1945 — Aug 9, 2nd section of Great Northern’s Empire Builder collides with 1st,Michigan, ND–34

Last edit Nov 29, 2023 by Wayne Blanchard for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–34  Michigan, North Dakota. “Michigan 1945 Train Wreck.” No Date. Accessed 11-29-2023.

–34  Wikipedia. “List of Rail Accidents (1940-1949).”) 

Narrative Information

Michigan, North Dakota. “Michigan 1945 Train Wreck.” –

“The worst rail disaster in North Dakota history happened at 7:20 p.m. on August 9th in 1945 at Michigan  The first section of a Great Northern passenger train had to make an emergency stop, and the engine of section-two plowed into it from behind.

“The two Empire Builders were traveling to the West Coast as a pair. The first section contained the Pullman sleeper cars, with 237 aboard, and the second section carried between 600 and 700 in coach cars. A new crew came on at Fargo that afternoon, with section-one leaving at 3:25 and section two pulling out about 10 minutes later. Passengers were almost all military men and women – World War II was winding down and would, in fact, officially end within the week.

“The only eyewitness that evening was Annette Desautels, who had just gotten off work at the Red Owl. “…when I got to the Great Northern tracks,” she said, “I…wondered why the train had stopped there, since the Empire Builder never makes a stop at Michigan… I could hear the shrill whistle of a second train coming…then I saw a railroad man with a red flag drop off the rear platform… run back down the track a ways, then frantically attempt to flag the oncoming train.”

“There was no time for the second train to stop. The second engine plunged into the rear car of section-one, sending it skyward and splitting it down the middle. The fated Pullman, named Peoria, was a “bobtail” – part observation car and part sleeping berths. One serviceman saw the second train coming and jumped out a window. The remaining 34 were either killed instantly or overcome by steam escaping from the engine below. Roughly two-thirds were military; the rest were primarily women, with several small children. Only one person was found alive. Mrs. George Bannan, 45, was trapped at the waist with her head caught outside a window. Sadly, she was on her way to Velva to attend her father’s funeral.

“Within minutes, the people of Michigan (population 500) began rescue efforts. Three welders, one from Tolna and two from Michigan, went for their equipment, ladders were brought, and the job of cutting through the steel and rubble began. As dark came on, people lined up their cars and aimed their headlights on the train until alternative lighting could be rigged. People provided coffee and food, and others provided space and typewriters to reporters.

“Military personnel on board did a great deal to help the train crew and rescue workers, as well as caring for the injured. Over the ensuing hours and days, one sailor helped the local telegraph company send messages to Fargo, St. Paul and to hundreds of relatives around the nation.

“A 20 year-old black porter from St. Paul was named several times for his heroic attempts to save Mrs. Bannon. He was supporting her head while a priest performed last rites. After more than six hours, she was finally freed, but she died in the ambulance 15 minutes later.

“The first engine had developed a “hot box” – a wheel bearing that was burning out. With smoke billowing from the tender, there was no choice; the train had to be stopped. In fact, it stopped three times – twice in and near Petersburg, where signals were left to warn the second train. The following engineer slowed for a number of miles but then resumed to 55. When he came upon the stalled train in Michigan, the engineer hit the emergency brakes and turned off all power, but he was only able to slow to 30 MPH before impact. Amazingly, the crew survived.”

[Blanchard note: A number of links for additional information are provided including a report on the collison.]

Wikipedia: “August 9, 1945 – Michigan, North Dakota, United States: The first section of the Great Northern’s Empire Builder is stopped by a hot box at Michigan City, North Dakota The crew does not protect the rear and the second section plows into the stalled observation car, 34 killed.” (Wikipedia. “List of Rail Accidents (1940-1949).”)[1] 

Newspaper

Aug 10, AP: “Michigan, N.D., Aug 10 (AP) – Sixteen bodies were recovered today from the tangled steel wreckage of an observation car into which a locomotive plowed as the two sections of the Empire Builder, Great Norther Transcontinental train, collided here last night, killing an estimated score and injuring 50 more, 15 of them seriously. John Cameron, Dakota division superintendent said the bodies recovered, all unidentified as yet, included those of six women, ten members of the armed services and one o a negro porter. Cameron said he had personally seen in the wreckage the bodies of three more women, four men and a child yet to be released, which would establish the death toll at 25.

“With a crash which shook every house in this community of less than 500 population, the speeding second coach section plowed into the leading Pullman section which had been halted here unexpectedly by a hot box on the locomotive tender shortly before 7 p.m. The rear car of the standing train, a combination sleeper and observation car, was telescoped, its furnishings and berths jammed into a compact mass at its front while the car’s steel shell remained superimposed on the locomotive of the following train.  Train attendants estimated 27 persons occupied the car’s two portions.

“Definite check of the number of injured was difficult as they were scattered among a half dozen neighboring communities which have hospital facilities, completely lacking here. Michigan has no doctor.

Only 2 Men Escape

“John Burnham, a staff correspondent for the Fargo N.D. Forum, who was at the scene, said only two men among the passengers on the ill-fated car escaped. These were an unidentified sailor and soldier who saw the second section bearing down on them and jumped, the soldier suffering severe cuts in going through a window.

“….H. E. Nelson, Grand Forks, N.D., the engineer, although suffering from shock, was pulled otherwise unhurt from his cab which was beneath the steel observation car shell. The fireman, George Harris, also from Grand Forks, saw the crash coming and leaped from the cab.”

“Michigan N.D., Aug. 10 (AP) – The death list in last night’s collision of two westbound sections of this great northern railway’s Empire Builder rose to 32 today. Approximately 50 were injured, 10 seriously. Twenty-seven bodies had been taken from the wreckage shortly before noon. Workmen digging into the debris said the could see at least five others trapped in the tangle of steel” (AP. “Collision of Trains Kills Thirty-Two.” Beatrice Daily Sun, NE. 8-10-1945, p. 1.)

Sources

Associated Press. “Collision of Trains Kills Thirty-Two.” Beatrice Daily Sun, NE. 8-10-1945, p. 1. Accessed 11-29-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/beatrice-daily-sun-aug-10-1945-p-1/

Michigan, North Dakota. “Michigan 1945 Train Wreck.” No Date. Accessed 11-29-2023 at: https://michigannd.com/?SEC=31FFF3FA-49E9-4C7B-900A-B326700E1E44

Wikipedia. “List of Rail Accidents (1940-1949).”)  Accessed 11-29-2023 at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_rail_accidents_(1940%E2%80%931949)#1945

[1] Cites: Semmens, Peter. Railway Disasters of the World: Principal Passenger Train Accidents of the 20^th Century. Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1994.