 |
These photos are part of a set of four that were provided by Mr. Charles
Southworth. According to Charlie, the photos show the wreck of Train 47, the
west-bound Sportsman, just east of Bumpass. According to Charlie, the accident
occurred in about 1934 and his family was waiting to board at Bumpass. To my eyes,
however, these two photos were of a freight train wreck and the other two (which are
still on the Bumpass page) were of a passenger train and I couldn’t find any
information about a wreck on the Piedmont Sub in the 1940’s. On the other hand, all
of the other information that Charlie ever gave me checked out.
In February of 2021 I received an email from Chuck McIntyre. He also said that the
photos looked like they were from at least two separate incidents. He also pointed out
that the clothing and passenger cars in the passenger wreck look like they are WWI vintage.
Chuck was sure - and I agree with his analysis - that these two show the 1942 wreck
at Rockaway. Thus, I’ve moved those photos to this page.
Chuck provided an excerpt from ICC report from July of 1942
Third 402 engine 1546 departed from Strathmore at 3:46 p.m., according to the dispatcher's record of
movement of trains, 7 hours 46 minutes late, passed the fouling point of the east siding-switch at
Rockaway, where it was required to wait unless No. 403 was on the siding, and while moving at an
estimated speed of 30 miles per hour it collided with No. 403 at a point 2,920 feet east of the
east siding-switch.
No. 403, a west-bound third-class mixed train, consisted of engine 2335, a caboose, five loaded and
six empty cars and one baggage-coach, in the order named. At Troy, 8.4 miles east of Rockaway and the
last open office, the crew received a clearance Form A, a clearance Form B (a) and copies of train order
No. 66, Form 19, previously quoted. The clearance Form B (a) authorized No. 403 to proceed expecting to
meet Third 402 at Rockaway. No. 403 departed from Troy at 3:45 p.m., according to the dispatcher's record
of movement of trains, 1 hour 13 minutes late, and while moving at an estimated speed of 6 miles per hour
it collided with Third 402.
The force of the impact tore the boilers of engines 1546 and 2335 from their frames. Engine 1546 was derailed
to the south and stopped, badly damaged, on its right side, at an angle of about 45 degrees to the track and
with its front end at the foot of a 17-foot fill. The first to the twenty-first cars; inclusive, and the thirty-first
to the fifty-third cars, inclusive, of Third 402, were derailed and stopped, badly damaged, in various positions across
the track and on each side of it. The boiler of engine 2335 stopped on its left side at the foot of the fill, with
its front end opposite the point of accident and 70 feet south of the track. The driving-wheel assembly, the engine
frame and the tender remained on the roadbed in line with the track. The caboose of No. 403 buckled to the south side
of the track and was crushed inward on its right side by the first car. The first to the sixth cars, Inclusive, were
derailed. The first car stopped upright and diagonally across the track. The third car stopped on its right side, north
of the track and parallel to it. The other derailed cars remained upright on the roadbed.
Chuck concluded, “The ICC account matches your photos, since the caboose was on the head end, right behind the
locomotive 2335, it would sustain serious damage in a head on collision like this. Also their account of the other train,
northbound 1546 went down the bank on its right side just like in your photo. Definitely the loco photo is the 1546 at Rockaway.”
|
