List of rail accidents (1930–1949)
Encyclopedia
This is a list of rail accidents from 1930 to 1949.
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| Notable train Train A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate... accidents, 1930–1949 |
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| 1930s: | 1930 | 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1934 | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 |
| 1940s: | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 |
| See also — References — Sources — External links Main article links are in bold |
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1930
- January 22, 1930 – Berea, OhioBerea, Ohio- History :The first European settlers were originally from Connecticut. Berea fell within Connecticut's Western Reserve and was surveyed and divided into townships and ranges by one Gideon Granger, a gentleman who served as Postmaster General under President Thomas Jefferson...
, USA: New York Central mail train headed for Chicago broadsides a school bus at grade. 9 passengers, all aged 6–11, and the driver die. He had stopped for a passing freight, then proceeded, without looking, into the path of the mail train. - April 11, 1930 – Isleta, New MexicoNew MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, USA: Santa Fe westbound mail train No. 7 strikes a GreyhoundGreyhound LinesGreyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
bus at a grade crossing 12 miles (19.3 km) south of Albuquerque. 21 killed, 7 injured. Bus's fuel tank explodes on impact, burning many victims beyond recognition. The Interstate Commerce CommissionInterstate Commerce CommissionThe Interstate Commerce Commission was a regulatory body in the United States created by the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. The agency's original purpose was to regulate railroads to ensure fair rates, to eliminate rate discrimination, and to regulate other aspects of common carriers, including...
report on the accident mentions that at this time, accidents at railroad grade crossings are causing some 2,000 deaths and 6,000 injuries annually. - June 30, 1930 – USSR: Amidst a rash of Soviet rail accidents, the IrkutskIrkutskIrkutsk is a city and the administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, one of the largest cities in Siberia. Population: .-History:In 1652, Ivan Pokhabov built a zimovye near the site of Irkutsk for gold trading and for the collection of fur taxes from the Buryats. In 1661, Yakov Pokhabov...
–LeningradLeningradLeningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province...
express derails in northwest Russia, killing 22 and injuring 28. The State Commissar of Railways begins a housecleaning program that uncovers high levels of carelessness and even drunkenness on the job. Severe penalties are put in place for negligence; as a result of the 1930 crashes, 12 railway workers are imprisoned and two executed. - December 3, 1930 – USSR: A tramTramA tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
motorman fails to heed crossing signals and pulls into the path of an oncoming locomotive. 28 die, 19 are injured. The accident leads to the imprisonment of 16 additional railway workers.
1931
- January 26, 1931 – Groningen, The Netherlands: An incoming passenger train from NieuweschansNieuweschansBad Nieuweschans is a town in the Dutch province of Groningen. It is located in the municipality of Oldambt, about 12 km east of Winschoten. In April 2009 the municipality of Reiderland changed the name from Nieuweschans, to promote the town as a spa...
collides with a freight train. The locomotive from the passenger train derails and crashes into a school. A shunter told the freight train driver to accelerate in spite of a stop signal. 3 killed, 5 injured. - May 27, 1931 – Moorhead, MinnesotaMoorhead, MinnesotaMoorhead is a city in Clay County, Minnesota, United States, and the largest city in northwest Minnesota. The population was 38,065 at the 2010 Census. It is the county seat of Clay County....
: The Great Northern Railway's Empire BuilderEmpire BuilderThe Empire Builder is a passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the Midwestern and Northwestern United States. It is Amtrak's busiest long-distance route and busiest daily train, carrying more than 500,000 travelers annually since 2007. Overall, it is the railroad's 10th-busiest line. Before...
, bound for Chicago from Seattle, is torn from the tracks by a tornadoTornadoA tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
. One coach, weighing 83 tons, is hit full force and flung 80 feet (24.4 m) through the air. One passenger is killed, 57 injured. - September 13, 1931 – BiatorbágyBiatorbágyBiatorbágy is a town in Pest County, Budapest metropolitan area, Hungary. It has a population of 10,720 .On 13 September 1931 a demented man blasted the train to Vienna on the viaduct of Biatorbágy. Prime minister Gyula Károlyi inducted martial law, and executed two illegal communist...
, Hungary: Sylvestre MatuschkaSylvestre MatuschkaSzilveszter Matuska , was a Hungarian mass murderer and mechanical engineer who made two successful and at least two unsuccessful attempts to derail passenger trains in Hungary, Germany and Austria in 1930 and 1931.-Crimes:Matuska made at least two failed attempts to derail trains in Austria in...
blows up the viaduct under the BudapestBudapestBudapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
–ViennaViennaVienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
express train, killing 22 passengers and injuring 17.
1932
- January 2, 1932 – near Moscow, USSR: Two packed suburban trains collide after one strikes and kills a person walking the track. The train stops to retrieve the body but puts out no flares, lanterns or flags. The next train on the line slams into it at 50 mi/h, crushing six cars. In another tragic error, injured passengers are helped to a parallel track, where they are struck by yet a third locomotive. 68 are killed.
- September 14, 1932 – Turenne rail accidentTurenne rail accidentThe Turenne rail accident occurred on September 14, 1932 when a train carrying French Foreign Legionnaires crashed in Algeria killing 62 people.The military train carrying 500 soldiers departed Sidi Bel Abbès at 07:15 that morning bound for Oujda in Morocco...
, Algeria: A 14-car troop train of the French Foreign LegionFrench Foreign LegionThe French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...
derails in the Atlas MountainsAtlas MountainsThe Atlas Mountains is a mountain range across a northern stretch of Africa extending about through Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. The highest peak is Toubkal, with an elevation of in southwestern Morocco. The Atlas ranges separate the Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines from the Sahara Desert...
and plunges 250 feet (76.2 m) into a gorge. 57 legionnaires and most of the train's crew die; 223 are injured. - December 14, 1932 - A collision in the Gutsch Tunnel on the Zürich–Lucerne line in Switzerland kills at least six people.
