Evening star., 1953-01-29
Wreck Blamed
On Bad Brake
Unit in Wrong Place
On 207 Cars, ICC
RoiI Expert Says

The wreck of a runaway train
in Union Station January Is to-
day was blamed on an "incor-
rectly located" valve in the air
brake system.
Howard r. Langhurst, safety
inspector for the Interstate
Commerce Commission, testified
that two cars and two angle
cocks on the air line bore evi-
dence of jolting contact appar-
emily produced while the train
was in motion.
The expert was one of the last
witnesses at the four-day hear
ing into the wreck which injured
at least 43 persons. The hearing
ended shortly after noon.
Commissioner William j. Pat
terSon asked Mr.. Longhurst
how many passenger cars are
fitted with air valves thought to
be incorrectly located. He re-
piled that he would submit list
of 207 cars of the New York,
New Haven and Hartford Rail-
road.
Train Made Up in Boston.
The Federal Express which
was wrecked here had originated
in Boston with the PENNSYLVANIA
Railroad pulling the New Hav-
en- lines cars to Washington be-
hind an electric locomtive at
tached to the train in New York.
All testimony and evidence
pointed to the fact that closure
of the air line system between
the third and fourth cars had
robbed the engineer of his brak-
ing controls on the last Is cars.
Despite application of the brakes
on the locomtive and first three
cars. the weight of the free
running coaches was too much to
control.
The angle cock on the rear
Of the third car was found to
be in a partly closed condition
after the accident. Mr.. Long
hurst said there was an unusu-
ally strong motion between the
third and fourth cars because
of difference in spring action
snd somewhat different coupler
types.
Mr.. Longhurst said this con-
tact apparently occurred "fre-
quently and with sufficient force
to completely close the air line
prior to the engineers attempt
to reduce speed" on the final
approach to Union Station.
No Way to Simulate Motion.
The witness testified such q
closure would result in "com-
plete loss of control" by the
engineer of his power to apply
brakes to the rear 13 cars.
Adelbert S. Schroeder, assist.
ant general counsel of the Penn.
sylvania Railroad, called Mr..
Longhurst'S attention to the fact
that tests had been made recent
ly in an effort to stimulate the
conditions while the train was in
motion.
Mr.. Longhurst replied, II can
see no way of Stimulating the
vertical oscillation on those cars
while moving at a rapid rate of
speed"
Severe Jolt Emphasized.
The expert said that in his
opinion one severe jolt upward
and sideways could have un-
locked the angle cock and par
TALLY closed the valve. The han
die controlling the valve is pro-
tected by a thumb trigger guard
before it can be lifted upward.
The handle must be lifted up
ward about two inches before it
can be turned to either the
closed or open positions.
The same angle cock found
partly closed after the wreck in
Washington had caused trouble
with the train in Rhode Island
on the morning of the accident.
The train was held up for more
than 40 minutes until the engi-
neer discovered the valve on
the rear of the third car was
virtually closed.
The engineer reopened the
valve and locked it and the train
proceeded with no further trou-
bic until it reached the ap-
proach to the Washington
Terminal.
The Pennsylvania train crew
testified that the New Haven
crew did not tell them of the
closure of the angle cock and
did not explain why they were