The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-08-16
THE OCEAN VIEW WRECK
I Concluded from FIRST page.

bridge. Then it was my impression
thoy were running not less than
twenty tive or thirty miles per hour.
The speed increased very perceptibly.
81 WAS looking out and the track I'm
pressed me as "a we'll constructed track.
After the bump saw Mr.. Barrett turn.
Ing of something with both hands.
The bump was not q tenth of o second
before the train Vas oil.
TO Mir. Marshall: 81 do not think
the speed was Stacked before reaching
the point OF the wreck. | should
think that the hunge striking the base
of the rail was sufficient to produce
the bump. ! did not go back aud eX-
anime tho rail.
latter leaving Norfolk Mr.. Barrett
came back aud went through the car,
but left no one in charge of the motor.
The cur was In motion. The car was
on straight truck. 1t was going
about ~ or ~ miles an hour when lie
left the motor.
10 MIR. Iunstall-" The bump WAS
the first sensation, the first thing
felt. aud then the curs gong from cross.
tic to crosstie. | saw MIR. Barrett: he
was not uuder the influence of liquor
IN the least, Judging from the jump he
made"
MIR. c. K. FINCH,
agent Norfolk and Western railroad,
WAS Oh the train going 10 Ocean View.
81 was on the rear chr GU the inside
| rear seat. l did not notice anything
| unusual till the cars i'll front went OH
the track. | cannot tell how fast
train was going. aud have travelled
several hundred thousand miles. |
| think twenty mites an hour u couservu-
tive guess. found the truck at the
point thew heels lett the track rail IN
good condition.
"Mr. Brnnsiord, OF Roanoke, and
myself Wen, back to examine The
track. The natural result OF going at
q high rate of speed would be To tele
scope. II tue car buckles the hIpd
truck Of the front car would ue thrown
oil. The curve Is light one. The
Norfolk aud Western would not slack
up for it. There would be no danger
on steam roads.
To Mr.. Marshal; "a light car
goes of :he track, OF course, easier
than u heavy one. The natural effect
| OF pulling on break suddenly would
be 10 stop the car Suddenly. ! am not
an expert or muchinist. l did not
notice that anything unusual had hap
pened until my attention was called
| to il.
at is not unusual to run cars with
air brakes on part OF the train.
al do not propose to testify as an
expert i'll running trains. have never
becu o conductor or engineer.
Would you consider it prudent as
railroad man when there are three cars
carrying passengers that only Que car
| should have air brakes which could be
applied?
ION dead level track | would re.
gard it as prudent, on steep grades /
would not regard It as prudent.
| Suppose there was no brake on the
| moter; no air brakes that could DO np
Piled on the trailer aud hand brakes,
and no body to apply them; what
would be your opinion?
In level country like this, | think
one car with mir brakes would control
additional light cars without brakes"
To Jurymen-'1 do not know the
weights OF the passenger cars OF the
Norfolk and Western, | never carry
| those statements in my head
IF tho track ind spread of course
the accident could have occurred, but
as q matter of fact found that the
track had not spread at the point of
the accident.
Suppose ull three OF the cars had air
BRAKES in proper condition, do YOU
Think they could have been stopped ia
| 100 feet?
al saw q similar wreck at Reed
Greek bridge in which the mir brakes
were in good condition on all cars,
| which did not stop the truin. This
WAS on regular steam road"