Baptiste Creek Railroad Accident

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The railway accident at Baptiste Creek was the collision of an express train on a construction train on October 27, 1854 in the vicinity of the station Baptiste Creek, today: Jeannette's Creek in Chatham-Kent , Ontario , Canada , which on the Great Western Railway from Niagara Falls to Windsor was on the way. 52 dead were the result.

Starting position

The express train had left Niagara Falls on the evening before the accident. It consisted of a steam locomotive with trailing tender , then two cars of the second car class and four cars first class. In the end two baggage carts ran . On the way, the train accumulated a delay of seven hours due to a series of adversities.

At Baptiste Creek station, a construction train was made available on a passing track , which consisted of a locomotive and 15 freight cars loaded with gravel and was waiting to be used for repairs on the track bed after the last train had passed . It was foggy .

Accident

After the dispatcher at Baptiste Creek station had mistakenly confirmed to the engine driver of the construction train that the line was free because the express train had already passed, he pushed the construction train backwards at 15 to 20 km / h onto the track . The express train suddenly emerged from the fog and hit the gravel wagons at cruising speed. These were very heavily loaded and therefore had considerable inertia . The energy of the impact was therefore largely absorbed by the fact that the passenger coaches , which were mostly made of wood, were smashed. The two second class cars in front and the first half first class car were completely destroyed.

consequences

It was the worst rail accident in North America to date . 52 people were killed, 48 (according to another source: 60) were injured. A significant part of the passengers killed were German emigrants on their way to the USA .

See also

literature

  • Jim and Lisa Gilbert: 1854 train wreck near Jeannette's Creek . In: The Chatham Daily News v. 4th July 2009.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ THE MARKER - Official Newsletter of the Alberta Pioneer Railway Association 25/4 (2006), p. 3
  2. ^ Disasters - The Canadian Encyclopedia
  3. ^ Disasters - The Canadian Encyclopedia
  4. ↑ Nicholas Faith: Derail: Why Trains Crash . 2000, p. 44. ISBN 0-7522-7165-2

Coordinates: 42 ° 18 '50.9 "  N , 82 ° 25' 58.2"  W.