Interstate Commerce Commission, Report of the Accident Investigation Occurring on the PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD, BENNINGTON STATION, PA

1921
On April 27, 1921, there was a derailment of a pass enger train on the Pennsylvania Railroad near Bennington Station, Pa., which resulted in the deeth of 2 employees, and the injury of 20 passengers and 1 employee. After in vestigation of this accident the Chief of the Bureau of Safety reports as follows Location and method of operation. The Pittsburgh Division, on which this accident oocurred, extends between Pittsburgh and Altoona, Pa., a dis tance of 113.8 miles, and is a four-track line
more » ... which trains are operated by time-table, train orders and an automatic block-slpnal Bystem. Approaching the point of accident from the west, the track le tangent for 2,167 feet, followed by a curve of 8° 38' to the right 1,285 feet in length; the derailment occurred on this curve about 455 feet from its western end, at which point the grade is about 1.73 per cent descending for eastbound trains. The tracks are numbered, from south to north, 1, 2, 3 and 4 and the accident occurred on track 2, which Is the eastbound passenger track. The track in this vicinity Is laid with 130-pound rails, 33 feet In length, with 18 oak ties to the rail-length, tie-plat single-spiked, and ballasted with a mixture of slag and cin ders. Under special InstrucTions In the time-table the speed of tralne in the territory within which this accident occurred is restricted to 30 miles an hour. The weather was misty at the time of the accident, which occurred at about 10.08 p.m. Description. Eastbound passenr^r train No. 64, consisting of 1 baggage car, 4 coaches, 3 Pullman sleeping cars, and 1 coach, in the order named, hauled by engine 3679, was in charge of Conductoi? Fyler and Engineman Dunmlre. The cars were of all-steel construction. Train No. 64 left Pittsburgh at 7 k 00 m., on time, passed SF Block Station at 10.06 p.m., 9 minutes late, and was derailed near Bennington Station, a little more than 1 mile east of SF Block Station, while runnir at a speed variously estimated at between 25 and 45 miles per hour, .Engine 3679 came to rest on its left side about 300 feet beyond the point of derailment, diagonally across track 4 ; with Its head end fouling track 3. The Cistern was torn from the tender frame; both came to rest Just west of the engine, while the tender trucks-were about 60 feet west of the frame. The baggage car was about 145 feet east of the
doi:10.21949/1506950 fatcat:33wnlf2xb5eb7agzqm4shoxc5y