Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-11-30

G
crashed into the waiting passangar
tram ABOUT 10 o'clock Saturday morn.
ing. derailing the passenger engine
the Two engines which were haulin.
the freight train and severely damag.
Ing several of the box cars of ~
freight, besides ripping up a long sec
tlon of track. Except for minor
bruises suffered by the members If
the engine crews who were forcad -
Jump before the crash. and to passen-
gers and members of the train crew
OF the passenger train, no personal in
Juries were reported.
The accident occurred within
quarter OF mile Of Vassalboro sta
tlon and was understood to have been
caused by slippery rails. Orders had
oeen ISSUED Tor the two trains to meet
at Vassalboro, and the regular. train
No. l, being a first class train had
rlgnt or way over the extra. which
was therefore supposed to go onto the
turnout to allow the passenger to get
by. No. l had stopped at the station
10 discharge passengers and had then
pulled up to within distance of $50
Ieet OF the north switch by which the
freight train was to have entered the
turnout.
When the engineers of the two en-
glnes which were used to haul the
freight, extra COS west, applied the
brakes before reaching the switch, so
that the brakeman might throw the
switch. the train did not respond as il
should have done and it drifted by the
switch, crashing into the waiting pas
senger train.
The force of the collision was such
that the three engines were derailed
and were crushed together, the tenders
of each being pushed into the cab I'M
TIL 1t was barely possible for a man to
enter the car by the regular gangway.
One car was badly damaged next to
the rear engine of the freight train
and for a distance of about 10 cars
behind that the freight cars were driv-
en- together so that the end of one was
flush against the end Of the other, the
draw bars being pushed down onto the
track. Two of these cars We're also
buckled, the top OF one being thrown
at least a foot higher than the ends.
About 10 cars from the engine were
two fat cars which were loaded with
small timber. These two cars were
completely demolished the load from
one being thrown into the Kennebec
river and the other onto the other side
of the main track, IN such way that
the side track was blocked.
Behind this for distance of 40 cars
there was no sign OF damage and then
two large box cars loaded with pota-
toes were crushed, the side and end of
one of them being completely smashed
and the load OF potatoes spilled upon
the railroad embankment.
A wrecker from Waterville, called
Immediately to the scene, began work
from the rear end of the train but
was delayed by ,the fact that there.
were several minor places that re-
quired attention and each time one OF
these was cleaned up it was necessary
to haul the unchanged cars which
were then reached back to the Wins
low siding before another attempt
could be made to clear away wreclage.
In the meantime wrecking train
and crew had been summoned from
the Portland end and this was at
once put to work on the wreck. 1t
was run up the siding to the place
where the lumber car had formed an
obstacle and this was at once remov-
ed, clearing the track for No. IL, the
3 o'clock express for Bangor, to get
by, as the other wrecking crew had
by that time cleared away the cars
north of the switch to the siding.
The siding track. which had been in
jured by the accident was straight
ened up by the section crews before
the arrival of the wrecker.
AS soon as a clear track mad been
obtained for the regular trains. steps
were taken to clear up the "reck,
a pe and a crew was kept at work all
night. with the result that the main
line was again ready Tor use AZ
C,,pdoxr morning.
The members of the engine crews
Of the freight train, were fortunate
in receiving no injuries Of conse-
ouence when they jumped. Fireman
Murray of Engine sos, which was
the second one on the freight, was
the only one to receive injuries otn-
than bruises, he suffering a sprained
wrist as he jumped. When Engineer
watch on the lead engine. No. 900,
seeing that the train would not STOP
before hitting the passenger, caiieo
~ the members of the engine crew
to lump. they wasted no time In
leaving the engine. Brakeman NC
who was the head praKe-
man On the train and was riding on
the engine. declared later that they
left IN such close order that he near
Nv Jumped on the man ahean OF hi,ii.
they were forced to jump on the
side of the train as TO jump
the other way would probably nave
meant an immersion in the kennepec
river Leaping over the side track
The men landed part way up on .
hirb hank. which they believe saved
them from serious injury, as lney
iumped at the place where the ca
~ lumber were smashed up Wnen tie
onoines came together and 1t Is prop
. he that they would have been pur
led nv a pile Of heavy timber Il 'he'
nod been on the side track.
Fireman Murray, VINO IIoin us
cot IN the second locomotive was
Unable to see ahead, received n,'
arst warning Of the impending col
ision when he saw the crew OF tne
,ther engine leaving. Gaining 70 lno
sneineer, he jumped, but na'ins M
dea of the amount OF time uvo oto
he actual crash, he did not "I h,,t
INV nv turning to face anea9, ~.
summed out so that he was iacins
Ioward the rear of the train wnen ne
~ The result was the sprai'eu
wrist. ~. train crews
rere Al loss to understand WHY VI
1ers were given to cause tne ne -
sxtra train to take the tuInou Gov
,as become a common cusso sort
.ha dispatcher in cases OIL lns
where heavy freight Is nee.ins
"a ssenger train, to give tne ns
.ipht of way over the paaa.m
which would have put the pass ns,,d 4
w the siding and the fre,sh. 49,
ave steamed right by witnous s'oc