NYC 78 Years Ago Today

fitz Apr 19, 2018

  1. fitz

    fitz TrainBoard Member

    9,709
    2,730
    145
    April 19, 1940. The NYC Lake Shore Limited entered the "Gulf Curve" at Little Falls, New York, at a much higher speed than the posted 45 MPH. The train derailed, destroying Hudson 5315, thrown against a block wall, and resulting in 31 fatalities.
    [​IMG][/IMG]
    I hope that worked, showing some of the damage and the big hooks at work. Here is a photo of J-1e 5315 in better days. It was the only one of Central's 275 Hudsons to be destroyed in a wreck. My thanks to Ron Morse for the photo.
    nyc  5315  1935ps3.jpg
     
    Last edited: Apr 19, 2018
    badlandnp and Helitac like this.
  2. fitz

    fitz TrainBoard Member

    9,709
    2,730
    145
    The link I copied from my Railimages wreck photo did not produce the photo. Here it is.
    LFwreck2.jpg
     
  3. Hytec

    Hytec TrainBoard Member

    13,965
    6,903
    183
    Jim, this was a tragic loss of life and property that was absolutely preventable. What I find surprising is that the Central's directors would authorize an exceptional amount of capital funds to widen the curve. That would imply that there had been a number of prior wrecks at that same curve over the years, hopefully without significant loss of life, that finally convinced the directors to authorize the funds to recurve.

    On a different subject, I never realized that the J1s had that enlarged housing over the firebox. Photos of the J2s and J3s show a much smaller housing, almost unseen on the B&A J2s. Do you know the reason for its design? I doubt if I ever saw a J1 on the Harlem, only the J2s after transfer from the B&A.
     
  4. fitz

    fitz TrainBoard Member

    9,709
    2,730
    145
    Hank, as far as I know there was only one prior wreck on that curve, in the early 1900s.

    That housing is a fairing of sheet metal covering the steam distribution manifold. In the cab, all of those valve controls up high were connected to valves in the manifold, to control steam to various appliances. I know I have a shot of a B&A J-2 that shows it clearly, but I can't find it (maybe my filing system isn't so well organized?). Even the 5200 had it. Maybe some of the early J-1's did not have it. I know they did not have the circular shroud around the safety (pop) valves until later.
     

Share This Page