This page originally appeared on Thomas Ehrenreich's Railroad Extra Website
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This page originally appeared on Thomas Ehrenreich's Railroad Extra Website
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"On Monday afternoon, January 17," says the Post of Lindsay, Canada, "the singular sight could be seen on Victoria Avenue of two locomotives piled one on top of the other, and a snow plow underneath crushed out of all resemblance to the useful machine that clears the track. During the afternoon a violent snow storm had prevailed. At times the snow fell in such a cloud as to prevent anything being caught sight of more than ten feet away. During the height of the storm, engine 634, driving snowplow No. 18, passed the junction (Lindsay north), having come south over the Coboconk line, under orders. A few minutes before, engine No. 624 left the station with a train of freight cars to haul to the junction. Just above Elgin Street, Driver McIntosh caught sight of the plow and engine, but it was only a few yards away at the time. Driver McIntosh and Fireman Rogers jumped from the engine and landed in a snow bank. Conductor Pym was not so fortunate, for in scrambling out on the tender to make the leap he was a moment too late, and was thrown from the tender to the ground, escaping unhurt. Driver R. Johnston and Fireman Tutton of 634 stuck to their engine. In fact, the first intimation they had of the state of affairs was on seeing engine 624 making desperate efforts to climb up on top of the boiler of 634, accompanied with a fearful clatter and smashing of things generally. A cab behind 634 was uncoupled by the shock and shoved back nearly two hundred yards. The momentum of engine 624, backed by the weight of a long line of freight cars, was terrific. The engine was forced up the plow as if up a short and very steep grade, leaving the front truck and pilot buried in the board work of the plow. The pilot, smoke-box, stack, and upper works of engine 634 were smashed into pieces and thrown about. The tender of 624 followed the engine, and hung suspended by the couplings, with the rear truck resting on the track. It seemed almost incredible that such an enormous weight as that of a locomotive could be pushed up in such a manner and fastened so securely."
Our engraving is from a photograph taken by J. Britton, photographer, after engines were hauled down to the yard to be dismounted.
This accident reminds us of one that occurred in 1874 on the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad, when two engines collided and reared up on end, locking their wheels together, and remained in upright position, presenting a remarkable spectacle. It was illustrated in SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN SUPPLEMENT, No. 40, September 30, 1876.
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