1933
- August 29, 1933 – The Golden State Limited, a transcontinental passenger train, went through a storm-weakened bridge into an arroyoArroyo (creek)An arroyo , a Spanish word translated as brook, and also called a wash is usually a dry creek or stream bed—gulch that temporarily or seasonally fills and flows after sufficient rain. Wadi is a similar term in Africa. In Spain, a rambla has a similar meaning to arroyo.-Types and processes:Arroyos...
near Tucumcari, New MexicoTucumcari, New MexicoTucumcari is a city in and the county seat of Quay County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 5,989 at the 2000 census. Tucumcari was founded in 1901, two years before Quay County was founded.-History:...
. 11 people were killed and 46 injured. - December 14, 1933 – 11 area children were killed when their school bus was hit by an Atlantic Coast LineAtlantic Coast Line RailroadThe Atlantic Coast Line Railroad was an American railroad that existed between 1900 and 1967, when it merged with the Seaboard Air Line Railroad, its long-time rival, to form the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad...
freight train near Crescent City, FloridaCrescent City, FloridaCrescent City is a city in Putnam County, Florida, United States. The city is located on two lakes and is part of the Palatka Micropolitan Statistical Area. Crescent Lake lies to the east of town and Lake Stella is located to the west.-Geography:...
, resulting in the deaths of ten of the school children and the serious injury of a score of others--"several of whom are not expected to recover." - December 23, 1933 – Lagny-Pomponne Railroad DisasterLagny-Pomponne Railroad DisasterThe Lagny-Pomponne Railroad Disaster was a train disaster that happened on December 23, 1933 between Pomponne and Lagny-sur-Marne , twenty kilometers east of Paris, when the 4-8-2 locomotive of the express for Strasbourg crashed at 110 km the end of the extra train for Nancy which was stopped on...
: Rear-end collisionRear-end collisionA rear-end collision is a traffic accident wherein a vehicle crashes into the vehicle in front of it, usually caused by tailgating or panic stops...
of Paris-Nancy express and Paris-Strasbourg fast train between Lagny-sur-MarneLagny-sur-MarneLagny-sur-Marne is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France from the center of Paris....
and PomponnePomponnePomponne is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.The inhabitants are called Pomponnais.-History:...
(Seine-et-Marne), 17 mi (23 km) out of Paris. 204 are killed and 300 injured aboard the Nancy express as its 7 wood coaches are smashed. The driver of the Strasbourg train had passed a signal at dangerSignal passed at dangerA Signal passed at danger , in British railway terminology, occurs when a train passes a stop signal without authority to do so. It is a term primarily used within the British Railway Industry, although it can be applied worldwide.-Categories of SPAD:...
in darkness and fog, but the "Crocodile"Le CrocodileIn French railway signalling a crocodile is a component of a train protection system called Répétition des Signaux...
acoustic warning system was found to have failed because the contacts had iced over. The Compagnie de Chemin de fer de l'EstChemins de fer de l'EstThe Compagnie des chemins de fer de l'Est , often referred to simply as the Est company, was an early French railway company. The company was formed in 1853 by fusion from Compagnie de Paris à Strasbourg, operating the Paris-Strasbourg line, and Compagnie du chemin de fer de Montereau à Troyes...
was ordered to pay FFr44,000,000 in compensation to victims' families.
1934
- September 21, 1934 – OtsuOtsu, Shigais the capital city of Shiga, Japan. The city was founded on October 1, 1898. As of October 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 338,629 with an average age of 40.7 years and a population density of 905.28 persons per km²...
, Japan: The Biwako Line express train from Tokyo derails off the Seta RiverSeta RiverThe , also called the Seta River and the Uji River at portions of its route, is the principal river in Osaka Prefecture on Honshū, Japan. The source of the river is Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture to the north....
bridge in the midst of the devastating Muroto typhoon. At least 11 killed, 216 injured. - September 28, 1934 – Winwick rail crashWinwick rail crashThe Winwick rail crash took place at Winwick Junction, near Warrington on the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, on 28 September 1934.-Background:...
, near WarringtonWarringtonWarrington is a town, borough and unitary authority area of Cheshire, England. It stands on the banks of the River Mersey, which is tidal to the west of the weir at Howley. It lies 16 miles east of Liverpool, 19 miles west of Manchester and 8 miles south of St Helens...
, England: overworked signal box crew forget a train halted at a signal and allow another train into section; 12 people killed.
1935
- April 11, 1935 – Rockville, MarylandRockville, MarylandRockville is the county seat of Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is a major incorporated city in the central part of Montgomery County and forms part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. The 2010 U.S...
: A school bus driver, returning students to Williamsport, MarylandWilliamsport, MarylandWilliamsport is a town in Washington County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,868 at the 2000 census and 2,278 as of July 2008.-Geography: Williamsport is located at ....
from a field trip at 11:30pm, does not notice the reflective signs at a grade crossing and drives his bus into the path of an oncoming Baltimore & Ohio train. 14 students are killed, 15 others injured. In violation of a Maryland law requiring watchmen at crossings until midnight, the B&O had kept a watchman on duty only till 10pm. - June 15, 1935 – Welwyn Garden City rail crashWelwyn Garden City rail crashThere were two rail crashes near Welwyn Garden City railway station in Hertfordshire, England. One in 1935 and another less serious accident in 1957.-1935 crash:The crash occurred on 15 June 1935...
: signalman's error. 14 killed 29 injured - September 2, 1935 – Islamorada, FloridaIslamorada, FloridaIslamorada, a "Village of Islands," is an incorporated village in Monroe County, Florida, United States. It is located on the islands of Tea Table Key, Lower Matecumbe Key, Upper Matecumbe Key, Windley Key and Plantation Key in the Florida Keys....
