Hancock and Sandpatch Towers Still Operating 2001
HO Tower--Hancock WV --2001
January 2001
HO was busy on a cold, late Sunday afternoon in mid January 2001. Eastbound covered hopper train was moving through while another eastbound with a mixed consist waited.
The covered hoppers are just passing one of the few remaining operating towers as daylight is quickly fading.
Very quickly on the heels of the hoppers, the freight departs.
On my way to up I81 I detoured into Hagerstown to find a just arriving train at dusk. Surely this must be yet another eastbound train on this busy day.
NA Tower-Martinsburg WV April 2001
Sidenote: here is a another operating tower at a very historic location. Can't remember the date, but I believe it was the first Sunday of daylight savings time. NA was operated by a young lady who did not have a lot of activity to contend with around 7 PM. Another tower is close by, the Miller (R) tower was disassembled and trucked in to the Martinsburg roundhouse from Cherry Run. See the details in the March edition of the Bullsheet (listed on the links page).
SA Tower-Sandpatch March 3 & 10,2001
March 10th-late afternoon. The temperture is dropping and the heaters on the switchs are wailing. A westbound has passed about five minutes before.
SA sits almost exactly on the Eastern Continental Divide.
March 3, 2001. Low angle of the winter sun washes out NS train of covered hoppers as it passes by the Summit of the Alleghenies. The height of the rail makes this the summit on the Keystone. Because of abundant snow melt, one can see that the water divide on the south side of the tracks is actually a couple of hundred feet to the east.
The NS train is now on the downgrade and in the Potomac River system
Are these new signals? How do they work?
SA fades into the sunset. R.I.P
Diagram for the accident described below at -27 degrees f in 1934
1898 INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION
REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE BUREAU OF SAFETY CONCERNING AN ACCIDENT
ON THE BALTIMORE & OHIO RAILROAD AT SAND PATCH, PA., ON FEBRUARY 28, 1934.
May 14, 1934.
To the Commission:
On February 28, 1934, a freight train on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad broke in two at Sand
Patch, Pa., and the rear end of the caboose was crushed by the helper engines coupled behind the
caboose, the accident resulting in the death of one employee.
Location and method of operation
This accident occurred on the Main Line Sub-division of the Pittsburgh Division which extends
between Connellsville, Pa., and Cumberland, Md., a distance of 92.4 miles. In the vicinity of the
point of accident this is a double-track line over which trains are operated by time table, train
orders, and an automatic block-signal system. The accident occurred on the east-bound track, with
the rear of the train at a point 1,746 feet east of the station at Sand Patch and 615 feet east of
the crest of grade over the Alleghany Mountains. Approaching this point from the west there is a
compound curve to the left 3,896 feet in length, followed by tangent track for a distance of 1,016
feet, a l degree 30' curve to the left 342 feet in length, and tangent track for a distance of 796
feet, the rear of the train being on this tangent at a point 203 feet from its western end, or
nearly 1,500 feet west of the west portal of Sand Patch tunnel, which is approximately, 4,475 feet
in length.
The grade for east-bound trains is 0.92 and 0.93 percent ascending for a distance of approximately
5 miles, followed by an ascending grade of 0.22 percent for approximately 1,000 feet to the summit;
the grade is then 0.51 percent descending for a distance of more than 1 mile and the accident
occurred on this descending grade.
The weather was clear and extremely cold at the time of the accident, which occurred at 9:42 a.m.
Description
East-bound freight Train Second No. 94 consisted of 71 loaded cars and a caboose, hauled by
engine 6223, and was in charge of Conductor Fair and Engineman Hurley. This train left
Connellsville, 59 miles from Sand Patch, at 6:07 a.m., according to the train sheet, with helper
engine 6166, in charge of Engineman Coughenour, coupled behind the caboose; at GA Tower (Yoder),
8.2 miles west of Sand Patch, a stop was made and helper engine 6196, in charge of Engineman
Thomas, was coupled behind engine 6166. This train then left GA Tower at 9:17 a.m., proceeded up
the grade to Sand Patch, and an attempt was being made to uncouple the two helper engines from the
caboose when the train parted, causing an emergency application of the air brakes, at which time
the speed was estimated to have been between 15 and 20 miles per hour.
Diagram
Inv. No. 1898 Baltimore & Ohio R.R. Sand Patch, Pa. Feb. 28, 1934
The south corner of the steel rear platform of the caboose was crushed, the rear end being forced
over toward the westbound track. The rear coupler was broken off and the left corner of the front
platform was slightly crushed by the end of the car ahead of it. The rear truck of the caboose was
derailed, and engine 6166 was slightly damaged. The coupler in the front end of the first car in
the train was broken off, as was the rear portion of the coupler yoke in the front end of the
nineteenth car. The employee killed was the helper flagman, who was crushed between the caboose
platform and pilot of engine 6166.
