1926 — June 16, passenger trains collide rear-end, Pennsylvania RR, near Gray, PA  —     16

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 3-13-2025 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–16  Interstate Commerce Commission File No. 1268, June 26, 1926.

–16  Record-Argus, Greenville, PA. “Sixteen Bodies Recovered After Trains Collide…” 6-17-1926, p.1.

Narrative Information

Interstate Commerce Commission: “On June 16, 1926, there was a rear-end collision between two passenger trains on the Pennsylvania Railroad at a point approximately 1 mile east of Gray and about 51 miles cast of Pittsburgh, Pa., this accident resulting in the death of 11 passengers and 4 employees, and the injury of 82 passengers, 1 of them fatally, and 4 employees. This accident was investigated jointly with the Public Service Commission of Pennsylvania….

 

“The Pittsburgh Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad, on which this accident occurred, extends between Pittsburgh and Altoona, Pa. a distance of 113.8 miles. At the point where the accident occurred, it is a four-track line; the tracks are numbered consecutively from south to north, and the accident occurred on track 2, which is the eastbound passenger track. Approaching Gray from the west the track is tangent for more than 2 miles, then there, is a 2 degree curve to the left 1,426 feet in length, followed by a tangent of 1,527 feet, Gray station being located near the middle of this tangent; this latter tangent is followed by a 2 degree curve to the right 2,806 feet in length, 130 feet of tangent, and then a 3 degree curve to the left 1,455 feet in length. The accident occurred on this 3 degree curve at a point approximately 552 feet from its western end..

 

“….Approaching the point of accident the tracks are carried through a side-hill cut, the maximum depth of which is about 15 feet on the south side and about 10 feet on the north side, this cut extending to within about 900 feet of the Point of accident: then there is a fill about 12 feet high extending nearly to the point of accident, where, the track is practically level with the adjoining land on the south, while there, is a fill of 3 or 4 feet on the north…. At the time of the accident, the weather was clear…

 

“The trains involved in this accident were train No. 50, known as the Washington Express, consisting of engine 299, one deadhead Pullman observation car, and six Pullman sleeping cars, with Engineman Kinkead and Conductor Pennell in charge; and train No. 40, known as the Cincinnati Limited. consisting of engines 3850 mid 612, one Pullman combined club and baggage car, and nine Pullman sleeping ears, with Engineman Garden and McConnell and Conductor Faust in charge. All cars in both trains were of all-steel construction….

 

“According to the train-sheet record, train No. 50 left Pittsburgh at 10.28 p.m., on time, passed DR tower at Derry, 5.4 miles west of Gray at 11.29 p.m., about two minutes ahead of its schedule time, and because of a burst brake-pipe air hose, was brought to a stop at about 11.36 p.m. at a point approximately 1 mile east of Gray, the rear end of the train being about 820 feet east of signal bridge 3012. While standing at this point, train No. 50 was struck by train No. 40 at about 11.41 or 11.15 p. m.

 

“Train No. 40 left Pittsburgh at 10.35 p.m., on time, passed DR at 11.38 p.m. approximately on time, and collided with train No. 50 while running at a speed estimated to have been between 40 and 50 miles per hour.

 

“The leading engine of train No. 40 penetrated the sleeping car Mt. Union, the rear car of train No. 50, for a distance of about 16 feet, the vestibule and end of the car being driven into the ladies’ wash room, crumpling the partitions in the hallway and between the wash room, stateroom and drawing-room to the partition between these compartments and the main body of the car. This car was derailed and came to rest approximately in line with the track and leaning to the right at an angle of about 45 degree; it was separated from the next car, the Fieldsboro, by a distance of about 35 feet. The Fieldsboro telescoped the car ahead of it, the Entriken, for nearly its entire length, the body of the Fieldsboro overrode the underframe and floor of the Entriken, spread the sides and carried the rear end, roof, interior partitions, and contents forward to within about 9 feet of the head end, the Entriken being practically destroyed. The Entriken remained coupled to the Neshaming, the fourth car in the train, which sustained relatively slight damage. The third and fourth cars were broken apart and separated by a distance of about 10 feet…; the first and second cars were also separated by a distance of about 10 feet, the forward truck of the first car being derailed, and the first ear being separated from the tender by a distance of about 20 feet. As nearly as could be determined after the accident, the engine of train No. 50 was driven ahead a total distance of between 90 and 100 feet.

 

“The leading engine of train No. 40 came to rest on its right side with its head end about 4 feet behind the rear end of the car Mt. Union. The front end of this engine was lying on track 1 and the rear end on the right of way to the right of track 1. The tender of the leading engine became detached and was lying across track 1 at an angle of about 30 degree, its forward end being against the trailer wheels of the leading engine. The second engine was turned almost completely around; it was lying on its left side jammed against the tender of the first engine, with its front end on track 1 and its rear end on track 3, also at an angle of about 30 degree with the track. The tender of this engine was lying on its right side with its front end about opposite the rear end of the second engine and its rear end opposite a point between the No. 1 and No. 2 driving wheels of the second engine. Both engines were practically stripped of all appurtenances.

 

“Club car Watkins the first car of train No. 40, was, practically crosswise of tracks 1, 2, and 3, the forward or baggage end going to the right and extending approximately half the length of the car outside of track 1, the rear end being on track 4. This car was, jammed between the second engine and its tender on one side, and the third ear, the Finley, which was driven into the opposite side of the passenger end. The Watkins was practically destroyed. The second car, the Inwood, turned to the left and stopped with its forward end off the roadbed to the north, its rear end on track 3, and its right side resting against the end of the club car Watkins….

 

“The passengers who were killed were in the Entriken and the Watkins. The employees who were killed were the two enginemen, the fireman of the leading engine, and the baggagemaster, all of train No. 40….

