1906 Washington, D.C., train wreck

Train wreck at Terra Cotta Station May 2020 1906 Washington, D.C. train wreck 1906 12 30 6:31 pm Terra Cotta station, near Brookland (Washington, D.C.) United States Metropolitan Branch Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Rear collision Signal passed at danger 2 200https://www.gendisasters.com/district-columbia/3026/terra-cotta,-dc-train-wreck,-dec-1907 https://web.archive.org/web/20190422002844/http://www.gendisasters.com/district-columbia/3026/terra-cotta,-dc-train-wreck,-dec-1907 April 22, 2019 Terra Cotta, DC Train Wreck, Dec 1907 GenDisasters.com 53 The 1906 Washington, D.C. train wreck occurred on the Metropolitan Branch of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) at Terra Cotta station in Washington, D.C., on December 30, 1906, at 6:31 in the evening, when a locomotive pulling six empty cars crashed into the back of a passenger train in dense fog, killing 53 people and injuring more than 70.http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/18/travel/obscure-washington-dc/index.html?hpt=tr_c1 Locals unearth the intriguing, hidden history of D.C.: The Forgotten Crash Mike M. Ahlers 21 January 2013 CNN Accident The local train, consisting of three wooden cars, was traveling from Frederick, Maryland, and was fifteen minutes late. It was just pulling out of Terra Cotta station (near the site of the current Fort Totten Metro station) when it was struck from behind by a "special equipment train", No 2120, traveling at full speed, about 65 mph on. The heavy locomotive, which sustained very little damage, ploughed through the rear two cars, sending bodies and debris flying for a quarter of a mile on both sides of the track.http://brooklandavenue.com/blog/?p=845 https://web.archive.org/web/20130429182317/http://brooklandavenue.com/blog/?p=845 April 29, 2013 Deadly 1906 Washington DC Train Wreck Near Fort Totten Brookland Avenue June 25, 2009 Robert Malesky The accident is described in the book Undergraduate Days 1904-1908 by Frank Kuntz, recounted by a fellow student at the nearby Catholic University of America:  "Then came a terrible noise which he described as a combination of an explosion, escaping steam, breaking wood, groaning brakes and human screams. It was so loud it could be heard on the campus and all over Brookland".116 Undergraduate Days, 1904-1908: The Catholic University of America Frank Kuntz 1958 https://books.google.com/books?id=8c-Bt-FrjiMC Google Books Catholic University of America Press Aftermath According to The New York Times, "One of the cars of the wrecked train was split in two and left in halves on either side of the track. The butchery of the passengers was one of the most frightful things in the history of railroading. They were cut into pieces and portions of their bodies scattered all along the track"https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1907/01/01/101853564.pdf Sped by Red Lights and 53 were Killed New York Times January 1, 1907 Small fragments of remains from several victims were commingled on their delivery to a local morgue;https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49987233/the-bismarck-tribune/ Horrible Associated Press Bismarck Tribune Bismarck, ND January 3, 1907 1 Newspapers.com these commingled remains were buried in a single grave at Glenwood Cemetery with one monument, the expense paid by the B&O.https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49989325/the-washington-post/ Bury Fragments of Bodies The Washington Post January 5, 1907 23 Newspapers.com The five crewmembers, Harry H. Hildebrand (engineer), Ira C. McClelland (fireman), Ralph Rutter (brakeman), Frank S. Hoffmeir (conductor) and William A. Norris (baggagemaster), of the train that hit the passenger train were all arrested at the scene.https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49988104/the-baltimore-sun/ Whole Crew Arrested The Baltimore Sun December 31, 1906 2 Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49988912/the-washington-times/ Engineer Now In Cell Ran Past Red Light Evidence Will Show The Washington Times December 31, 1906 3 Newspapers.com Despite its nearness to the capital, Terra Cotta station was an isolated place, just serving a few houses of employees of the nearby Potomac Terra Cotta Company. The first help came from Brookland about a mile away, and it took nearly an hour for a relief train to arrive from Washington to begin taking away the dead and injured (and a further hour before it departed).http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030272/1906-12-31/ed-1/seq-1/ The Sun New York December 31, 1906 LXXIV 122 1 33 Killed in Train Wreck Chronicling America (Library of Congress) Causes The entire Metropolitan branch operated by the "absolute block system", which should have prevented any other train from entering a "block" of track when it is occupied. The empty train should have been stopped at Takoma Park until the passenger train had moved out of the block at University. The operator at Takoma Park stated that his signal lights were burning red ("danger") when the empty train passed, corroborated by three other people. The engineer claimed he slowed down and looked for the signal, but could not see it. In such a situation he should have stopped, and yet he continued running at great speed. The operator immediately telegraphed the operator at University station:  "No. 2120 has gone by my red light, going like hell". The tower operator at University station confirmed that he received the message. One misunderstanding that contributed in large part to the disaster was that Takoma Park station was closed between 6:30 pm and 6:30 am each day, when no signals would have been displayed; in these circumstances the previous block (controlled by signals at Silver Spring) extends beyond Terra Cotta. No. 2120 had received a clear signal from Silver Spring, so the engineer believed he was cleared through to University. Further inquiries also revealed that the engineer had been on almost continuous duty for 33 hours and had not had a full night's sleep for 57 hours.Railroad Wrecks Edgar A. Haine 70–72 1993 0-8453-4844-2 Four men were charged with manslaughter — the engineer, conductor, brakeman and fireman of train 2120https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49987444/the-washington-post/ Will Plead Justification The Washington Post Washington, D.C. December 6, 1907 11 Newspapers.com  — but after a lengthy trial all were found not guilty due to lack of evidence. Nonetheless, the Interstate Commerce Commission blamed them, claiming all were negligent.https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49990243/the-washington-post/ Wrecks, Crying Evil; Report on Terra Cotta Disaster Made Public; Blame Put on Train Crews The Washington Post January 7, 1908 16 Newspapers.com It did reserve some criticism for management, though having received "evidence indicating that the railroads have overworked and poorly paid men manning these safety devices and that, in the effort to rush traffic, men on trains are encouraged to be careless about heeding danger signals". The ICC also banned wooden body passenger car construction.http://dcnrhs.railsales.org/dc_rail_history.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20110727195801/http://dcnrhs.railsales.org/dc_rail_history.htm 2011-07-27 Washington, D.C. Railroad History Timeline Washington D.C. Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society References External links Topics in Chronicling America - Train Wreck in Washington, DC, Dec. 30, 1906 38.951777 -77.002174 title Category:Railway accidents in 1906 Category:Railway accidents and incidents in Washington, D.C. Category:1906 in Washington, D.C. Category:Railway accidents involving fog Category:Accidents and incidents involving Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Category:Railway accidents involving a signal passed at danger Category:December 1906 in the United States 1906 Washington, D.C., train wreck Category:Rail accidents caused by a driver's error Category:Northeast (Washington, D.C.)