: The upper Florida KeysFlorida KeysThe Florida Keys are a coral archipelago in southeast United States. They begin at the southeastern tip of the Florida peninsula, about south of Miami, and extend in a gentle arc south-southwest and then westward to Key West, the westernmost of the inhabited islands, and on to the uninhabited Dry...
are hit by the 1935 Labor Day hurricane. A 10-car rescue train is sent by the Florida East Coast RailwayFlorida East Coast RailwayThe Florida East Coast Railway is a Class II railroad operating in the U.S. state of Florida; in the past, it has been a Class I railroad.Built primarily in the last quarter of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th century, the FEC was a project of Standard Oil principal Henry Morrison...
to evacuate hundreds of World War I veterans from government work camps, but is washed from the tracks when the Overseas RailroadOverseas RailroadThe Overseas Railroad was an extension of the Florida East Coast Railway to Key West, a city of almost 30,000 inhabitants located 128 miles beyond the end of the Florida peninsula...
is engulfed by a tidal wave at Islamorada. Total train fatalities not known (at least 408 estimated storm deaths). Railway link to Florida Keys is left destroyed. - December 24, 1935 – GroßheringenGroßheringenGroßheringen is a municipality in the Weimarer Land district of Thuringia, Germany....
, Germany: A local packed with Christmas travelers, just leaving a depot in ThuringiaThuringiaThe Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
, runs a red signal on a bridge and sideswipes a Berlin-Frankfurt am Main express. Coaches on the local go over the side into the frozen Saale River. 36 killed, 50 or more injured.
1936
- March 28, 1936 – Byron, GeorgiaByron, GeorgiaByron is a city in Peach County, Georgia, United States. A small portion of the city extends into Houston County. The population was 2,887 at the 2000 census...
: A Central of Georgia passenger train, going too fast through a grade crossing at night, strikes a bus which had failed to stop at the crossing. 11 of the 13 aboard the bus are killed. - July 21, 1936 – Vandergrift, PennsylvaniaVandergrift, PennsylvaniaMosher shows how Vandergrift was representative of the new industrial suburbs of Pittsburgh. Caught up in a dramatic round of industrial restructuring and labor tension, Pittsburgh steelmaker George McMurtry hired Frederick Law Olmsted's landscape architectural firm in 1895 to design Vandergrift...
: An 8" long piece of strap iron left on the track by a 12-year-old boy derails an 87-car PRRPennsylvania RailroadThe Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
freight, killing the engine fireman. - November 24, 1936 – Chicago, Illinois: A North Shore LineChicago North Shore and Milwaukee RailroadThe Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad, often called the North Shore Line, was an interurban railroad line that operated between Chicago, Illinois, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, until its abandonment in 1963.- Early history :...
interurban rear-ends a Chicago L train at Granville Avenue. Though the crash was at slow speed, steel cars on the L crushed wood cars coupled between them. 10 killed, 59 injured.
1937
- April 2, 1937 – Battersea Park rail crashBattersea Park rail crash (1937)The Battersea Park rail crash occurred on 2 April 1937, just south of Battersea Park railway station on the Southern Railway, in London. Two electrically driven passenger trains collided on the Up Local line; the second train, from Coulsdon to Victoria, had been allowed into the section while it...
, London: two passenger trains collide. 10 killed, 17 injured. The signalman believed there was a fault with his equipment and overrode the interlocking. - July 16, 1937 – A DelhiDelhiDelhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
–KolkataKolkataKolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
express derailed at PatnaPatnaPaṭnā , is the capital of the Indian state of Bihar and the second largest city in Eastern India . Patna is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world...
, BiharBiharBihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
, India, killing 107. - October 22, 1937 – Mason City, IowaMason City, IowaMason City is the county seat of Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, United States. The population was 28,079 in the 2010 census, a decline from 29,172 in the 2000 census. The Mason City Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Cerro Gordo and Worth counties....
: The Rock Island Line Rocket streamliner strikes a school bus at grade just outside a brick and tile factory after a class tour. 10 killed, 19 injured. Sight lines were obstructed by tile pallets stacked near the crossing. - December 10, 1937 – Castlecary rail accident, Scotland: An LNER Edinburgh-Glasgow commuter express, traveling 70 mi/h in white-out conditions, rear-ends a local train standing in the station. 35 killed, 179 injured, most seriously. The local had been running late.
1938
- June 15, 1938 – A Shimonoseki–KyotoKyotois a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
passenger train derailed by heavy rain with mud-rock flow at Kumayama-Wake of JNR Sanyo Line, eastern Okayama, Japan, killing 25, another 108 are injured. - June 19, 1938 – Custer Creek train wreckCuster Creek train wreckThe Custer Creek train wreck is the worst rail disaster in Montana history. It occurred on June 19, 1938 when a bridge, its foundations washed away by a flash flood, collapsed beneath Milwaukee Road's Olympian as it crossed Custer Creek, near Saugus, Montana, south-west of Terry, killing at least...
near Saugus, MontanaSaugus, MontanaSaugus is a rural unincorporated community in Prairie County, Montana, United States, along the Yellowstone River. It was the location of the Custer Creek train wreck....
- Milwaukee Road OlympianOlympian HiawathaThe Olympian and its successor, Olympian Hiawatha, was a named passenger train operated by the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad as train Nos. 15 and 16 from 1911 to 1961...
plunges into Custer Creek when a 25-year-old bridge, weakened by heavy rain, collapses; 47 people killed, many victims in a tourist sleeper that is submerged in 20 feet of water for almost 36 hours. Some bodies recovered as far as 50 miles downstream. - July 30, 1938 – near Balaclava Station, JamaicaJamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
: five overcrowded cars derail; 32 killed, 70 injured. - September, 1938 – MartorellMartorellMartorell is a town near Barcelona, in Catalonia, Spain, primarily known for its medieval Devil's bridge.It has three railway stations - one on the RENFE line from Manresa to Sant Vicenç de Calders called "Martorell", and three on the FGC line from Barcelona to Manresa called "Martorell-Vila",...
, near BarcelonaBarcelonaBarcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Spain: Faulty signals and poor visibility on a curve are blamed after two trains on same track collide head-on. 65 killed. - September 20, 1938 - Tortuga, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
: A misplaced switch on the Southern Pacific RailroadSouthern Pacific RailroadThe Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
sends the eastbound Californian crashing into the westbound ArgonautArgonaut (passenger train)The Argonaut was the Southern Pacific Railroad's secondary transcontinental passenger train, inaugurated in 1926, and operated between New Orleans and Los Angeles via Houston, San Antonio, and El Paso, Texas; Demming, New Mexico; Douglas and Tucson, Arizona; and Palm Springs, California, until its...
which is waiting on a siding; 11 die and 139 are injured. - December 19, 1938 – A freight and passenger train collide near BarbacenaBarbacenaBarbacena is a city and municipality in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. As of 2006, the municipality had 124,601 inhabitants. The total area of the municipality is 788 km²....
, in the state of Minas GeraisMinas GeraisMinas Gerais is one of the 26 states of Brazil, of which it is the second most populous, the third richest, and the fourth largest in area. Minas Gerais is the Brazilian state with the largest number of Presidents of Brazil, the current one, Dilma Rousseff, being one of them. The capital is the...
, Brazil. Wooden cars splinter and catch fire, killing at least 82. Some of the dead are Boy ScoutsUnião dos Escoteiros do BrasilThe União dos Escoteiros do Brasil is the national Scouting organization of Brazil. Scouting in Brazil was founded in 1910 and was among the charter members of the World Organization of the Scout Movement in 1922. The União dos Escoteiros do Brasil itself was founded in 1924; it has 53,055 members...
. - December 21, 1938 – 45 miles (72.4 km) from Mexico City, a broken wheel causes 14 cars to derail, killing at least 40. Most passengers were government employees on holiday.
- December 25, 1938 – In BessarabiaBessarabiaBessarabia is a historical term for the geographic region in Eastern Europe bounded by the Dniester River on the east and the Prut River on the west....
near ChişinăuChisinauChișinău is the capital and largest municipality of Moldova. It is also its main industrial and commercial centre and is located in the middle of the country, on the river Bîc...
--which is now in MoldovaMoldovaMoldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
but was then part of Romania—two passenger trains collide in a snowstorm. 93 killed, 340 injured.
1939
- March 20, 1939 – RBD Stettin on main line between AngermündeAngermündeAngermünde is a town in the district of Uckermark in the state of Brandenburg, Germany. It is located on the Mündesee, 43 miles northeast of Berlin on the Berlin–Szczecin railway...
and PasewalkPasewalkPasewalk is a town in the Vorpommern-Greifswald district, in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in Germany. Located on the Uecker river, it is the capital of the former Uecker-Randow district, and the seat of the Uecker-Randow-Tal Amt of which it is not part.Pasewalk became a town during the 12th...
Express train D 17 derailed. Boiler of locomotive 03.174 (Borsig 14535 / 1934) exploded due to a boiler water shortage. Two killed and two injured. Locomotive 03.174 had to be scrapped due to severe damage. - August 12, 1939 – An act of sabotage sends the City of San FranciscoCity of San FranciscoThe City of San Francisco was a streamlined passenger train operated jointly by the Chicago and North Western Railway, the Southern Pacific Railroad, and the Union Pacific Railroad...
flying off of a bridge in the NevadaNevadaNevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
desert; several passengers and crew members are killed, and five cars are destroyed. This case remains unsolved.
- November 11, 1939 – RBD OppelnOpoleOpole is a city in southern Poland on the Oder River . It has a population of 125,992 and is the capital of the Upper Silesia, Opole Voivodeship and, also the seat of Opole County...
Cosel - Bauerwitz single line. Passenger trains P 950 and P 957 crashed due to faulty signals. 43 killed and 48 injured. - December 22, 1939 – GenthinGenthinGenthin is a town in the Jerichower Land district, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is situated on the Elbe-Havel Canal, approx. 50 km northeast of Magdeburg, and 27 km west of Brandenburg....
, Germany: collision when train D180 drove into previous delayed and overcrowded train D10 from Berlin to CologneCologneCologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
. 186 killed, 453 injured. Highest number of fatalities ever in an accident in Germany. - December 22, 1939 – Markdorf, Germany: collision of a special passenger train and a goods train on the Radolfzell-Lindau line, 101 killed. These were the first accidents in German railway history to claim more than 100 victims; they happened on the same day.
- September 17, 1939 – Ramla Tzrifin, Palestine: collision of a freight train traveling from Srfnd with a bus traveling from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv. The bus windows were protected against stone-throwing by nets, which prevented the passengers from escaping when the bus caught fire. Of the 30 or so passengers 23 died in the fire, and 6 more (including the driver) died in hospital soon afterwards.
1940
- January 29, 1940 – Three gasoline multiple units carrying factory workers crash and explode while approaching Ajikawaguchi station, Nishinari Line (present-day Sakurajima LineSakurajima LineThe is a railway line in Osaka, Japan, operated by West Japan Railway Company running from Nishikujō Station to Sakurajima Station. It is also referred to as the...
), OsakaOsakais a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Japan, killing at least 181 people and injuring at least 92. - March 12, 1940 – TurenkiTurenkiTurenki is a densely populated community in Janakkala, Finland. The population is some 8,000 people. It's said that Turenki is translated from Turinge, Thuring or Turängi....
