This is a fascinating story. Does anyone know the % of the 3 mile grade and when that section was bypassed? Thanks
I cannot answer those questions, but the site of the wreck is marked today as far as I know. However, I understand it is quite revised with highway fills, and other earthwork.
To me, the most fascinating part of the story is the degree to which the wreck was destined to happen. From what I have read, the engineer was sort of a self-styled daredevil in the pattern of a famous daredevil of the day who happened to have the same last name—Brody. The day of the wreck, the regular engineer laid off, #97 was behind time, and Brody bragged to the dispatcher that he was the one who could do the job. Reportedly, he said, “I’ll put #97 into Spencer on time—or I’ll sink it into hell.”
Several crates of canaries were onboard the baggage car of #97, and they all stood around in trees watching as the wreck was cleaned up. Although canaries are not indigenous to
If I can remember to do it, I’ll check the book “Scalded to Death by the Steam” that I have at home. IIRC the issue was a fairly long steep grade which ended at a curved trestle, which is where train 97 left the rails.
everyone sing, Riding that train high on cocain…Casey Jones better
Reportedly, Engineer Brody did not know the line. He had two firemen to make steam, and he was on a mission to show the world how fast he could go.
I have driven past the historical marker in Danville…I have no idea of the track alignment leading to the area the sign is placed, however there appears to be a fairly good sized hill to the North of the marker and the Dan River is to the South of the marker.
Stillhouse Trestle was curved and had a 15 mph speed limit. The engineer of #97 approached it at 90 mph. The engine tore the rails off of the ties as it entered the trestle.
The New York Times, September 28, 1903:
A Train Falls 75 Feet. Everyone on Board Killed or Badly Injured. Cars and Cargo Demolished. Leaped from Southern Railway Trestle in Virginia to Rocks Below - Canary Birds Found Unhurt in the Debris.
“Charlotte, N.C., Sept. 27. While running at a high rate of speed, Train No. 97 on the Southern Railway, the southbound fast mail train, jumped from a trestle 75 feet high, half a mile north of Danville, Va., this afternoon and was almost demolished…”
Here’s a link to the article and a link to a follow-up article the next day.
http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9907E7DE1039E333A2575BC2A96F9C946297D6CF
http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9805EFDC1439E433A2575AC2A96F9C946297D6CF
Mike
They just don’t write news storys like that anymore.
There isn’t much to see other than the historical marker and it’s not a safe place to stop your car (traffic). But driving through neighborhoods north of there bits of the old right-of-way can be seen here and there. It was fairly steep. I recall reading that the trestle was demolished in 1935. The track east of it remained in place until a few years ago to serve a Dan River Mills plant (now gone). I walked up the track once to where it disappeared into the undergrowth, probably about where the trestle started. Some reports put the train’s speed at only thirty to thirty-five mph, but even that would be much too fast for that curved trestle.
Has anyone heard of a song about an airplane crash?
I did notice that some reports placed the speed at 90 mph, while others placed it at 35 mph. I tend to think the speed at the point of derailment was closer to 35 than to 90. If it were 90, he would have been airborne for hundreds of feet. The tremendous spectacle of the wreckage might have cemented the popular notion that the speed was extremely high. According to the record of the run, he very well could have reached 90 mph at times.
There are other discrepancies about the details of how the train approached the trestle. One account says it derailed before reaching the trestle, while another account says it “straightened the curve” on the trestle by taking the rails off of the trestle. One reports says that Broady made a considerable effort to slow the train, including reversing the engine.
The trestle was preceded by a sign telling engineers to slow down for the trestle ahead. This may have given Broady a considerable distance to attempt to slow down before he hit the trestle. He might have been doing 90 before he set the brakes, and got slowed to 35 by the t
Yep; “American Pie” by Don McLean is about the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the “Big Bopper”…contrary to popular belief the James Taylor song “Fire and Rain” is not about a plane accident (but about a former girlfriend of his who overdosed)…but you’re right that there aren’t many folk ballads about air disasters…I guess in the modern age all the romance has gone out of transportation accidents…
O.C there are plenty of songs about maritime disasters, from “The Wreck of the Mermaid” to “the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”…
The Everly Brothers had a minor hit with “Ebony Eyes”, which was about a plane crash.