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1912-056: 12 October 1912
Summary
| Report ID: | 1912-056 |
|---|---|
| Incident Date: | 12 October 1912 |
| Report Date: | 4 January 1913 |
| Incident Type: | Derailment |
| State: | Alabama |
| Location: | Cunningham |
| Railroad(s): | Louisville and Nashville |
Injuries
| Count | Fatal | Serious | Minor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| Passenger | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Other | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Synopsis
Like many of the early documents in this collection, this is not a formal printed report. It is a memorandum or a draft report.
This is a relatively simple accident. The derailment was caused by excessive speed while rounding a curve.
Report Body
[Page 1]
January 4, 1913.
In re investigation of Accident on the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, near Cunningham, Ala., October 12, 1912.
[¶1] On October 12, 1912, there was a derailment of a passenger train on the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, about one mile south of Cunningham, Ala., resulting in the death of 2 employees, and the injury of 9 passengers, 2 employees, 2 postal clerks and 1 express messenger.
[¶2] After investigation the Chief Inspector of Safety Appliances reports as follows:
[¶3] On the date of the accident, south-bound passenger train No. 3 consisted of an engine, 1 postal car, 1 express car, 1 baggage and express car, 3 coaches, 1 dining car and 2 Pullman cars, in the order named. This train was known as the Fast Line or Limited, running from Cincinnati, Ohio to New Orleans, Louisiana. It is due to leave Decatur, Ala., at 12:37 p.m. On the date of the accident it left Decatur about 25 minutes late and left Blount Springs, Ala., at about 3:15 p.m., 58 minutes late. The train made up six minutes between Blount Springs and Norris, Ala., a distance of 15 miles, passing Norris at 3:40 p.m. It was derailed at about 3:50 p.m. in the middle of a curve of 6°30′ leading to the right, this curve being located 6 miles south of Norris. This derailment occurred at the foot of an ascending 1.25 per cent grade two miles in length.
[Page 2]
[¶4] The engine and first four cars were detailed on the east side of the track. These cars struck the engine and were practically demolished. The fifth and sixth cars were derailed but were not badly damaged.
[¶5] This part of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad is a single track line, laid with 80-pound rails, 33 feet long, with 18 ties to the rail. Tie plates are used and the rails are braced on every fifth or eighth tie, varying according to curvature. Preparations had been made for the spreading of new ballast, and on this account, at the place of the accident the roadbed was rather bare. Most of the ties were in good condition, while the general maintenance of the track was fair. The rails at this point, together with the flanges of the engine wheels, were carefully examined and all were found to be in good condition. The gauge of the track from the beginning of the curve to the point of derailment varied from 4 feet 8½ inches to 4 feet 9 1/8 inches, while superelevation in the middle of the curve was approximately 6[1] inches, varying slightly in places.
[¶6] Engineman Singleton[2] was caught in the wreckage where he was held for about an hour. He did not think he was badly hurt and conversed with bystanders; but when he was extricated from the wreckage he expired almost immediately. Before his death the engineman stated that his train was not running more than 30[3] miles per hour at the time of the derailment. Other employees estimated the speed of the [Page 3] train at the time of the derailment at from 40 to 60 miles per hour.
[¶7] Under the special instructions contained in the time-card in effect at the time on the division on which this accident occurred, is one providing in part as follows:
The maximum speed of passenger trains over that portion of the road where the curvature does not exceed four degrees is 50 miles per hour; where the curvature exceeds four degrees the maximum speed of passenger trains is 45 miles per hour.
[¶8] All of the cars were of wooden construction except coach No. 927, the 5th car in the train, which had a steel underframe. Engine No. 195 is of the 4-6-2 type, and, with its tender weighs 177 tons.
[¶9] Engineman Singleton had been employed as an engineman for 21 years, and had a good record. At the time of the accident he had been on duty 3 hours and 18 minutes, after a period off duty of 21 hours and 5 minutes.
[¶10] While it is impossible definitely to determine the cause of the derailment, it is believed it was caused by excessive speed of the train while rounding a curve, the superelevation of which was not in excess of 6 1/8 inches, which elevation is considered safe for a speed of not more than 35 or 40 miles per hour.