 

“…tests definitely established the fact that the signals involved in this accident were in proper operating condition at the time these tests were made. There is no question that they were operating properly prior to the accident and it is known by direct observation that they operated properly as soon as the tracks were repaired after the accident….

 

“The reason that these signal indications were not properly observed and obeyed by the engine crews of train No. 40 cannot be positively determined. The evidence discloses that not only were the brakes not applied from the leading engine as should have been done in order to control the train as required by the caution and stop signal indications, but even after the flagman and rear end of train No. 50 came into view, the fusee passed, and torpedoes exploded, no brake application was made or call for brakes sounded from the leading engine, and steam was still being used by that engine when it was last observed, only an instant before the collision occurred….

 

“The evidence indicates that Engineman Gordon sounded a crossing whistle signal as his train was approaching Gray, but from that time onward he took no action whatever and he was found lying on his back with his hands folded across his chest, his position suggesting a peaceful rather than a violent death. The conclusion, therefore, appears to be well founded that Engineman Gordon was dead or physically incapacitated before this accident occurred.

 

“This accident was caused by the failure of Engineman Gordon, of train No. 40, to control his train as required by caution and stop indications of automatic block signals and the stop signals placed by the flagman of train No. 50, which failure it is believed was due to sudden death or physical incapacitation. Had Engineman McConnell, of the second engine of train No. 40, realized a few seconds earlier that train No. 40 was not being properly controlled by Engineman Gordon, of the leading engine, he could have brought this train to a stop in time to avert the accident, and had Flagman MacDonald gone back as far as he was able to go in the time available after his train came to a stop and before he was recalled, his fusee and torpedoes placed farther back would probably have, given Engineman McConnell warning in time to have enabled him to stop his train before striking the preceding train, or at least in time to mitigate the disastrous consequences of the collision.

 

“This accident again forcefully calls attention to the need of ail automatic train-control appliance which will cause a train to be brought to a stop in case an engineman for any reason fails to obey the stop indication of an automatic block signal. Had an adequate automatic train stop or train-control system been in use on this line, this accident would have been prevented.”  (ICC {W.P. Borland}.  File No. 1268, June 26, 1926.)

Newspaper

 

June 17: “Pittsburgh, June 17. – Pittsburgh division headquarters of he Pennsylvania railroad, shortly before noon today, announced that 16 bodies have been recovered from the wreckage of the railroad disaster at Gray Station, 30 miles east of here….

 

“Twelve persons were seriously injured and removed to a hospital at Latrobe, Ps. Fifty other persons were shaken up when the speeding Cincinnati train crashed into the Washington train, which had stopped to make repairs….

 

“The wreck was caused indirectly by a broken hose coupling on the locomotive of the first train, No. 50, the Washington flyer, en route to Washington. When the coupling broke, Engineer H. M. Kincaid halted the Washington express and sent a flagman to place red signals to warn approaching trains, according to the reports received at the Pennsy offices here. The flagman had lighted the signals and the crew of the Washington train was making repairs when the second train, No. 40, bound from Cincinnati to New York, and pulled by two locomotives, crashed into the rear of the Washington train.

 

“The Washington train was composed of a locomotive and six Pullman cars. The New York train was made up of two locomotives, a club car and nine Pullmans.

 

“The three rear sleeping cars of the Washington train were telescoped. The two New York bound locomotives were demolished.

 

“The list of dead is: [We separate names out of paragraph form into separate lines.]

 

  1. McLees, of New York, baggage master of the Cincinnati Limited;
  2. S. Gordon of Derry, Pa., engineer of the Cincinnati Limited;
  3. A. McConnell of Altoona, Pa., engineer of the second locomotive of the Cincinnati Ltd.
  4. N. Hollingsworth of Greensburg, Pa., fireman of the first locomotive of Cincinnati Ltd.

Edwin Donathay, passenger;

  1. S. Farrell of Orange, N.J.;
  2. F. Bowman of Columbus, O.;

Dr. C. B. Carter of Wilkinsburg, Pa.;

  1. Panos of Mussillon, O.;

Mrs. William B. Dunwoody of Wilkinsburg, Pa.;

Two small daughters of Mrs. Dunwoody, aged five and seven;

Thomas Porter of Washington, Pa.;

Claude Smiles of Cincinnati and

  1. Dinsmore of Columbia, S.C.

 

“T. N. Sixsmith of the Pennsylvania railroad places the responsibility of the accident on W. F. Gordon, veteran engineer of the Cincinnati t New York train and who was killed in the wreck. Sixsmith said: ‘I am convinced that Gordon ran his engine past four easily distinguishable safety signals. Why he did this of course, will never be known, as the entire cab crew was killed.’ Gordon was an engineer on Pennsy passenger trains for 20 years, and according to Sixsmith had never before been in an accident.” (Record-Argus, Greenville, PA. “Sixteen Bodies Recovered After Trains Collide near Pittsburgh.” 6-17-1926, p. 1.)

Sources

 

Record-Argus, Greenville, PA. “Sixteen Bodies Recovered After Trains Collide near Pittsburgh.” 6-17-1926, p. 1. Accessed 3-13-2025 at:

https://newspaperarchive.com/greenville-record-argus-jun-17-1926-p-1/

 

United States Interstate Commerce Commission File No. 1268. “Report of the Director of the Bureau of Safety in RE Investigation of an Accident Which Occurred on the Pennsylvania Railroad near Gray, PA, on June 16, 1926.”  Washington, DC:  ICC, June 26, 1926, 26 pages; reproduced by DOT Library, Special Collections, I.C.C. Historical Railroad Investigation Reports (1911-1994). Accessed at: http://dotlibrary.specialcollection.net/