September 2005 The Megaphone Page 8
Silenced Roar
by Robert Hinshaw '40
"Enclosed is a smaller print of the one that won a ribbon in a Madison County photo contest held in the old library in Elwood many years ago (at least 50+). If you notice the on the side of the car are the words 'Cascade Roar.' I titled my entry, 'Silenced Roar' and blew it up to show size -- 11" x 14" and it was very sharp in detail. A priest was seated next to this window but in the jumping, etc. of the train when it went off the tracks, it knocked him to the floor which saved his life. I'm sorry that I didn't save all the slides, but this one was the best and got this old geezer a ribbon." -- Bob
Approximately 3.69 miles southeast of Elwood's PRR passenger station
(between Elwood and Frankton)
Photo courtesy of Robert Hinshaw '40
From the Elwood Call Leader, published April 8, 1952:
Eight of 17 cars of a fast-moving Pennsylvania Railroad passenger train derailed in a spectacular wreck three miles southeast of Elwood on April 7, 1952. The Rev. L. J. Weitzman, a Catholic priest from Xavier University in Cincinnati, narrowly escaped death when a broken rail smashed through his roomette window only 18 inches above where he lay asleep. He was not injured, but seven people on the train bound from Chicago to Cincinnati were hurt. A broken rail apparently caused the train, moving at an estimated 55 mph, to wreck.
(Photo by Indianapolis News photographer George Tilford.)
This report was republished in the Elwood Call Leader on August 31, 1999.
*The ICC (Interstate Commerce Commission) Report of this accident (Report No. 3459) is quite lengthy. Here are a few details from the official report:
On April 7, 1952, there was a derailment of a passenger train on the Pennsylvania Railroad near Elwood, Ind., which resulted in the injury of 20 passengers, 5 railway-mail clerks, and 1 person carried under contract.
Report No. 3459 Pennsylvania Railroad Elwood, Ind. April 7, 1952
Location of Accident and Method of Operation
This accident occurred on that part of the Cincinnati Division extending between Division Post, near Anoka, and Newman, Ind., 102.1 miles, a single-track line, over which trains are operated by timetable, train orders and a manual-block system. The accident occurred on the main track at a point 43.29 miles east of Anoka and 3.69 miles east of Elwood. The track is tangent throughout a distance of 3.88 miles west of the point of accident and 8.96 miles eastward. The grade is level.
The maximum authorized speed for passenger trains in the vicinity of the point of accident is 60 miles per hour.
Description of Accident
No. 200, an east-bound first-class passenger train, consisted of Diesel-electric units 5845A and 5854B, coupled in multiple-unit control, one storage mail car, one mail car, one baggage car, one storage mail car, two express cars, one coach, three sleeping cars, two coaches, and five sleeping cars, in the order named. The fifth car was of steel underframe construction, the tenth and the thirteenth cars were of lightweight steel construction, and the other cars were of conventional all-steel construction. The sixth to the eighth cars, inclusive, and the tenth to the thirteenth cars, inclusive, were equipped with tightlock couplers. This train departed from Elwood at 2:58 a.m., 3 minutes late, and while it was moving at a speed of 66 miles per hour the eighth to the fourteenth cars, inclusive, and the front truck of the fifteenth car were derailed at a point 3.69 miles east of Elwood.
The weather was clear at the time of the accident, which occurred at 3:05 a.m.
Discussion
When the accident occurred No. 200 was moving on tangent track at a speed of 66 miles per hour, as indicated by the tape of the speed-recording device. The enginemen were in the control compartment of the locomotive, and the members of the train crew were in various locations throughout the cars of the train. The brakes of the train had been tested and had functioned properly when used en route.
After the accident occurred, a broken rail was found on the south side of the track. This rail was manufactured by the Illinois Steel Company in July, 1914.
This section of track was inspected by the track supervisor from a passenger train 6 days before the accident occurred, and it was inspected by the section foreman from a track motor-car 3 days before the accident occurred. No defective condition was observed. A west-bound passenger train passed over the point of derailment about 15 minutes before the accident occurred. The crew of this train reported no unusual or defective condition of the track. A rail-defect detector car was last operated over this territory in May, 1951. At that time no defective condition of the rail involved was indicated.
Cause
It is found that this accident was caused by a broken rail.
Dated at Washington, D. C., this twenty-first day of May, 1952.