Holy family sits high on a shear cliff of sand stone in Emsworth along the Ohio River a few miles north west of Pittsburgh .
At one time at the top of Allegheny Ave next to the now Holy Family Institute there was a set of steep wooden steps which would take you down to the railroad tracks and the Emsworth Train Station.
and it was at this station where the horrific crash took place because of a " Hot Box " malfunctioning and heating up I could see the remnants of foundations one day while working at Shafner manufacturing and asked the owner about it and he told me about the train wreck and also the terrible fire Shafner manufacturing had at one time.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_box
The hot box is the wheel and gear assembly also refereed to as trucks which the railroad carriages fit on.
The first train on the Fort Wayne and Indiana railroad of a 2 train assemblage had stopped to make repairs when the 2nd train of celebrants came at a high speed 40 mph down the tracks and into the rear of the first train splitting it open like an axe and killing 7 people and maiming many more .
The priests from Holy family and workers and medical staff from Nearby Dixmont State Hospital for the Mentally Insane responded immediately rendering aide and comfort to the injured and dying .
Some victims where carried all the way up the steep steps to Holy Family where they where cared for.
many hero's that day including the priests who cared for and carried victims to safety and Guardsmen and a Dr. on train who helped the victims till there own injury's saw them fall.
Today you would never know there was such a horrific tragedy just the 2 sets of dual rails of the former Fort Wayne and Indiana railroad which became part of the Pennsylvania main line and now is operated by Norfolk Southern and the foundation of the train station . Next to the river which is an extremely busy track with trains almost every 10-15 minutes 24/ 7 coming from and going to the Conway yards in beaver county
But occasionally when the track is quiet people claim to hear an old fashioned steam whistle yet no train visible I have talked to those who fish the river along the area and claim a light of an oncoming train but one is not coming down track just the light and some claim you can hear a large crash type noise.
all of the noises have been dismissed as coming from across the river on heavily industrialized Neville Island or echoing up the valley from one of the river boats going thru the locks and dams at Emsworth and beaver county and being misinterpreted. Yet I have heard the eerie sounding steam whistle as well and could not tell where it was coming from as well.
Yes its very quiet and isolated area so who knows?
At one time at the top of Allegheny Ave next to the now Holy Family Institute there was a set of steep wooden steps which would take you down to the railroad tracks and the Emsworth Train Station.
 | |
| long gone Emsworth station |
and it was at this station where the horrific crash took place because of a " Hot Box " malfunctioning and heating up I could see the remnants of foundations one day while working at Shafner manufacturing and asked the owner about it and he told me about the train wreck and also the terrible fire Shafner manufacturing had at one time.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_box
The hot box is the wheel and gear assembly also refereed to as trucks which the railroad carriages fit on.
 |
| Accident happened in this area and back to right around cliff |
Some victims where carried all the way up the steep steps to Holy Family where they where cared for.
many hero's that day including the priests who cared for and carried victims to safety and Guardsmen and a Dr. on train who helped the victims till there own injury's saw them fall.
Today you would never know there was such a horrific tragedy just the 2 sets of dual rails of the former Fort Wayne and Indiana railroad which became part of the Pennsylvania main line and now is operated by Norfolk Southern and the foundation of the train station . Next to the river which is an extremely busy track with trains almost every 10-15 minutes 24/ 7 coming from and going to the Conway yards in beaver county
But occasionally when the track is quiet people claim to hear an old fashioned steam whistle yet no train visible I have talked to those who fish the river along the area and claim a light of an oncoming train but one is not coming down track just the light and some claim you can hear a large crash type noise.
all of the noises have been dismissed as coming from across the river on heavily industrialized Neville Island or echoing up the valley from one of the river boats going thru the locks and dams at Emsworth and beaver county and being misinterpreted. Yet I have heard the eerie sounding steam whistle as well and could not tell where it was coming from as well.
Yes its very quiet and isolated area so who knows?
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