1950 — Sep 2, Milwaukee Interurban Excursion Trains collide head-on ~Milwaukee, WI–10

–10 AP. “President of Line at Fault in…Crash, D.A. Claims.” Rhinelander Daily News, WI, 9-6-1950, p.1.
–10 Middleton, William D. The Interurban Era. Kalmback Pubs., 1961, p. 370.
–10 UP. “Court to Decide Speedrail Trial.” Racine Journal Times Sunday Bulletin, WI. 10-9-1950, 1.
–10 UP. “Speedrail Personnel Lack Training, PSC Concludes.” Sheboygan Press, WI. 10-18-1950, 1.
–10 Wisconsin Historical Society. Dictionary of Wisc. History, “Railroad Disasters in Wisc.”

Narrative Information

Middleton: “Sometimes the lessons taught by disaster are forgotten, and in 1950, 40 years after the Kingsland wreck, the last big accident of the interurban era occurred under almost identical circumstances, when two Milwaukee interurban excursion trains collided head-on with a loss of 10 miles. A misunderstanding of orders sent the two trains racing toward each other on single track, and, just as at Kingsland, an overgrowth of trackside brush at a curve obscured visibility for the motormen until too late.” (Middleton 1961, p. 370.)

Wisconsin Historical Society: “The worst 20th-century wreck involved a head-on crash between two interurban Milwaukee Rapid Transit and Speedrail Company trains near Milwaukee on September 2, 1950. 10 persons were killed, more than forty injured. The company’s president, J. E. Maeder, was at the controls of one of the trains.” (Wisconsin Historical Society. Dictionary of Wisc. History, “Railroad Disasters in Wisc.”)

Newspapers

Sep 2, AP: “Milwaukee – (AP) – A headon crash between two electrified interurban trains carrying an estimated 200 model railroad enthusiasts claimed at least eight lives and injured some 50 persons today….The forward car of one train telescoped into the first car of the other, trapping many of the passengers. The second cars of both trains remained upright on the tracks.

“Both trains, operated by the Milwaukee Speedrail Co., were excursion specials arranged by members of the National Model Railroad association which opened its annual convention here today. The association had arranged picture-taking roundtrips between Milwaukee and Hales Corners for convention delegates. One of the trains was northbound on its way back to Milwaukee and the other was en route to the suburban community. Both trains were traveling a single track. The crash occurred about 9 miles from downtown Milwaukee on a straight stretch of track. There was no immediate cause given.

“….Cutting tools were rushed to the scene to help remove trapped persons from the wreckage….Sheriff Herman Kubiak said that at least two ‘and probably more’ persons were trapped in the tangled steel of the cars.” (Associated Press. “8 Killed, 50 Hurt in Headon Train Crash Near Milwaukee.” The Capital Times, Madison, WI, 9-2-1950, p. 1.)

Sep 3, UP and AP: “Milwaukee – Nine persons were killed and 46 were injured Saturday when two interurban electric trains collided head-on while carrying members of the National Model Railroad Assn. on a holiday outing. All nine dead were members of the association, whose annual convention here was brought to a sudden and tragic end. Of the injured, five were hurt seriously…

“The two trains collided with terrific impact…

“Passengers said the outbound train waited at a double-track station for the Milwaukee-bound train to pass but when it failed to appear resumed its trip over the single track.

“J.E. Maeder, owner and president of the Speedrail interurban line who was at the controls of the Milwaukee-bound train, said he got a clear signal and proceeded over the single-track stretch at 35 miles per hour until he rounded a curve and saw the other train on an incline about 180 yards away. ‘I leaped from the train and rolled down an embankment when I saw a collision was unavoidable,’ said Maeder. Maeder’s train, consisting of two part-wooden and part-steel cars, was ‘smashed to pieces’ by the two all-steel cars of the outgoing train. The forward cars of both trains were smashed to bits as one telescoped into the other, splitting the sides back like a banana peel….Maeder estimated there were 90 passengers aboard each train.

“Maeder bought the line, the Milwaukee Rapid Transit and Speedrail Co., just a year ago Saturday from Northland Greyhound Lines, Inc. The line provides passenger service between Milwaukee, about 20 miles west, and Hales Corners, about 15 miles south-west, of Milwaukee….

“At the Oklahoma Ave. station, en route to Milwaukee, he [Maeder] said, he was given a clear signal for the next block….

“Dr. E. L. Tharinger, Milwaukee county medical examiner, said eight bodies were recovered from the wreckage by firemen and rescuers equipped with torches and crowbars. The ninth victim died at a hospital. The dead, as identified by Dr. E. L. Tharinger, county medical examiner:

Charles J. Sulzbach, Minneapolis, Minn.
William Roberts, Taylors, S.C.
William Wight, Milwaukee.
John Williams, Park Ridge, Ill.
Emil Beck, Detroit.
Huntley G. Burroughs, Detroit.
William Greenaway, 59, Louisville, Ky.
Marian Kratt, Chicago.
Raymond Kratt, Chicago….”

(United Press and Associated Press. “State Train Crash Kills 9. 46 Hurt in Rail Accident 9 Miles from Milwaukee.” Wisconsin State Journal, Madison, 9-3-1950, p. 1.)

Sep 6, AP: “Milwaukee (AP) – Dist. Atty. William J. McCauley declared Tuesday night evidence to date indicated Jay Maeder, president of the Speedrail Co., was at fault Saturday when two of his firm’s interurban cars smashed headon, claiming 10 lives. Maeder was acting as motorman on one of the cars filled with sight-seeing delegates to the National Model Railroad Association convention. Death toll in the crash rose to 10 Tuesday with the death of Gerald Greer, 39, of Milwaukee.