, Finland: a soldier train and a freight train collided after being let on the same piece of track by mistake, leaving 39 people dead and 69 injured. This is still the worst train accident in Finland. - April 19, 1940 – Little Falls, New YorkLittle Falls (town), New YorkLittle Falls is a town in Herkimer County, New York, United States. The population was 1,544 at the 2000 census. The town is named after a waterfall located nearby.The Town of Little Falls has on its eastern end a small city called Little Falls...
, United States: The westbound New York Central Lake Shore Limited, running fifteen minutes late, fails to reduce speed to 45 miles per hour at Gulf Curve (nicknamed "Death Curve") near Little Falls, sharpest on the NYC System, and at 59 mi/h the locomotive derails, crosses two tracks and strikes a rock wall whereupon it explodes and nine cars pile up behind it. At least 30 known dead, including the engineer, and 100 injured in the accident. - July 31, 1940 – Doodlebug DisasterDoodlebug DisasterThe Doodlebug Disaster was a railway accident that occurred on July 31, 1940, in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio in the United States. A Pennsylvania Railroad, gasoline powered 'Doodlebug' rail-car collided head-on with a freight train, the impact and resulting fire caused the deaths of all but three of the...
- Cuyahoga Falls, OhioCuyahoga Falls, OhioAs of the census of 2000, there were 49,374 people, 21,655 households, and 13,317 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,932.9 people per square mile . There were 22,727 housing units at an average density of 889.7 per square mile...
, United States: The PRRPennsylvania RailroadThe Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
"DoodlebugDoodlebug (rail car)In the United States, doodlebug was the common name for a self-propelled railroad car . While such a coach typically had a gasoline-powered engine that turned a generator which provided electricity to traction motors, which turned the axles and wheels on the trucks, versions with mechanical...
", a gasoline-electric interurban car, fails to take a siding and collides with an oncoming freight, causing the gas tanks to explode. The crew jump before the crash; all 43 passengers die as the wreck burns too intensely to allow rescuers near for half an hour. A federal investigation suggests the Doodlebug's driver had become disoriented due to carbon monoxideCarbon monoxideCarbon monoxide , also called carbonous oxide, is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that is slightly lighter than air. It is highly toxic to humans and animals in higher quantities, although it is also produced in normal animal metabolism in low quantities, and is thought to have some normal...
in a poorly ventilated cab. - November 4, 1940 – Norton Fitzwarren rail crashNorton Fitzwarren rail crash (1940)The Norton Fitzwarren rail crash occurred on 4 November 1940 between Taunton and Norton Fitzwarren in the English county of Somerset, when the driver of a train misunderstood the signalling and track layout, causing him to drive the train through a set of points and off the rails. 27 people were...
, England: Great Western RailwayGreat Western RailwayThe Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
train driver misreads the signals on a four-track line that merges to two, and runs his train off the end of the track. Coaches telescope, killing 27 and injuring 75. Although driver error is primary cause, an inadequate signal plant is a contributing factor. Track plan was not visible under wartime black-out conditions. - December 3, 1940 – Velilla de EbroVelilla de EbroVelilla de Ebro is a municipality located in the province of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2009 census , the municipality has a population of 261 inhabitants.This town is located close to the Purburell or Pui Burell mountain....
, Spain: Two express trains collide at 4:00 am near this remote depot some 30 miles (48.3 km) outside ZaragozaZaragozaZaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
, killing 41 and injuring 80. Several of the more gravely injured perish at the scene due to the extreme cold. Investigators establish that no one threw the switch that would have put one express on a clear track.
1941
- February 21, 1941 – Piedmont & Northern train no. 5, west-bound through a curve near Fairmont Station, eight miles W of Spartanburg, South CarolinaSpartanburg, South CarolinathgSpartanburg is the largest city in and the county seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. It is the second-largest city of the three primary cities in the Upstate region of South Carolina, and is located northwest of Columbia, west of Charlotte, and about northeast of...
, strikes rear of stopped freight. Flagman jumps from electric ex-Pennsylvania RailroadPennsylvania RailroadThe Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
combine no. 350 before impact with steel caboose, but engineer killed. Fifteen other passengers in following ex-PRR trailer are injured. - June 29, 1941 –Iași pogromIasi pogromThe Iaşi pogrom or Jassy pogrom of June 27, 1941 was one of the most violent pogroms in Jewish history, launched by governmental forces in the Romanian city of Iaşi against its Jewish population, resulting in the murder of at least 13,266 Jews, according to Romanian authorities.-Background:]During...
, IașiIasiIași is the second most populous city and a municipality in Romania. Located in the historical Moldavia region, Iași has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Romanian social, cultural, academic and artistic life...
, Romania. More than 2,700 Jews forced onto two trains die of dehydration. - July 19, 1941 – KrylboKrylboKrylbo is a part of the town Avesta in Avesta Municipality, Dalarna County. It was a market town until it merged with the city of Avesta in 1966....
, Sweden: GermanNazi GermanyNazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
munitions train explodes in KrylboKrylboKrylbo is a part of the town Avesta in Avesta Municipality, Dalarna County. It was a market town until it merged with the city of Avesta in 1966....
. It is unknown whether it was an accident or sabotage. Later the British claimed to be behind this successful sabotageSabotageSabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. In a workplace setting, sabotage is the conscious withdrawal of efficiency generally directed at causing some change in workplace conditions. One who engages in sabotage is...
action. - August 9, 1941 – Montreal, Quebec CNR passenger train #242 from Vaudreuil collides with a stationary switch engine in the Turcot Yards... the locomotive and two cars of the passenger train are derailed. The fireman is killed and the engineer is severely burned when the boiler ruptures... 53 passengers are injured.
- September 16, 1941 – An express train collides with standing local train inside Aboshi station, Himeji, Japan, killing at least 65 and injuring 71.
