Great East Thompson Train Wreck
Encyclopedia
The Great East Thompson Train Wreck was a large rail disaster which occurred in East Thompson
, Connecticut
, on December 4, 1891. It was one of the most extensive train wrecks in American history, and the only one to involve four trains. It happened on the New York and New England Railroad
, which provided a shortcut from New York City
to Boston
by making a diagonal across Connecticut. The railroad is now abandoned, and most of its tracks removed.
On the morning of December 4, 1891, four trains were scheduled to pass through East Thompson, in the town of Thompson
in the northeastern corner of Connecticut: the hotshot Long Island & Eastern States Express from New York to Boston via a ferry
across Long Island Sound
, the Norwich Steamboat Express traveling to Boston from the quays of New London, Connecticut
, the Southbridge Local freight to the town of that name
just over the Massachusetts
border, and freight train No. 212. To keep the slower No. 212 from impeding the approaching Eastern States Express, the local dispatcher allowed 212 to run on the left-hand track ahead of the express. Unfortunately both the dispatcher and 212's crew had forgotten about the oncoming Southbridge Local freight. At 6:40 am, just before the East Thompson station, the two freight trains collided head-on violently, jackknifing several cars and tossing one across both eastbound and westbound tracks.
Meanwhile, the Eastern States Express approached at 50 mph, unaware of the disaster. It crashed into the car across the other track, causing the engine to derail and strike a telephone pole, killing engineer Harry Taber and fireman Gerry Fitzgerald. (Fitzgerald was actually substituting for Mike Flynn, who had been scheduled but was marked off the roster since he had had a premonition of disaster the night before.) Steam from the ruptured engine destroyed a nearby home.
Then the uninjured crewmen remembered the Norwich Steamboat Train. A flagman
was sent out, but was too late to get the speeding express to stop. At 6:45 AM, it plowed eight feet into the rear of the Eastern States Express, setting fire to the rear sleeping car
and the engine cab. Fortunately the crew suffered only cuts and scrapes.
Miraculously, even though all four engines, the sleeper, and a baggage car were destroyed, the track was torn up for about 500 yards (457.2 m) east of the passenger station, and hundreds of people were injured in the wreck, only two people were confirmed dead; Harry Taber and Gerry Fitzgerald of the Eastern States Express. A third man, R.H. Rath of New York, was presumed dead, but his body was never found. (It has been suggested Rath was not on the train, as he reappears very much alive in legal documents more than three years after the disaster.)
Windham County
coroner A.G. Bill ruled engineer Henry Wildes and conductor William Dorman of the 212 responsible for Tabor's and Fitzgerald's deaths.
The station has since been torn down, and the former New York & New England Railroad through this area is now an undeveloped rail trail
. The location of the wreck was N 42° 00.530 W 071° 48.557 which now falls on the intersection of E. Thompson Rd and New Rd near the R.I. border. The site is located on what is now the Southern New England Trunkline Trail which is part of an abandoned railroad corridor running for approximately 22 miles (35 km) with an eastern terminus at Union Street in downtown Franklin, Massachusetts and a western terminus at the Connecticut state line in the Douglas State Forest, Douglas, Massachusetts.
Thompson, Connecticut
Thompson is a rural town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The town was named after Sir Robert Thompson, an English landholder. The population was 9,458 at the 2010 census...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, on December 4, 1891. It was one of the most extensive train wrecks in American history, and the only one to involve four trains. It happened on the New York and New England Railroad
New York and New England Railroad
The New York and New England Railroad was a major railroad connecting southern New York state with Hartford, Connecticut, Providence, Rhode Island and Boston, Massachusetts. It operated from 1873 to 1893. Prior to 1873 it was known as the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad, which had been formed by...
, which provided a shortcut from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
by making a diagonal across Connecticut. The railroad is now abandoned, and most of its tracks removed.
On the morning of December 4, 1891, four trains were scheduled to pass through East Thompson, in the town of Thompson
Thompson, Connecticut
Thompson is a rural town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The town was named after Sir Robert Thompson, an English landholder. The population was 9,458 at the 2010 census...
in the northeastern corner of Connecticut: the hotshot Long Island & Eastern States Express from New York to Boston via a ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
across Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
, the Norwich Steamboat Express traveling to Boston from the quays of New London, Connecticut
New London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut....
, the Southbridge Local freight to the town of that name
Southbridge, Massachusetts
The Town of Southbridge is a city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 16,719 at the 2010 census.-History:...
just over the Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
border, and freight train No. 212. To keep the slower No. 212 from impeding the approaching Eastern States Express, the local dispatcher allowed 212 to run on the left-hand track ahead of the express. Unfortunately both the dispatcher and 212's crew had forgotten about the oncoming Southbridge Local freight. At 6:40 am, just before the East Thompson station, the two freight trains collided head-on violently, jackknifing several cars and tossing one across both eastbound and westbound tracks.
Meanwhile, the Eastern States Express approached at 50 mph, unaware of the disaster. It crashed into the car across the other track, causing the engine to derail and strike a telephone pole, killing engineer Harry Taber and fireman Gerry Fitzgerald. (Fitzgerald was actually substituting for Mike Flynn, who had been scheduled but was marked off the roster since he had had a premonition of disaster the night before.) Steam from the ruptured engine destroyed a nearby home.
Then the uninjured crewmen remembered the Norwich Steamboat Train. A flagman
Flagman (rail)
On the railroads, a flagman is an employee of the railroad who is assigned to protect contractors or any one performing work on a railroad right of way. When a train approaches a location where workers may foul the track, the train crew will call the flagman for permission to pass the work area...
was sent out, but was too late to get the speeding express to stop. At 6:45 AM, it plowed eight feet into the rear of the Eastern States Express, setting fire to the rear sleeping car
Sleeping car
The sleeping car or sleeper is a railway/railroad passenger car that can accommodate all its passengers in beds of one kind or another, primarily for the purpose of making nighttime travel more restful. The first such cars saw sporadic use on American railroads in the 1830s and could be configured...
and the engine cab. Fortunately the crew suffered only cuts and scrapes.
Miraculously, even though all four engines, the sleeper, and a baggage car were destroyed, the track was torn up for about 500 yards (457.2 m) east of the passenger station, and hundreds of people were injured in the wreck, only two people were confirmed dead; Harry Taber and Gerry Fitzgerald of the Eastern States Express. A third man, R.H. Rath of New York, was presumed dead, but his body was never found. (It has been suggested Rath was not on the train, as he reappears very much alive in legal documents more than three years after the disaster.)
Windham County
Windham County, Connecticut
Windham County is a county located in the northeastern corner of the U.S. state of Connecticut. As of 2010, the population was 118,428.The entire county is within the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor, as designated by the National Park Service.-History:Windham...
coroner A.G. Bill ruled engineer Henry Wildes and conductor William Dorman of the 212 responsible for Tabor's and Fitzgerald's deaths.
The station has since been torn down, and the former New York & New England Railroad through this area is now an undeveloped rail trail
Rail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
. The location of the wreck was N 42° 00.530 W 071° 48.557 which now falls on the intersection of E. Thompson Rd and New Rd near the R.I. border. The site is located on what is now the Southern New England Trunkline Trail which is part of an abandoned railroad corridor running for approximately 22 miles (35 km) with an eastern terminus at Union Street in downtown Franklin, Massachusetts and a western terminus at the Connecticut state line in the Douglas State Forest, Douglas, Massachusetts.