Los Angeles herald., 1907-03-28
TRAIN OERAILEO;
NO ONE INJURED
KEYSTONE EXPRESS GOES IN
THE DITCH
Track Found to Have Been Tempered
With and Company Offers Re-
ward for Capture Of the
Perpetrators
Rv Assoelated Press.

IL AOD OINGs AAdAN AAoAh ANts
20 on the Pennsylvania railroad, known
as the keystone express, eastbound,
was derailed near Wilmerding, Pa,
.ourteen miles east of here early today
The engine, two mail cars and COM
bination baggage and smoker left the
track. but no one was hurt.
1t is believed the train was inten-
tionally deraileL and that the deed was
done by the same parties who wrecked
the Chicago limited at Stewart last
Friday. The same plan was carried
out and only the slow speed of the
train Cthirty miles an hour) saved it
from turning turtle, going over steep
bank and crushing out a number of
lives.
The work of the perpetrators was
thorough, and in this their evil intent
is shown, for both the eastbound and
westbound tracks were tampered with,
one rail Joint on each track being dis
placed within few rods of each 9TH
er. Had trains coming in opposite di-
rCctions met there there would have
been a frightful collision.
Following the derailment of the
coaches the passengers rushed out in
their night clothes. When they dis
covered there was no immediate dan
ger they returned to the cars and all
acted as coolly as was possible under
the circumstances.
Special Train Sent Out
The officials at Pittsburg were noti-
fed and a special train was quickly |
made up and run out to the scene of
the accident. The passengers upon the
derailed cars were transferred to this
train and sent east.
Railroad detectives promptly started
an investigation and the announcement |
was made that the derailment was un- |
doubtedly the work of train wreckers
whether for revenge or train robbery
was not known.
The spikes, bolts and flshplates from
an entire rail had been removed and
the rail turned inward on tracks Nos.
8 and 4. the main tracks east and west.
Nearby was a track wrench and a |
pair of gloves, while in the creek be-
low a crowbar, nuts, bolts and fish |
plates were found.
1t Is supposed the tools were obtained |
by breaking open a company chest. A
yardman who passed the point where
the train was wrecked a few minutes
before the accident occurred reported
that he saw two men walking along
the tracks. He gave the detectives
description OF the men and every effort
is being made to find them.
Engine Leaves Track
When the pony trucks OF the engine
struck the projecting corner of the rail
that had been tampered with the en-
gine leaped from the track, carrying |
the two mail cars with it, Engineer |
Poorbaugh and Fireman Johnson re-
mained at their posts and were none
the worse for their experience.
AS the sleepers all remained on the
track the passengers were not even
jolted. The scene of the wreck is at a
sharp curve near Turtle creek, and the
outside rail held against the grinding |
of the heavy train and prevented the
whole train from plunging over a for
ty-two-foot embankment into the river.
The two rail joints tampered with
were not more than twenty-five feet
apart and it is stated that had a train
of the westbound track come along it
would certainly have crashed over the
embankment.
This would have probably happened
had not the Chicago limited train, No.
%, running on track No. 4, westbound,
been late. Fortunately it was delayed
and reached Wilmerding several min
utes after the Keystone express had
been derailed.
In trying to locate the missing fish
plates the railroad officials reported
that one Of these had been fixed tight
ly between the rails that had been dis
jointed on both tracks. The purpose Of
this was to prevent the interruption of
the electric current by the breaking of
the binding wires, which would have
set the signals to danger before the
engineer could have reached the wreck
ing point.
The discovery caused the officials
much concern, as it means that the
wreckers are men experienced in signal
matters.