New-York tribune., 1886-01-22
A CRASH or ELEVATED TRAINS.
SMASHED. BUT NO ONE HURT.
THE FIREMAN WAS RUNNING THE LOCOMOTIVE
WHAT THE ENGINEER SAYS.

THE FIREMAN WAS RUNNING THE LOCOMOTIVE
WHAT THE ENGINEER SAYS.
1t has always been the proud boast Of the
engineers Of the elevated roads that there been
of life due 10 their careesnes since the roads have been
in operation. There collision at 5lxtyseventt St
yesterday. however, which, while 1t did not cost life
might done so. and it would appear that the
glneer did not observe. to the fullest extent,
the proper watchfuness. At 0:34 a. IN.
train drawn bY engine No. 2s9. F. p.
Babcock engineer ran into train drawn by engine No.
l34 both bound north"ad Az the time OF the collision
the forward train was standing still at the Sixty
enth-st. station AT this hour the uptown travel is
light. and there MT more than dozen passengers
both trains These badly frightened, and though
not hurt were gad to set oil the cars with only shak'
The train drawn by engine No. 13i was making
longer stop than usual at the sixtysevenths station,
that the brakeman Of the forward could repair
OF the rods underneath It, and when the collision
CURED he under the Fortunately lie was jnst
back OF the forward truck Had he been in front OF the
truck he would have been killed. but he escaped without
injury. lie SO badly scared that hs had to be pulled
out from his dangerous position rs he semuncon
conscious He taken on. just front OF the mind
trucks. North-bOund trains meet OF tho heaviest
grades ON the road as they approach the sxysovent
st. station and because this the speed OF the train al
fault much less than 1t otherwise would have been,
the of the forward train had It's back platform
badly smashed and the draw bars OF the other
all bent and broken. The engines OF all north bound
trains the Third Avenue line run backward. Be
most seriously damaged part OF it, though the front
part which was next tho trau was considerably dam
drawing drove the front car upon is guard with such
force rs 70 Droak the front platform OF the car.
Ths engine was tipped TO the east side guard
raj and splintered the rail for ten or fteen feet
The delay to travel lasted about forty five minutes, and
would have been longer but OF the uptown trains
switched oil Fort St and others at sixty
seyenthst and Immediately started on their downtown
trips from those pOns The wreckers of the road were
soon working. and In an hour all evidences OF h wreck
had disappeared. New pant was put where
the engine and had scraped II of
from the guard rail and station platform, and when
employees asked about the accident they would in
quire with extreme innocence:
What accidentF'
Engineer Babcock o. engine No. $50. the
when he entered the employ of the company, having
engine the Erie and also some OF the
dOwu-East" railroads. He has been snguary fort
he began tho Elevated road. IL Is said
that this his first accident lie explained the collision
follows:
when slowed up at the Fify-third street Station
found my lever did not work well aud sent my
fireman out the engine 10 oil tho parts where the
hitch seemed to be. lie was not successful in
getting the oil at the parts where IL
was necessary. and | had the same
trouble tho lever the Fftyninth Street Station
As paed out from there went out on the engine my
self 10 do the Oing. leaving him In charge. When got
through the work aud Strengthened myself up, | |
that VIC were approaching S1ty-seventhst ana that
lever the place the road where usually do 80
TO stop at the station, but that was not |
soon enough and crashed into the !
IN front or course. got back TO
the cab, after the ong aud that collision was al
most inevitable whistled 10 the brakemen to put on /
their brakes and applied the air brakes but 1t was too
late"
Mr. Babcook has been suspended pending investi- |
CATION Trains the time OF day tho accident occurred
under five minutes Roadway. There WAS no fog to |
prevent the engineer fireman from seeing that train
standing al tho station at least FAR enough from the
station to prevent accident had the engine been In