The mountainous area around Central Pa has seen numerous Accidents over the years be it on a road way and a truck running away or railroad tracks and one such horrific accident in Tyrone on a steep curve would end up being the source for many rumored sightings of exotic animals like Black Panthers which should not be here in Pa. .
It was Memorial day in 1893 when the fully loaded 17 car train with custom and oversized railroad cars of the Walter L. Mains Circus would go off the tracks of the Tyrone and Clearfield Railroad. Now known as Norfolk Southern Line on a particular hard right turn curve feared by many an Engineer.
https://www.circusesandsideshows.com/circuses/walterlmaincircus.html
Only the first half of the train and its cars had air brakes the other cars brakeman would have to apply them by hand and with the trains car being overly long and engineers going into the curve higher than the posted speed tragedy was bound to happen .
The engine and first 2 cars made it but the cars carrying the elephants and other items did not
and crashed into the gully and hillside below it was a horrific scene .
In all 6 men would die as well as hundreds of horses and other animals some having to be put down due to being traumatized.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1tgtREE5A8
Strangely some animals like 1 of the 2 lions sat down by a tree and was quickly collared
Within a week of the accident the circus was able to rebuild and was back on the road . a memorial along one of the roads is honored yearly in Tyrone
But the story does not end there and even has a strange twist.
Many of the animals where never captured and made it many miles away naturally following the tracks and people claim to this day that this train wreck is the reason for so many Crytid type animals in Pa
Due to the interbreeding of these exotic animals with native animals. They sight the mythical Jackalope as an example .Even Big Foot.
While authority's claim the animals would of never survived the cold Pa winters there was plenty of time for cross breeding that summer so who really knows and never say they all could not have survived they may well have made it had they found proper shelter.
Now in a strange twist I was with my wife at railroad museum and saw pictures of the wreck
and my wife remarked. Her Great Grandfather Albert Tretow who became the first Superintendent of Pittsburgh Zoo was an animal trainer for the Mains Circus But was not involved in the wreck.
He died of a lung disease we now believe to be Bird Flu as he took care of many exotic birds.
