The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-26

The top Of the diagram Is north. q Is the down
track. f the up track and II the centre or third
track IL the Grand Central branch track. and
J It's continuation to the uptown main track L.
X Is the lower end OF tho station platform. A.
i. c. and ID are switches. Tho heavy lines
show the positions Of the switches when
the collision occurred at L. After the up
train for ths Grand Central branch had passed.
the tender Of the switch C had thrown it over
30 as % send the next up train along tho main
track + The down train would not have been
sent On the wrong track by the switch b. be-
cause the hinge was toward the train. and the
switch would have been forced aside so that
the train could not have been deraled The dot
ted lines show tho position in which tho switch
A ought to have been. Switchman Davenport
AYERS that this switch was partly closed. but was
forced open 70 the position shown in tho da-
gram by the nanges OF the wheels. The da-
gram shows the switches and in position TO
allow the passing train from tho up track to
the Grand Central branch. To allow the pass
ing of train down the main track. tho switch
A is set In the position shown by the dotted
lin IS and the switch B is thrown over toward j.
Tho two switches have TO be moved every three
minutes.
At twenty minutes before IL o'clock yesterday
forenoon Switchman Beaumont resigned his
switches till Beaumont returned after his hours
noonng. train bound for the Grand Central
Depot passed across the trusses Mt about fifteen
minutes past II and at the same time train OF
three cars WAS standing on the down track In
front u the station waiting for the moving
train to get across the track. Tho waiting train
was drawn by locomotive llS. driven by EnRi-
ncer kidder. As soon as tho other train had
moved out Of the way Dispatcher David Suth-
crlnnd siRnallcd the down tram 70 start, ana
htealn ws l,. On ny ll1 ilr,Ilal an VINO Wns nady
inc his lunch in the cab. just then a train OF
three cars was approaching the station. on the
tive 81. driven by Engineer VIM. 2. Clark This
train vas running at a brisk rate, the air
brakes enabling engineers to stop trains In
very short distance when hpproachingasl station.
The distance from whcre the down train was
standing to the switch A is short. hut the train
acquired considerable headway before tho man
who WIS driving tho locomotive saw that me
switch was onrn and the train was leaving the
lho npproaching danger and whlstled down
brakes" reversed his engine and applied
S9 ar eraEs eEt e9eot 19e hfodYy to c%dckS % e
In the short distance. and the locomotyes
crashed together at the point marked y IN tho
Tor that time Of the day. we're IN the cars. They
were thrown from tho seats with great eSI XloIi
with dgine YIN u bits ei'' Of broRon nJ glass from the
doors and windows. The widest excitement
look posseesssion OF the passengers. Loc9q;;
was struck oblquey on the side near
the sand box, by tho other motor. When the
two locomotives came together they both
mounted upward with loud. grating. sound,
and thon they rebounded. and added TO the
motive Of tho down train bounded back from
tho point Of collision. f. till the wheels struck
me ends ot the gunrd rails OF the third
uaek,' near I-about eighteen feet-and
tho rails were splintered by tho blow.
Dispatcher Sutherland seeing that a collision
platform to the track, and was standing on one
oi the guard rails Of the middle track when the
!ee9ll TOOK pace He was thrown several feet
X we AR and severely shaken up. Later in
tne 1hy search was made for him, to give him
sh opportunity to explain whether he consulted