And a more serious wreck occurred about 30 years before in Bloomfield involving hazardous materials
Pittsburgh has seen its share of rail disasters even including trolleys.
But It brings up memories of a forgotten Horrific Train Crash which took 8-9 lives in February 1934 on Pittsburgh's North Side behind the D.L. Clark Building which sits behind Heinz Stadium.
Back then the area was bustling with industrial activity and junk and rail yards which included the D.L.Clark Company and its famous Clark (candy ) Bar
https://www.facebook.com/OddPittsburgh/videos/2178215112422352/
Thanks to Odd,Mysterious & Fascinating Pittsburgh Facebook group for the video link
Thanks to Odd,Mysterious & Fascinating Pittsburgh Facebook group for the video link
The luxury express train on its way from Akron to New York was starting to round the slight bend when it went off the tracks and over the steep wall falling approx . 50 ft trapping and killing the Engineer and Fireman and in total killing 8-9 people one who had just gotten on 30 minutes earlier F.R.Dravo was head of the then famous Dravo Corporation whose barges and dredging operations where all over Pittsburgh's rivers till its eventual closing in the 80's after the steel mills closed.
It was thought a frozen switch caused the accident but as far as I can find no official cause was found.
This was not the only such tragedy on Pittsburgh's North Side which has seen horrific deaths, from factory fires and east and spring garden valley flooding there have been many horrific deaths and if you happen to ride behind the D.L Clark company and get a little tingle something happened there now you know why.
In doing research on this article I came upon another train wreck but date of this video says 1938 which i can find no such accident in Pittsburgh but this may show further down from clark building
so another mystery to solve
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqCec6A8pLk
This video may be on the other side of the wall from Clark Building but so much has changed in that area hard to tell but it clearly shows Pittsburg in title when it did not have the H. but it sure looks like the clark building area wreck..
Note: update it has been determined above video was a train wreck on W. Carson street near West End circle . Engineer was killed when stones on track flipped engine over hill side
This video may be on the other side of the wall from Clark Building but so much has changed in that area hard to tell but it clearly shows Pittsburg in title when it did not have the H. but it sure looks like the clark building area wreck..
Note: update it has been determined above video was a train wreck on W. Carson street near West End circle . Engineer was killed when stones on track flipped engine over hill side
The last link dated 1938 actually depicts the Pittsburgh Christmas Day Train Wreck of 1937. Only two died in the event. It is not a very well known event, and it took me awhile to pinpoint it myself for my historical-disaster-based Facebook group, and I have found that little known train wrecks are among the hardest to accurately research. Hope this helps.
ReplyDeleteThe last link dated 1938 actually depicts the Pittsburgh Christmas Day Train Wreck of 1937. Only two died in the event. It is not very well known, and it took me awhile to pinpoint it myself for my historical-disaster-based Facebook group. I have found that little known train wrecks are among the hardest to accurately research and pinpoint. Not all of them are formally listed. Hope this helps.
ReplyDelete