Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-11-08
Commissioners Report on
the Pittsfie|d Wreck.
Engineer and Rear Brakeman
Of 81 Blamed for Negligence.
Head Brakeman Blamed for Not
Needing Information.

Announcements was made at the
office of the Board of Railroad Com
missioncrs Wednesday Of the decision
of the board in the matter of the rail-
road wreck at Pittsfeld, Aug. 20, the
text of which is as follows:
A serious accident occurred on the
Maine Central railroad on August %.
A. D. 1906, at about IL O'Clock in the
forenoon. The train involved was No.
153. and is known as the Knicker-
booker Limited, or New York Express.
1t WAS running east from Waterville
and was somewhat behind time. The
train was running at least 60 miles an
hour.
The accident occurred near F'drnham
Brook so called, abOLl one and one
half miles west of Pittsfeld passenger
station, on a sharp curve. and at the
bottom of the grades running east and
west.
When the train reached point d
few rods west of F'arnham Brook 1t
encountered two loaded freight cars
standing on the main track. One of
the freight cars was practically de-
stroycd. The other car was pushed
with such force that its momentum
carried it east past PittSfield station
some distance. The locomotive of the
train was overturned, and thrown up
on its side on the roadbed. The bag
gage car was thrown from the track
and plunged over the em5ankment on
the west side. The truck frame of the
dining car following it was torn from
under the ear. ANA the end Of the car
ploughcI into the road-b"d and ties,
stopping the rest of tn" train.
TIL" passengers in the rear cars We're
badly shaken IN but no one was scri-
ously Injured.
Lewis A. Gilbert, q travelling en-
ginrcr for tn" Maine Central Railroad
Company was riding on the locomo-
tive. He was found after the accident
under the forward end of the baggage
car, ana when taken out he was un-
conscious. and lived but a few min
utes.
The engineer and fireman Of the
train, We're both seriously injured
BY what manner and means these
freight cars came to be upon the track
on the main line at this time is a mat
ter which We have taken pains to in
Nc$tigatc: and to make the matter
plain and clear we will state, that the
freight house siding in the yard at
PittSficld on the southcrly side Of the
track IS 400 feet long. From the
Westerly switch Of this freight house
track to the switch Of the south pass
ing track is $50 feet. and from the
switch Of the south passing track to
the main line switch is 500 feet.
These cars had been standing upon
III" freight house siding Car ID. l.. &,
W. NJ" 333S7. which was one of the
cars involved, was put upon the freight
house track on Aug. n, and on the
night "f Aug II. at II o'clock i. NJ.
Fri" car No. 1000 WAS pushed in on
til" west end Of the freight house
track BY train No. Is. No one seems
t" know whether the Erie car had its
brakes set or not when it was left upon
thu track
Joshua CONDOR. the assistant freight
agent at The station, had occasion to
move y. L. Il w. No. 332S7 on Aug.
II. with some others, four feet to un-
load som" freight. He says the car
docs not know whether he reset the
brakes after the car was moved. hut
il is our opinion that car ID. l.. & w.
No. 332S1 and Eric ear No 1907 were
both upon the siding without any
brakes being set.
There were six other cars standing
upon this siding; but whether they
We're brlkrd or not. nobody seems to
know, but il seems certain to lis that
they were not. from what follows
lnon the morning Of Aug. -. freight
train No. ~ arrived from Watervillr
AZ about $40 A. NJ Considerable
shifting was done at Pittsticli station
by train No 81, and the last movement
was To push six other freight cars
from the east on to the freight house
siding. ana push them west far enough
50 that the second car from the engine
was opposite the freight house doors.
That would leave l. cars west of that.
and between that and thr west switch
of tn" freight house siding
From the evidence in the case we are
satisfied that when train No. 81 backed
in onto the siding ana pushed thcs, "a
ears westward, SO as To load cars at the
freight house. it kicked these two cars
j. l.. & w. 332S1 and Erie No 1907
standing on the siding. off onto the
south passing track. with such force
Continued on Page Five)