Does anyone know where I can get info/pictures of a wreck that happened in Harvey Illinois around 1980/81 when an Amtrak train collided with a waiting IC freight train. I was on the scene as a Volunteer Fireman and my Father was an Engineer for the IC at the time. I was trying to find info/pictures of the wreck but my searches have come up empty.
Thanks,
tmjmred
Well, if you use the Metra Electric regularly, you might come across a conductor old enough to remember the accident. Surely anything that serious would have messed up traffic on the (then) IC Electric service.
You should probably as well call the Chicago Tribune and/or the Sun-Times. I doubt that their archives have been digitalized back that far – so if you’re really curious you might have to come downtown and use a reading or research room at the paper. But call or email first. - a.s.
Thanks,
Most of the damage was to the third and fourth track. The second track which was one of the tracks for the electrics was messed up for a couple of days. The freight train was sitting on track 3 waiting for the amtrak to clear track 4. My Father explained to me how and why it happened, but it is hard to explain to people the damage that happened to the freight engines without pictures.
I would guess that you are referring to this accident:
Harvey, Illinois, is about 15 miles south of Chicago. In 1979 there were eight main tracks of the Illinois Central Gulf RR running through Harvey: two yard tracks, two suburban tracks, two fast-freight tracks, and two freight-only tracks. A “ladder” existed across all eight tracks.
On October 12, Amtrak 392 was approaching the ladder from the south on one of the fast-freight tracks. A south-bound ICG freight was stopped north of the ladder on the other fast-freight track, waiting to cross to a freight-only track, that is, across the track carrying the Amtrak train, which was running at maximum permissible speed, as given by the signals. It was night time.
The turnouts on the ladder which directed the Amtrak train into a head-on collision with the freight were thrown. With “train brakes applied in emergency and horn screaming.” the Amtrak train hit the freight head on. The Amtrak locomotive was a write off, but the crew survived. Two locomotives on the freight were written off, and two crew members killed.
That’s it. Thanks for the date. It should help my search.
Southbound train #51, an overnight run to Memphis continuing on to Jackson and New Orleans.
What I remember is they had an 18 year old switchtender. Told him to line the switch after the passenger train went by. They meant Amtrak.
A suburban electric (it was a passenger train) on the seperated suburban line went by and he threw the switch just like he’d been told. This sent Amtrak head on into standing #51.
That is exactly how it was described to me by my Father who knew the Engineer. He could be heard on his radio yelling at the switchtender to throw the switch back. I thought at the time of the wreck that the Freight Engineer could have been my Father as he was working a lot of overtime during that time period. I had no idea where the freight was headed and my Father was based in Markham Yards so I thought he could have been heading in. Once I got on the scene and saw the Engineer, I realized it wasn’t him.
For a complete report of the ICC’s investigation of this accident including photos of the damaged locomotives go to the following site. Scroll down and click on ICC Historical Railroad Investigation Reports, click on the year 1979, then on the last of the two listings for AMTRAK accidents. It’s very detailed and will give you all the info you are seeking.
http://dotlibrary1.specialcollection.net/scripts/ws.dll?websearch&site=dot_railroads
Mark
What a great site. Thanks for the link.
Thank You very much for the info.
tmjmred
Ironically, I read that report last weekend. There is a website that is devoted to Illinois Central and had about 100 accident reports. I read the entire report. What a shame. There were quite a few things that led up to the accident, but the underlying theme is that the switchtender had absolutely no training for that task.
ed
There was a photo in TRAINS of the accident, but without doing some serious digging I couldn’t tell you what the issue date was. Just as a guess though it would be about 2 to 3 months after the accident.
Very interesting thread and some really good research.
The accident report stated that this was not the first accident at that location and even experienced switchtenders made mistakes. Does anybody know what changes were made to the physical plant following the accident? What is the physical made-up of the plant today? Is it all remote?
CC
Reading that report brings back some sad memories, and some anger.
I didn’t remember their names. But Richard Kingery, the 21 year old brakeman who was killed, was from an IC family. His father did the real estate transactions for the railroad.
His family knew he was working that night and that he was on “The Pigs”. (Intermodal train #51.) When they heard of the wreck his father, mother and brother drove to the site. His brother ran up a hill to see if it was “The Pigs” that were wrecked. He had to come back to his parents and tell them it was his brother’s train. Looking at that awful wreck and knowing your son/brother was in it had to be terrible.
The switchtender, 18 year old Gregory Harris, broke down into tears at the investigation hearing sobbing “I know I did wrong.”
I couldn’t believe that we had those switches unprotected. It still makes me mad that we did.
Sir,
I believe I may have an article from the Chicago Trib concerning this accident. I was on the train when we colided with this freight train. I was in tha Air Force on leave heading to Chicago from Rantool. Give me you email address and I will send you a copy w/pictures.
Paul Krieschen
This report is from the USG site.
RAILROAD ACCIDENT REPORT HEAD-END COLLISION OF AMTRAK TRAIN NO. 392 AND ICG TRAIN NO. 51 HARVEY, ILLINOIS OCTOBER 12, 1979 NTSB-RAR-80-3 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT |
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I have 6 photos. I was a Harvey police Officer in Oct.'79 and responded to the scene.
I have 6 or 7 photos taken the morning after during clean up. I was a Harvey Police officer at the time.
I have some also. The lead freight engine was stripped down to the frame. I took some from the roof of the YMCA across the street. Probably take me several weeks to go through my slide collection to find them.