“Another headon collision of Speedrail cars occurred Tuesday on the same stretch of single track on the western edge of Milwaukee that was the locale for Saturday’s tragedy. This time a passenger car and a freight car rammed. The lone passenger was slightly injured.

“McCauley said he had questioned both Maeder and Leroy Equitz, motorman of the other car, who still is hospitalized with injuries. He said Equitz told him that as he entered the single stretch of track there was a white light on the signal block which controls traffic on the single track. Maeder told him he received a ‘momentary flash’ of white light as he entered the other end of the track section. McCauley said Maeder emphasized his train was traveling up to 35 miles an hour at top speed; Equitz said he was going only 20. Since the crash occurred midway on the stretch of track, said McCauley, it meant the slower moving Equitz entered the signal block before Maeder. The district attorney then declared:

Equitz had to be in first. Equitz acted correctly and was entitled to enter. As far as our investigation shows, Maeder had a red light at Oklahoma avenue (where the Maeder car entered the signal block). What Haberling said corroborates this.

“McCauley referred to John Haeberling [sic], Speedrail operations supervisor, who was at the Oklahoma siding. McCauley quoted him as saying he looked up after Maeder’s car passed and saw a red signal light.

“The state public service commission scheduled a hearing into the crash for Sept 27. McCauley said Commission Chairman John Doerfer told him the commission was considering suspending the Speedrail line’s operations but could not do so without a public hearing. McCauley said the investigation will continue with questioning of others involved in the accident.

“Eight persons remained in critical condition Wednesday with injuries suffered in Saturday’s crash.” (Associated Press. “President of Line at Fault in State Crash, D.A. Claims.” Rhinelander Daily News, WI, 9-6-1950, p.1.)

Oct 9, UP: “Milwaukee – (UP) – District court will decide Monday whether Jay Maeder, former Speedrail Interurban Line president, should stand trial on a fourth-degree manslaughter charge as a result of a train crash Sept. 2 in which 10 persons died. A three-day preliminary hearing in the case ended before Civil Judge Myron L. Gordon, sitting in District Court….Defense attorneys said Maeder was guilty only of ‘inadvertence’ even if he did go through a red light when his train entered the track section where the crash occurred….” (United Press. “Court to Decide Speedrail Trial.” Racine Journal Times Sunday Bulletin, WI. 10-9-1950, p.1.)

Oct 18, UP: “Madison, Wis. – (UP) – The State Public Service commission says there is ‘a general lack of training’ of personnel on the Speedrail interurban line, Milwaukee, and that the line does not meet national safety standards at times. In an interim order issued here yesterday, the PSC reported on its investigation of the line after the Sept. 2 collision that killed 10 persons and injured 48. The order requires the company to teach all persons ‘in any way responsible for movement of equipment on the tracks’ to understand operation of the block signal system and the firm’s rules of operation. The PSC said it will not allow changes in Speedrail’s rules until everyone has learned the proposed revisions.

“It also ordered that no more than one passenger train at a time shall be run over the single track between West Junction and Hillcrest, known as the Hales Corners line. It was on that stretch of track that ex-Speedrail President Jam Maeder and Motorman Leroy Equitz collided with trainloads of model railroad fans. Other requirements include the keeping of records on all signal failures, of alleged rules violations by employes and of action taken; employment of a factory trained signal maintenance worker, and filing of complete schedules, operating procedures, inventories of equipment and its condition, and reports on training programs and further safety measures.

“The PSC’s order follows a coroner’s jury hearing at Milwaukee last month which recommended tightening the line’s safety regulations and a fourth-degree manslaughter charge against Maeder. The charge was later dismissed. Maeder had testified that he did not ‘consciously’ enter the single track where the accident took place with the knowledge that another train was approaching…

“While the jury in Milwaukee was viewing the scene of the accident, one of the same signals on the block failed to work.” (UP. “Speedrail Personnel Lack Training, PSC Concludes.” Sheboygan Press, WI. 10-18-1950, 1.)

Sources

Associated Press. “8 Killed, 50 Hurt in Headon Train Crash Near Milwaukee.” The Capital Times, Madison, WI, 9-2-1950, p. 1. Accessed 8-22-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/madison-capital-times-sep-02-1950-p-1/

Associated Press. “President of Line at Fault in State Crash, D.A. Claims.” Rhinelander Daily News, WI, 9-6-1950, p.1. Accessed 8-22-2023 at:
https://newspaperarchive.com/rhinelander-daily-news-and-the-new-north-sep-06-1950-p-1/

Middleton, William D. The Interurban Era. Kalmback Pubs., 1961. Accessed 8-22-2023 at:
https://archive.org/details/interurbanera00midd/page/370/mode/1up

United Press. “Court to Decide Speedrail Trial.” Racine Journal Times Sunday Bulletin, WI. 10-9-1950, p.1. Accessed 8-22-2023 at:
https://newspaperarchive.com/racine-journal-times-sunday-bulletin-oct-08-1950-p-1/

United Press and Associated Press. “State Train Crash Kills 9. 46 Hurt in Rail Accident 9 Miles from Milwaukee.” Wisconsin State Journal, Madison, 9-3-1950, p. 1. Accessed 8-22-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/madison-wisconsin-state-journal-sep-03-1950-p-1/

Wisconsin Historical Society. Dictionary of Wisconsin History, “Railroad Disasters in Wisconsin.” Accessed 12/26/2008 at: http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/dictionary/index.asp?action=view&term_id=10470&keyword=disaster