- October 1, 1941 – A local train bound for Kumamoto, Japan on the Hohi Line derailed at Kawarauchi river bridge on the outskirts of OitaOita Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan on Kyūshū Island. The prefectural capital is the city of Ōita.- History :Around the 6th century Kyushu consisted of four regions: Tsukushi-no-kuni 筑紫国, Hi-no-kuni 肥国, and Toyo no kuni...
, KyūshūKyushuis the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
, causing 3 passenger cars to plunge into the river, killing at least 44 people, and injuring at least 72. - December 21, 1941 – Illinois Central train New Orleans Special southbound from Memphis to New Orleans travelling at 60 mph (26.8 m/s) completely demolishes a 1931 Chevrolet crossing the tracks at Bowdre, MississippiBowdre, MississippiBowdre is an unincorporated community located near U.S. Highway 61 in Tunica County, Mississippi, United States. Historically Bowdre was the home of the Penn Owen plantation with no other community functions outside of agriculture associated with that family-run business...
. Killed 8, including a three year-old child and an 18 month old infant, all members of the same family. - December 27 – RBD Osten – D 123 crashed on Frankfurt an der Oder - PosenPoznanPoznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
main line at Bf Leichtholz stopped freight train Dg 7053. The snow plough had damaged the signal system. Six tank wagons loaded with petrol exploded burning five passenger coaches of D 123. 41 killed and 57 injured. - December 30, 1941 – Eccles rail crashEccles rail crash (1941)The 1941 Eccles rail crash occurred on 30 December 1941 at the east end of the station at Eccles, Lancashire, in northern England. A westbound train passed danger signals in fog during the wartime blackout, and collided at about 30 mph with an eastbound train traversing a crossover; 23 people...
; Collision in fog kills 23.
1942
- October 1942 – WarsawWarsawWarsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, Poland: The Polish Union of Retaliation blow up all railways leading from and to Warsaw, destroying 4 German supply trains going for the Eastern Front and disrupting the supply transport for several days. - December 27, 1942 – Almonte, OntarioAlmonte, OntarioAlmonte is a Canadian exurb and former mill town located in Lanark County, in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario, Canada. Formerly a separate municipality, Almonte is now a ward of the town of Mississippi Mills, which was created on January 1, 1998 by the merging of Almonte with Ramsay and...
, Canada: 36 people are killed and over 200 injured when a passenger train running late was struck from behind by a troop train.
1943
- February 28, 1943 – RBD PosenPoznanPoznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
Military vacation express train SF 76 collied with freight train Dg 19540 at Bf Galkau. The stop signal ignored. 25 killed and 12 injured. - June 4, 1943 – Hyde railway accident, New Zealand: Train derailsDerailmentA derailment is an accident on a railway or tramway in which a rail vehicle, or part or all of a train, leaves the tracks on which it is travelling, with consequent damage and in many cases injury and/or death....
taking a curved cutting at over twice the rated speed. 21 killed, 47 injured. Engineman found to have been drunk on duty; served 3 years for manslaughter. - August 30, 1943 – At Wayland, New YorkWayland (village), New YorkWayland is a village in Steuben County, New York, United States. The population was 1,893 at the 2000 census.The Village of Wayland is in north part of the Town of Wayland, near the north border of Steuben County.- History :...
, the Lackawanna Limited, flagship passenger train of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western RailroadDelaware, Lackawanna and Western RailroadThe Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company was a railroad connecting Pennsylvania's Lackawanna Valley, rich in anthracite coal, to Hoboken, New Jersey, , Buffalo and Oswego, New York...
sideswiped a local freight that hadn't cleared into a sidingPassing loopA passing loop is a place on a single line railway or tramway, often located at a station, where trains or trams in opposing directions can pass each other. Trains/trams in the same direction can also overtake, providing that the signalling arrangement allows it...
. 28 killed, 110 injured. - September 6, 1943 – Frankford Junction train wreckFrankford Junction train wreckThe Frankford Junction train wreck occurred on September 6, 1943 when Pennsylvania Railroad's premier train, the Congressional Limited crashed at Frankford Junction in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States, killing 79 people and injuring 117...
, 79 people are killed, and 117 injured when the Pennsylvania RailroadPennsylvania RailroadThe Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
's Congressional Limited derails in Kensington, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaKensington, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaKensington is a neighborhood in the United States city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is between the Lower Northeast section of Philadelphia and North Philadelphia. Not to be confused with the former Kensington District, now commonly referred to as Fishtown, the area modernly referred to as...
, due to an axle bearing overheating. The accident occurred as the signalman at Frankford JunctionFrankford Junction, PennsylvaniaFrankford Junction is a railroad junction, and former junction station, located on the border between the Kensington and Port Richmond neighborhoods of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
was telephoning the next tower to stop the train. - September 15, 1943 – RBD Stettin N 8713 run in heavy fog into the rear of on line stopped N 8702. 18 killed and 41 injured.
- September 23, 1943 – Dmw 31 derailed on RBD KönigsbergKönigsbergKönigsberg was the capital of East Prussia from the Late Middle Ages until 1945 as well as the northernmost and easternmost German city with 286,666 inhabitants . Due to the multicultural society in and around the city, there are several local names for it...
Białystok - Prostken line. 23 killed and 33 injured. - October 26, 1943 – Two freight trains collide with a derailed passenger train at Joban LineJoban LineThe is a railway line in Japan operated by East Japan Railway Company . It begins at Nippori Station in Taitō, Tokyo and follows the Pacific coasts of Chiba, Ibaraki, and Fukushima Prefectures before the line officially ends at Iwanuma Station in Iwanuma, Miyagi...
