pennsylvania Railroad's northbound Congressional Limited derailed near Franford Jct, PA due to a hot box that caused one of its truck axles to snap.

[Modelcar]

....Remember another one during that time...believe it was about 1943. On the Someset and Cambria branch of the B&O...Johnstown to Rockwood, Pa....a coal train was working south just at the edge of Listie and a steam engine blew up...There was nothing left of it above the frame...just the steam cylinders and rods and frame and wheels...all the rest of it ws blown away...Don't remember how many engines were on the train but almost always they used pushers up through there on loaded coal trains. I rode my bicycle about 5 plus miles to see it and it was an awesome site....

[joseph2]

There is a Federal D.O.T. website that describes railroad accidentsback to 1920.Sorry I lost the address.

[M636C]

There were two boiler explosions on NYC Hudsons.

On 26 December 1944, The boiler of 5219 exploded due to low water over the crown sheet, while standing at a signal in a passenger station at Elkhart.

On 7 September 1943, a streamlined J3a No 5450 exploded for the same reason while travelling at 70 mph near Canastota NY. The control handle to the feedwater pump had become disconnected. This locomotive was fitted with a "Barco low water alarm" which must also have been defective. The first ten cars were derailed. Three loco crew were killed and twenty five train crew badly injured.

Both these accidents suggest that a serious lack of experienced operators and maintainers existed at that time, presumably due to such people joining the armed forces.

Peter

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by espeefoamer

I recall reading about this accident. It seems a coupler on the Pullman had been welded previously,and the weld snapped,sending the car back down the hill.I don't recall why the air brakes didn't stop the car.

This is pure speculation, but during WW2, since everything was geared towards the war effort, many railroads may have opted to forgo some non-critical maintainences. Airbrakes were probably low priority on the repair list, and thus this car may not have recieved repairs to the airbrakes since some more critical repairs were ahead of it.

Jay

[Anonymous]

I was witness to the clean up of a derailment during WW II. I don't remember the year, was about 1942 or 1943; I was only 7 or 8 years old. It was on the RI, Choctaw div., just east of McAlester, OK. My father worked on the Katy and took me out to watch the clean up. I can still see the scene, many cars wrecked.(probably many were wooden.) I can remember the steam engine laying on its side at the bottom of the roadbed bank. Some cargo I remember was butter, which was rationed. They were piling it up and burning it along with other debris. I remember dead cattle being pulled into piles. The site was heavily guarded . The site made an especially lasting impression on me because here was such a waste in times of such scarcity. Almost everything was rationed then. I never checked back as I grew up to get more details. wboatner

[Modelcar]

...I've gleaned a bit more info for the post I made on Apr 26th re: The Red Arrow wreck on the Pennsylvania Railroad. It occurred at MP 246 at Bennington's Curve at elevation 1900' in 1947...[8D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by joseph2

There is a Federal D.O.T. website that describes railroad accidentsback to 1920.Sorry I lost the address.

Here is the link.
http://databases.specialcollection.net/scripts/ws.dll?websearch&site=dot_railroads
I hope this helps.

[Modelcar]

mustangman79....Are you sure....That seems to lead to "Education Minnesota".....