1922 Winslow Junction Train Derailment
Encyclopedia
On July 2, 1922, Atlantic City Railroad
's Camden to Atlantic City train № 33 the Owl going 90 miles (144.8 km) per hour sped through an open switch at Winslow Junction
. 7 were killed, 89 were injured.
's Camden to Atlantic City Line, in Winslow, New Jersey: at Winslow Junction near the WA Tower, On July 2, 1922 shortly before 11:30pm, a derailment of train № 33 the Owl, with Philadelphia and Reading Railway Eng № 349. The train was going approximately 90 miles (144.8 km) per hour as it sped through an open switch. The derailment of train № 33 resulted in most of the six-car Atlantic City express plunging down an embankment into the WJ&S's southbound Cape May branch connecting track. This resulted in the death of 3 passengers, 3 employees and 1 Pullman porter, and the injury of 84 passengers and 5 employees.
investigation found that the route could have been changed after the train had passed the distant signal at the plant was not interlocked, but there was not evidence that this had been done. The report further stated that the engineer failed to acknowledge the junction by blowing the whistle and attempt to stop the train.
Atlantic City Railroad
The Atlantic City Railroad was a Philadelphia and Reading Railway subsidiary that became part of Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines in 1933.- History :...
's Camden to Atlantic City train № 33 the Owl going 90 miles (144.8 km) per hour sped through an open switch at Winslow Junction
Winslow Township, New Jersey
As of the census of 2010, there were 39,599 people, 13,567 households, and 9,662 families residing in the township. The population density was 599.9 people per square mile . There were 12,413 housing units at an average density of 215.1 per square mile...
. 7 were killed, 89 were injured.
Accident
On Atlantic City RailroadAtlantic City Railroad
The Atlantic City Railroad was a Philadelphia and Reading Railway subsidiary that became part of Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines in 1933.- History :...
's Camden to Atlantic City Line, in Winslow, New Jersey: at Winslow Junction near the WA Tower, On July 2, 1922 shortly before 11:30pm, a derailment of train № 33 the Owl, with Philadelphia and Reading Railway Eng № 349. The train was going approximately 90 miles (144.8 km) per hour as it sped through an open switch. The derailment of train № 33 resulted in most of the six-car Atlantic City express plunging down an embankment into the WJ&S's southbound Cape May branch connecting track. This resulted in the death of 3 passengers, 3 employees and 1 Pullman porter, and the injury of 84 passengers and 5 employees.
Investigation
The Interstate Commerce CommissionInterstate Commerce Commission
The Interstate Commerce Commission was a regulatory body in the United States created by the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. The agency's original purpose was to regulate railroads to ensure fair rates, to eliminate rate discrimination, and to regulate other aspects of common carriers, including...
investigation found that the route could have been changed after the train had passed the distant signal at the plant was not interlocked, but there was not evidence that this had been done. The report further stated that the engineer failed to acknowledge the junction by blowing the whistle and attempt to stop the train.
From the ICC report
"This accident was caused by failure of Engineman Wescott of train № 33 to be governed by automatic and interlocking signal indications, which resulted in train № 33 taking the diverging route at a high rate of speed and being derailed due to the outer rail of the curve giving way."See also
- Atlantic City RailroadAtlantic City RailroadThe Atlantic City Railroad was a Philadelphia and Reading Railway subsidiary that became part of Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines in 1933.- History :...
- Reading CompanyReading CompanyThe Reading Company , usually called the Reading Railroad, officially the Philadelphia and Reading Rail Road and then the Philadelphia and Reading Railway until 1924, operated in southeast Pennsylvania and neighboring states...
- Pennsylvania–Reading Seashore Lines