Summary of evidence
Engineman Hurley, of the road engine, stated that the air brakes were tested at Connellsville and
no trouble was experienced in handling the train en route. The last stop before the occurrence of
the accident was at Yoder, where the second helper engine was attached to the rear of the train.
No air-brake test was made after this engine was coupled to the train and he did not know whether
or not he had control of the brakes on that engine. When his engine was at a point about 20 car
lengths west of the west portal of the tunnel at Sand Patch he made an air brake application
sufficient to assure himself that there was no obstruction in the brake pipe and then released
immediately. As he neared the tunnel portal he shut off steam, letting the helpers shove the train
over the crest of the hill, and was traveling at a speed of about 20 miles per hour, with his
engine about 30 car lengths inside the-tunnel, when the train jerked and the air brakes applied in
emergency; he placed his independent brake valve in full release and the engine stopped about l 1/2
car lengths beyond the head end of the train. After the accident he found that the coupler was
broken on the front end of the first car, as well as the coupler on one of the other cars. Fireman
Logue stated that on entering the tunnel the speed had been reduced to 10 or 15 miles per hour and
when about 40 car lengths inside the tunnel the train seemed to stretch and the brakes applied.
Head Brakeman Cassell was turning up retaining valves preparatory to descending the mountain and
when about 35 car lengths from the engine he heard the air brakes applying, the train making
several bad jerks and stopping suddenly. On going forward about 15 car lengths he found a coupler
pulled out on the front end of one of the cars and the coupler also was out on the first car in the
train. Brakeman Cassell did not recall any application of the brakes before the train entered the
tunnel.
Flagman Keys stated that at Connellsville he made the coupling between helper engine 6166 and the
caboose without difficulty. When the second helper was coupled on at Yoder he was out on the train
and after leaving that point he turned up the retainers until he met the head brakeman. Flagman
Keys felt the brakes apply when the running test was made, and just as the car on which he was
riding entered the tunnel the train surged and stopped, which he supposed was due to an emergency
application of the air brakes; he had not felt a pull-back of the train prior to this time. On
previous occasions he had experienced no trouble in detaching helper engines at Sand Patch, and he
said that the head end of the train always gets a little tug when the helpers are cut off and the
train is over the summit of the grade.
Conductor Fair stated that when the caboose was about 400 or 500 feet west of the signal bridge
located just east of the station he gave the engineman of the first helper engine a signal that he
had closed the angle cock on the caboose; this signal was acknowledged by a hand signal and also by
two blasts of the whistle. He raised the chain attached to the uncoupling lever on the rear end of
the caboose, holding it up until the engine was separated sufficiently from the caboose to open the
knuckle. He then stepped to the south side of the caboose to give the engineman a steady signal and
a signal to stop, but the chain slipped out of his hand and a rebound occurred, the helper being
recoupled and the train was stretched with a slight jerk. He then signalled the engineman for
slack; the signal was observed immediately and the engineman opened the throttle, but sufficient
slack was not obtained to enable him to uncouple the helpers in this second attempt and the impact
of the accident coming immediately afterward threw him off the caboose. Conductor Fair further
stated that at GA tower he coupled the second helper engine to the rear of the train but was
unable to say whether or not the air was working through both helper engines as no air-brake test
was made after this coupling was made. Conductor Fair also stated that while he had not seen the
flagman of the helper engine immediately prior to the accident, he believed that the flagman had
attempted to assist him in uncoupling the helpers from the caboose; he was found pinned between the
caboose and the smoke box of engine 6166.
Engineman Coughenour, of helper engine 6166, stated that he received a signal from the conductor
to cut in his brake valve, indicating that the angle cock on the caboose had been closed. Shortly
afterwards he commenced to ease off on the throttle and when about opposite the tower he received a
signal from the conductor to stop helping, at which time he lapped his automatic brake valve and
shut off steam. Soon afterwards the conductor signaled him to come ahead and he placed his
brake-valve in release position and opened the throttle until the slack was taken up. After
proceeding about six car lengths the conductor gave him another signal to stop helping and he
immediately lapped the brake valve and closed the throttle, and about 1 second later there was a
jar and he saw the caboose rise onto the pilot of the engine. He did not feel any jerk before the
accident occurred nor did he feel the head end of the train run away from him at any time.