, Tsuchiura, Japan, causing two carriages to plunge into the river, killing 110 and injuring 107 according to Japanese media. - December 16, 1943 – Rennert railroad accidentRennert railroad accidentThe Rennert railroad accident occurred in Rennert, North Carolina on 16 December 1943, 74 people were killed on the Atlantic Coast Line when the northbound Tamiami Champion struck the derailed rear three carriages of its southbound counterpart...
, North CarolinaNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
; 74 people were killed on the Atlantic Coast Line RailroadAtlantic Coast Line RailroadThe Atlantic Coast Line Railroad was an American railroad that existed between 1900 and 1967, when it merged with the Seaboard Air Line Railroad, its long-time rival, to form the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad...
when the northbound Tamiami Champion struck the derailed rear three carriages of the southbound Tamiami Champion. - December 25, 1943 – RBD KönigsbergKönigsbergKönigsberg was the capital of East Prussia from the Late Middle Ages until 1945 as well as the northernmost and easternmost German city with 286,666 inhabitants . Due to the multicultural society in and around the city, there are several local names for it...
E 32 collided with freight train Dg 94476 between Korschen and Lötzen. The driver did not notice warning signal. 15 killed and 34 injured. - December 31, 1943 – RBD Stettin TantowTantowTantow is a municipality in the Uckermark district, in Brandenburg, Germany....
Military vacation express train SF 62 crashed with two locomotives which were stopped on line. 38 killed and 16 injured.
1944
- January 3, 1944 – Torre del Bierzo rail disasterTorre del Bierzo rail disasterThe Torre del Bierzo rail disaster occurred on January 3, 1944 near the village of Torre del Bierzo in the El Bierzo region of Spain's León province when three trains collided inside a tunnel...
, The Madrid-Coruña express collides with a switch engine and catches fire inside Torre del Bierzo tunnel n° 20 in LeonLeón (province)León is a province of northwestern Spain, in the northwestern part of the autonomous community of Castile and León.About one quarter of its population of 500,200 lives in the capital, León. The weather is cold and dry during the winter....
province, Spain. Smoke and flames in the tunnel delay rescuers for two days. 78 killed officially, maybe over 250; exaggerated estimates of 500-800 still seen in reference books. Date may be Jan 16. - January 11, 1944 – Accident in Arévalo station in ÁvilaÁvila (province)Ávila is a province of central-western Spain, in the southern part of the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is bordered on the south by the provinces of Toledo and Cáceres, on the west by Salamanca, on the north by Valladolid, and on the east by Segovia and Madrid. Ávila has a...
province, Spain. 41 killed. - February 1944 – Train collision near Breifoss between HolHolHol is a municipality in Buskerud county, Norway.-Administrative history:The area of Hol was separated from the municipality of Ål in 1877 to become a separate municipality. In 1937 a part of neighboring Uvdal with 220 inhabitants was moved to Hol municipality. The area of Dagali was transferred...
and GeiloGeilois a centre in the municipality of Hol in Norway, in the valley of Hallingdal, with around 2300 inhabitants.Geilo is primarily a ski resort town, but also offers summer activities. Geilo is in a valley with mountain ranges on each side. The center of the town lies at 800 meters above sea level, and...
, Norway, at the BergensbanenBergensbanenThe Bergen Line , also called the Bergen Railway, is a standard gauge railway line between Bergen and Hønefoss, Norway. The name is often applied for the entire route from Bergen via Drammen to Oslo, where the passenger trains go, a distance of...
line. 25 killed. - March 3, 1944 – Balvano train disasterBalvano train disasterIn the Balvano train disaster of March 2/3, 1944, some 426 people illegally riding a steam-hauled freight train died of carbon monoxide poisoning when the train stalled on a steep gradient in the Armi tunnel. The accident occurred in southern Italy, near Balvano .-Circumstances:Naples suffered...
, Italy: 530 passengers die of carbon monoxide poisoningCarbon monoxide poisoningCarbon monoxide poisoning occurs after enough inhalation of carbon monoxide . Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas, but, being colorless, odorless, tasteless, and initially non-irritating, it is very difficult for people to detect...
when their train stalls in a tunnel. - June 2, 1944 – Soham rail disasterSoham rail disasterThe Soham rail disaster occurred on 2 June 1944, during the Second World War, when a fire developed on the leading wagon of a heavy ammunition train. The wagon contained a quantity of high explosive bombs. The train crew had detached the wagon from the rest of the train and were drawing it away...
, England: The leading wagon of a train carrying American ammunition to a base in EssexEssexEssex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
caught alight; the burning wagon was pulled clear of the other fifty, but it exploded killing the fireman and signalman. - July 6, 1944 – Troop train crash near Jellico, TennesseeJellico, TennesseeJellico is a city in Campbell County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 2,448 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Jellico is located at . The city is situated amidst the Cumberland Mountains in the Elk Creek Valley, which runs perpendicular to the Tennessee-Kentucky state line...
, United States: Passenger train derails due to excessive speed on defective track. 35 killed, 99 injured; all soldiers in U.S. Army en route to deployment. - August 4, 1944 – Stockton train wreckStockton train wreckThe Stockton train wreck occurred on August 4, 1944 at 11.45 p.m. on the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad at Stockton, Georgia and killed 47 people, mostly black labourers returning home to Alabama for the weekend ....
, derailment caused by broken rail kills 47 in Stockton, GeorgiaStockton, GeorgiaStockton is an unincorporated community in Lanier County, Georgia, United States. In 2007, it had an estimated population of 1,680. Since 2000, it has had a population growth of 6.10 percent.... - September 28, 1944 – Side collision, passenger and freight train Chicago & North Western Railway at Missouri Valley Iowa. 9 killed, 95 injured.Interstate Commerce Commission Investigation # 2833
- November 7, 1944 – Passenger train derails in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico due to excessive speed on a descent. 16 killed; 50 injured.
