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[Anonymous]

what kinds of accidents might have happened on passenger cars with passengers getting seriously injured other than derailments? I am hoping to write several fiction and non-fiction stories about railroads in the 1950's. Will appreciate any info or direction toward other websites.
Thanks.
Freight Agent's Daughter

[passengerfan]

passenger trains being rear ended by following train

Sideswipe accident due to item of freight swinging off flat car into passing passenger train

Passenger train going off open draw bridge into water

Passenger train being struck by another train where two railroads cross.

Hope this helps.

[Anonymous]

Another thing is when the company who builds the cars (not to mention any companys)dont build the cars well and the seats actully break under the people.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

A good place to start might be the Newark Bay Bridge disaster of 1958. A Central of New Jersey commuter train disregarded signals, ran off the track and plunged into the ship channel when the vertical lift span was raised to let a ship pass. TRAINS had an article about this incident in a 1960 issue.

[ndbprr]

In the days of wood cars they would often crush with one car going inside the end of the other ( called telescoping). That also happened on the IC commuter line about 25 years ago when the old single level steel MU cars were being replaced with the new dual level cars. The floors weren't at the same height and the new cars in a different train rear ended a standing old train and rode right over the frames. Many were killed in the last two cars of the old cars.
In Harvey Illinois a rookie switcman was told to throw a mainline switch for a freight to enter the main after "the passenger" had passed. he confused the commuter train on asecond track for the Amtrak train getting up to 60 mph coming north out of Homewood and threw the switch right in front of it. All the cars derailed and the Amtrak engines cleaned everything on the lead IC engine off to the frame. All engine personnel were killed.
Two or three years ago in Bourbonais a trucker tried to beat the City of New Orleans with several killed.
The sunset limited derailed somewhere in the south after a barge tow mistook a river branch in the fog and hit a bridge misalligning it.
Several trains have been hit by avalanches
Johnstown PA flood washed away several trains
Earthquakes have caused derailments
A refinery explosion in Romeoville Illinois occured about five minutes after an Amtrak train had passed. The force blew out windows for a two mile radius and every report was it would have blown the train over if it had been present.
Passenger train terrorism has happened throughout history on all continents
Bolier explosions on steam engines have killed many.
wrong routings by towermen have caused accidents

[Anonymous]

Another way passengers get hurt is when they are between two cars, they arnt careful, and they get hurt sometimes even seriously. Hope this all helps you