Engineman Thomas, of helper engine 6196, stated that when his engine was coupled to the rear of
the train at Yoder no air-brake test was made but the brake on his engine released when the air was
cut in. On approaching Sand Patch be noticed the engineman of the road engine making a running
test of the brakes; the speed was reduced and he thought the train was coming to a stop, but it
then picked up speed. When his engine was about 15 car lengths west of the summit board he started
easing his throttle and when about 4 car lengths from the summit board he shut off entirely. On
seeing the signal given by Conductor Fair to come ahead he opened his throttle, using steam until
he thought the conductor had a chance to raise the uncoupling lever, and when he was over the
summit he closed the throttle and about 2 seconds later he felt the brakes apply in emergency and
the accident occurred. Fireman Mengors, of the second helper engine stated that the speed was
about 18 or 20 miles per hour when his enginemen first started to ease off on the throttle, and he
thought the speed was about 15 miles per hour at the time of the accident.
Operator Kerrigan stated that he was standing in the tower watching the train as it passed. As the
rear end of the train went by he saw the helper flagman standing on the pilot beam of the first
helper and the conductor standing about at the center of the rear platform of the caboose with the
cutting chain in his hand as though he was cutting off the helpers. The helper engines were not
using steam at that time, but when about 200 feet east of the tower they started using steam and
then he heard a crash and the train stopped.
Car Inspectors Uhazie and Marino inspected the cars in Train Second No. 94 on its arrival at
Connellsville on the morning of the accident and found no defects; this was a class "C" inspection
and required about 20 minutes. Inspector Marino then inspected the brakes, including those on the
caboose and helper engine, and found them to be working properly. The couplers of the caboose and
helper engine were of uniform height; a chain extended from the hand rail at the rear of the
caboose to the uncoupling lever, and the uncoupling mechanisms of the caboose and helper engine
were in good condition.
Examination of the head end of the nineteenth car by the Commission's inspectors disclosed that
the draft gear yoke was broken off at each rear angle of the loop; approximately 15 percent of each
fracture was slightly oxidized. The draw-bar at the head end of the first car was broken at the
keyway, apparently a new break resulting from the accident. The 5-by-7- inch shank of the A.R.A.
type D coupler in the rear end of the caboose was broken off, also apparently a new break.
The three engines in Train Second No. 94 were of the Santa Fe type, each having a rated tractive
power of 84,300 pounds and a total weight including tender of approximately 367 tons; consequently
a total rated tractive power of 168,600 pounds was exerted against and total motive power weight of
approximately 734 tons was placed behind the caboose of this train. The caboose was of
steel-underframe construction, with steel platforms and composite steel and wooden superstructure,
and in general was of substantial construction.
Conclusions
This accident was caused by Train Second No. 94 breaking in two between the eighteenth and
nineteenth cars.
The break-in-two which resulted in this accident probably was due to a combination of several
factors. When Conductor Fair first made an attempt to cut off the helper engines the major portion
of the train was on the descending grade and it is believed that with the helper engines being
eased off and throttles finally closed preparatory to cutting off from the caboose, the train was
stretched out and extra strain exerted on the defective coupler yoke on the nineteenth car,
resulting in its failure. The temperature was reported to have been about 27 degree below zero and
may have been a factor by reason of increasing the brittleness of the metal. The parting of the
train in turn caused an emergency application of the air brakes, with the consequent derailment and
damage to the caboose due to the force exerted by the two helper engines behind it. While the
coupler on the first car in the train also was broken, there was no indication of an old defect and
it is believed that this break was a result of the accident.
Attention is called to the potential hazard involved in massing motive power against any caboose
car or car used for similar purposes. The caboose involved in this accident was well constructed,
but its strength was insufficient to withstand the crushing force exerted by the two heavy helper
engines when the brakes on the train were applied in emergency after the angle cock at the rear of
the caboose had been closed and when steam was being used on the helpers to provide slack necessary
to uncouple them. The caboose drawbar failed under compression, a part of the rear platform was
crushed, and the fatality resulted. On February 13 and March 3 there were similar accidents on
this division involving west-bound trains on the east side of the mountain; in each case the train
broke in two, the helper engine crushing the caboose although fortunately no fatalities or injuries
resulted. There also was another accident on March 4 on the Baltimore Division wherein a train of
133 cars broke in two and three cabooses on the rear were considerably damaged by the two helper
engines behind them. This latter accident was investigated by this Bureau, and a separate report
will be issued.
Respectfully submitted,
W. J. PATTERSON,
Director.
ICC Accident Report- Thanks to Robert Oom for this link!
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