Evening star., 1946-04-26
Death Toll "A
lin Rail Wreck
Near Chicago
81 Of Us Injured
In Collision Remain
In Hospitals
THREE DISTRICT WOMEN among
those injured in wreck. Page AS
BY the Assoeioted Press


NAPERVILLE, ILL.,, April 90
Weary rescue workers today
counted at least AZ dead as a re-
suit of yesterdays terrific rear
end collision of the Burlington
Railroads westbound fast Ex-
position Flyer and Advance
Flyer.
OF 125 persons injured when the
Exposition Flyer, speeding at more
than so miles an hour toward San
Francisco, rammed the stopped Ad-
vance Flyer. 81 remained in hos
pitals, some in critical condition
All but five of the dead, all women,
had been identified.
The engineer of the Exposition
Flyer, who Burlington Railroad Of
hcials said had adequate warning
that the preceding train had
stopped, was charged with man
slaughter. Du Page County officials
said. however, this was technical
ity to make certain the engineer
would appear at an inquest and that
no evidence of laxity had been un
covered.
Left on Separate Tracks.
The two steel-car, Diesel-powered
trains crashed just 81 minutes after
they left Chicago's Union Station
simultaneously at 1885 pm. or
separate tracks. but after few
miles moved onto single center
track with the tAdvance Flyer
which ran on faster schedule, ir
the lead.
The Advance Flyer, carrying Isl
to 200 passengers in nine coaches
was bound for Omaha and Lincoln
Nebr. The Exposition Flyer was
made up of II coaches and carried
ITS to 200 persons
t Two minutes after the Advance
Flyer made an unscheduled stop II
this village of 5,287, terrific crasi
roared through the countryside a!
the Exposition Flyer plowed into th'
rear of the stalled train.
At first there was complete con
fusion. Huge, shining passengel
coaches were strewn across tori
tracks, some in tangled wreckage.
The cries of the dying cam
mostly from the rear coach of th'
Advance Flyer, where passenger
were trapped. Others groped in be
wilderment for escape from tn,
mass of steel wreckage.
Eleven Coaches Overturned.
4 Eleven coaches were overturned
or left the rails, six on the Advanc,
Flyer and five on the Exposition
Flyer.
Through the night, hours afte
the accident, search continued TO
additional bodies. This was discon
tinued at dawn, however, whel
searchers were convinced all casual
ties were accounted for.
Workers attempted to remove tn,
debris and restore travel on th'
main line. An emergency line, how
ever. was set up to allow through
traffic.
! AS Burlington officials pursued
their investigation of the worst &C
!, cident in its history and also th'
most tragic in the Chicago area
States Attorney Lee Daniels of D,
Page County said a warrant hac
been issued for w. w. Blaine, SO
GaleSburg, H., engineer of the Ex.
position Flyer.
The engineer suffered skull frac.
ture, the prosecutor said, and will
not be arraigned on the manslaugh-
ter warrant for at least two weeks Oh
until he is released from hospita
where he is under guard His bono
was fixed at $4,000
Mr.. Daniels said that Mr.. Blaine
for more than 43 years a railroad
man, told him that just before the
collision Fireman E. H. Craytor
warned him he was going to strike
the Advance Flyer. He said Mr.
Crayton apparently jumped before
the crash and was killed.
Engineer Stays at Throttle.
Mr.. Blaine, however, stayed at hi
throttle as his train sped toware
the stalled Advance Flyer. The Ex
position Flyers silver nose plowet
into the rear coach and for a fleet
ing moment appeared to stagger il
the air, tear through the roof, thel
plunge with terrific force upon tn,
floor and trucks of the car.
It's force was not spent, and i
continued on through three quar-
tiers of the length of the rear coach
ripping its top, spreading it wide
and inflicting death and injury tt
most of its occupants.
Mr.. Blaine suffered cuts on tn,
head and was taken to an Aurors
hospital.
Mr.. Daniels quoted the engineer
as saying I'VE were going too fast.
and that his train was travelling 8!
miles an hour when he noticed tn
first of two warning signals. Th
engineer applied the brakes at once
Mr.. Daniels said Mr.. Blaine related
but 'it was too late How I cam
out alive, I'll never know.
At the station, James Tangney
flagman of the Advance Flyer, lef
the rear coach and told passengers
J 1See WRECK, Page A-5.)