1960 — Jan 18, freight train cuts school bus in two at RR crossing near Fackler, AL — 5
–7 AP. “Freight-bus crash takes lives of seven.” Beatrice Daily Sun, NE. 1-18-1960, p. 1.
–5 AP. “Fifth Victim of Bus-Train Crash Dies.” Decatur Daily, AL. 1-24-1960, p. 3.
Narrative Information
Jan 24, AP: “Scottsboro, Ala. (AP) – Little Sheila Beavers died Saturday [Jan 23] and became the fifth victim of a school bus-train collision six days ago.
“Police continued their investigation of the crash and planned to interview Charlie Beavers, the driver of the school bus, possibly early in the week.
“Shiela [sic], niece of the driver, died at Erlander Hospital at Chattanooga, Tenn., where she had been kept alive by a mechanical respirator since the accident. She suffered a skull fracture and other injuries when a Southern Railways freight train sliced the bus in two at a dirt road crossing near the northeast Alabama town of Fackler last Monday [Jan 18].
“Beavers said the brakes failed when he tried to stop before crossing the tracks.
“Four children died in the crash.
“Beavers and eight children were hospitalized. None but Shiela was on the critical list going into the weekend.
“Highway Patrol Capt. James Powell said an inspection of the wreckage revealed that the brakes on at least one wheel – the left front – were in working order. He said he didn’t know if that one brake would have been sufficient to stop the bus. Powell added that some other malfunction – such as the brake pedal – would have caused the brakes to fail even if the wheel mechanism had worked properly.” (Associated Press. “Fifth Victim of Bus-Train Crash Dies.” Decatur Daily, AL. 1-24-1960, p. 3.)
Sources
Associated Press. “Fifth Victim of Bus-Train Crash Dies.” Decatur Daily, AL. 1-24-1960, p. 3. Accessed 11-28-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/decatur-daily-jan-24-1960-p-3/
Associated Press. “Freight-bus crash takes lives of seven.” Beatrice Daily Sun, NE. 1-18-1960, p. 1. Accessed 11-27-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/beatrice-daily-sun-jan-18-1960-p-1/