This is transcribed from the Railroad Gazette, which carried a monthly tally of train wrecks and accidents throughout the U.S. The listings run the gamut from the average, to the bizarre, to the quirky, to the bad. This is one of the latter, although the loss of life was relatively low compared to the physical damage. It occurred during the era when freight cars were first being equipped with air brakes. Because the conversion of the fleet took time, it was common for freight trains to have consists of air brake cars combined with hand brake cars.
November 1896
1st, 1 a.m., on Baltimore & Ohio, at Philson, Pa., eastbound freight train 74 descending a steep grade became uncontrollable and collided with westbound freight No. 95, making a very bad wreck, four engines and 56 loaded cars being wrecked. Two trainmen were injured and 3 tramps were killed and 4 injured. The first 17 cars of the train had air-brakes, and the trainmen say that they were properly coupled and tested at Sand Patch, but on passing the summit the engineman discovered, though too late, that the valve was closed between the tender and the first car. The trainmen tell a thrilling story of this wreck. The train left Sand Patch shortly after midnight. Sixteen cars next to the engine were equipped with air-brakes. Before starting into the tunnel, at the summit, which is a mile in length, the hand-brakes on three cars on the rear end were set. Two more were set after the brakemen noticed that the train was getting beyond control. By the time the east end of the tunnel had been reached, the heavily loaded cars had attained such a frightful velocity that it was impossible to check their speed on the wet rails. The brakemen and Conductor Harbaugh clung to the tops of the cars, making their way toward the rear end on all fours.&nbs