Morning journal and courier., 1892-01-14
A COLLISION IN THE CUT.

Two Trains on One Track-Damage
to the Rolling Stock-No One Seri- |
ously Injured-The wreck Cleared
Away I'm Short Time-An Investiga-
ton To-Day.
A collision, which wrecked two engines
and caused some other damage to cars,
occurred yesterday noon between the
Fair street bridge and the Water street
crossing in this city. The accident was
what is termed by railroad men a head
end collision. The engine of the Boston
express train which leaves this city at
los and the engine of the incoming
freight train on the Northampton railroad
ran together with such force that the two
engines were so fastened together that
considerable time was required to separate
them.
One of the cars of the freight train left
the track and smashed the fagman's
house, which is near the bridge. The
switchman had a narrow escape. The &C.
cident occurred where the tracks cross
each other, and in consequence of the col
lision, no trains could pass through the
cut in either direction until the wreck was
cleared away.
As soon as the news of the accident
spread about the vicinity crowds of people
focked to the scene to look at the ruins.
The bridges and other places in the vicini-
Large numbers of others were at the rail-
road yards when the engines were taken to
the repair shop.
In the express train were many passen-
gers, who were badly shaken up, but no
| one was seriously injured. AZ
Just where the blame of the collision
rests must be determined by an official in
| quiry. That it was due to wrong signals
there can be no doubt. The express train
was drawn by engine No. 80, under the
control of Engineer Odds, and engine No.
70 drew the freight under the manipula-
ton of Engineer Tom O'Neill. The place
where the accident happened was where
the tracks of the Northampton road cross
the north and south bound tracks of the
main line into the freight yard. The ex,
press train had left the depot in time, and
as it rounded the curve Engineer Oldi
received the signal of right of way. he
opened his engine and his train was well
under way. At the same instant thu
Northampton freight came in, and it also
it is claimed, received the signal for th'
right of way to Cross over and the switch
was thrown to permit it. Its speed wa
very slow, but it had got well over tn
southbound track and was nearly on tn
northbound track when the express cam
around the curve on Water street. A flag
man, who was stationed in little hous
where the tracks cross, was the first t,
observe the express, and he ran down tn
track and signalled it to stop. Befor
Engineer Odds could put on brakes the tw
engines came together.
The engineers and fremen of both train
remained at their posts and fortunatel
were not seriously injured.
George Dunbar, the conductor on tn
express, had his hand and wrist badl
bruised. The Hartford freight, at tn
time, was on the Northampton crossove
and was bound into the freight yard. Th
train consisted of SO cars.
At o'clock there were four passenge
trains bound west blocked in the cut, an
three east and north bound trains were 6
the depot. In these trains there were owe
40 cars, and it is estimated that betwee
400 and 500 passengers en- route wei
waiting to proceed, while at the Unto
: depot there were quite number Of peopl
waiting to embark.
Soon after the accident the wreckin
train with large force of men was at til
scene and in two hours the rails wer
cleared.
, The passenger train was unlocked frol
the engine and pulled down in front of tt
depot to await the clearing of the track
Engineer Odds was not deferred, but too
possession of another engine and whe
) the tracks were cleared took out the g;
press.
Chief of Police Smith and force of p
icemen were at the scene keeping tt
crowd away from the wreck.
General Manager Tuttle will to-day il
vestigate the cause of the accident.