Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1913-04-14
ENGINE DROPS
into DEEP PIT
Engineer Mas Narrow Escape
In |. v. Accident.

If Fireman Arthur Fullerton, of
1877 William street, had been in his
cab on engine No. 1887, about 8
o'clock yesterday morning, he would
have been crushed to death, when
that locomotive turned over and
plunged six feet to the concrete bot
tom of the turn table pit at the Le-
high Valley railroad yards here.
The revolving section of the turn
table was adjusted to another track
SO that the rails on which engine
No. 1857 was running ended alb
ruptly at the edge of the huge con-
crete basin. Engineer Herbert Rick
wood, of 413 State street, who stuck
to his post, was hurled to the top of
his engine with great force when the
big locomotive landed on its left side
after a terrific crash against the con-
crete bottom of the pit. He escaped,
however, with few scratches. The
engine was badly damaged in the
tumble.
Engine No. 1887 arrived here at
$40, drawing the passenger train
which runs between Plainfield and
this place. Engineer Rickwood drove
the engine down to the main station
office OF the company, and then head
ed the locomotive for the turn table,
preparato to making a return trip
to Plainfleld. When the engine near
ed the switch leading to the turn ia
BILE, after the cars had been un-
coupled from the engine, Fireman
Fullerton ran ahead and opened the
switch, which Increased it's speed to
get on the siding to allow the cars
behind to 'fly" by, SO that when the
locomotive returned from the turn
table it would be In front of the
cars and in the right position for the
return trip to Plainfield. There Is
just about forty feet between the
turn table pit, and as the engine in
creased Its speed to "fly" the cars,
when Engineer Rickwood saw the re-
yolving section of the pit open it
was too late to stop the course of
the locomotive. He applied the
emergency brakes which, with the
wheels slippery from recent rains,
did not stop the big engine instantly.
Before applying the brakes and re-
verslng the throttle the engineer
the precipice with the engine. He
locomotive, which with It's right side
crashed into the edge of the cross
section of the turn table and not
finding proper support was tipped on
It's left side and plunged to the bot
tom of the pit with Mr.. Rickwood
in the cab. The engineer was badly
shocked in being roughly thrown to
the top of the cab, but received no
serious injury. The engineer imme-
diately dumped the fire of the loco
motive and two wrecking cranes
were soon on the scene, and the en-
gine set back on the track again by
o'clock in the afternoon.
The damage to the locomotive Ia
estimated at $3.50, the shafts, smoke
stack, etc, having been smashed off,
besides the left side of the cab hav-
ing been battered in. The tender OF
the engine did not go over into the
pit as the wheels were locked by the
emergency brakes. The fastening
rod between the engine and tender
broke. leaving the latter on the track
above the pit.
When Yardmaster Walter w.
Blocker was asked who he blamed
for the accident, he stated that he
did not know whom to hold respon-
sible. He did not lay the burden on
the engineer, as he said that it had
been customary to "fly the cars'' for
a long time on the railroad, but said
an investigation would be made. The
engineer and fireman were trans
ferred to another engine to make the
return "Trip to Plainf1eld.