- November 24, 1944 – collision of two trains in Barwald SredniBarwald SredniBarwałd Średni is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, within Wadowice County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It lies approximately west of Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, east of Wadowice, and south-west of the regional capital Kraków. The wooden...
, Poland. 130 people killed. - November 8, 1944 – Nine killed and 125 injured when, at dawn, the first section of the westbound Southern Pacific Challenger jumps the tracks and hurtles into a ditch three miles (5 km) west of Colfax.
- December 26, 1944 – According to Japanese media, a commuter train collides with another standing commuter train at TsurumiTsurumi Stationis a railway station operated by JR East located in Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It is an interchange between the Keihin-Tōhoku Line and the Tsurumi Line , and is 52.0 kilometers from the terminus of the Keihin-Tōhoku Line at Ōmiya Station...
market station, Keikyu Line, YokohamaYokohamais the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
, Japan, killing at least 53 and injuring 94. - December 31 – Bagley train wreckBagley train wreckThe Bagley train wreck occurred in Utah on the morning of Sunday December 31, 1944. The crash killed 48 including over 35 military personnel and injured 79 and involved Southern Pacific's Pacific Limited as it crossed The Great Salt Lake on the Lucin Cutoff. It had left Chicago at 10 a.m...
near Ogden, UtahOgden, UtahOgden is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. Ogden serves as the county seat of Weber County. The population was 82,825 according to the 2010 Census. The city served as a major railway hub through much of its history, and still handles a great deal of freight rail traffic which makes it a...
kills 48.
1945
- January 10, 1945 – According to Japanese media and government reports, a local train derails at Masuda river bridge, with two passenger cars plunging into river, Takayama Line, northern Gifu PrefectureGifu Prefectureis a prefecture located in the Chūbu region of central Japan. Its capital is the city of Gifu.Located in the center of Japan, it has long played an important part as the crossroads of Japan, connecting the east to the west through such routes as the Nakasendō...
, Japan, killing at least 43, injuring 56. - January 10, 1945 – BallymacarrettBallymacarrettBallymacarrett or Ballymacarret is the name of both a townland and electoral ward in Belfast. The townland is in County Down and the electoral ward is part of the Pottinger district electoral area of Belfast City Council....
, East BelfastBelfastBelfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern IrelandNorthern IrelandNorthern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. Collision in fog. 23 killed, 24 injured. - January 13, 1945 – SnåsaSnåsaSnåsa is a municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Innherred region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Snåsa. Other villages include Agle and Jørstad....
, Norway: A bridge was destroyed in the Jørstad River bridge sabotageJørstad River bridge sabotageThe Jørstad River bridge sabotage was an operation carried out on 13 January 1945 by members of the Norwegian Independent Company 1 during World War II. The operation bore the code-name "Woodlark". The aim was to blow up a railway bridge in order to disrupt the railway Nordland Line in Snåsa, Norway...
. A train unaware of the sabotage crashes into the river below, killing 70-80 people, and injuring some 100 more. - January 31, 1945 – A nine cars of Mexico CityMexico CityMexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
-San Juan de Los Lagos extra passenger train, carrying 1,800 people, mainly local pilgrims, collides with a freight train in Cazadero village, QuerétaroQuerétaroQuerétaro officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Querétaro de Arteaga is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 18 municipalities and its capital city is Santiago de Querétaro....
, Mexico, killing at least 96 persons and injuring another 150. - May 17, 1945 – According to Japanese media and government reports, two commuter trains collide head-on at Toyama Local Railway (Toyama Chiho RailwayToyama Chiho Railwaythumb|Type 9000 tramcar "Centram"The is a transportation company in Toyama, Toyama, Japan. The company is commonly known as . The private company operates railway, tram, and bus lines in the eastern part of the prefecture. It also operates as the agency of All Nippon Airways in Toyama area. The...
) Line, Toyama, Japan, at least 43 killed, another 257 injured. - May 21, 1945 – Piqua, OhioPiqua, OhioPiqua is a city in Miami County, Ohio, United States. The population was 20,738 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area.Piqua was one of the cities that experienced severe flooding during the Great Dayton Flood of 1913....
, United States: a seventeen-car west bound troop train, travelling on the Pennsylvania RailroadPennsylvania RailroadThe Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
line, derails at high speed. Eight cars plunge down a 20 feet (6.1 m) embankment, injuring 24 of the 400 soldiers on board; poor track maintenance due to wartime personnel shortages is blamed. - June 26, 1945 – CaterhamCaterhamCaterham is a town in the Tandridge District of Surrey, England. The town is geographically divided into two sections: Caterham on the Hill and Caterham Valley - the main town centre. The town lies close to the A22, a few miles south of Croydon, in a valley cut into the dip slope of the North Downs...
, England: Head-on collision between two passenger trains results in the deaths of both drivers. - July 16, 1945 – AßlingAßlingAßling is a municipality in the Upper Bavarian district of Ebersberg. It is, along with the communities of Emmering and Frauenneuharting a member of the administrative community of the same name.-Geography:...
, Germany: A US Army train carrying tankTankA tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
s runs into a passenger train which had stalled due to an engine breakdown after the American signalman tells the freight train to proceed despite the track still being occupied. About 110 German POWsPrisoner of warA prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
are killed as the mostly wooden coaches of the passenger train are destroyed. - August 9, 1945 – Michigan train wreckMichigan train wreckThe Michigan train wreck was the worst rail disaster in both North Dakota and Great Northern Railway history.. It happened on August 9, 1945, at Michigan, North Dakota, and involved Great Northern's premier train, the Empire Builder.-Trains:...
, United States: Great Northern's Empire BuilderEmpire BuilderThe Empire Builder is a passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the Midwestern and Northwestern United States. It is Amtrak's busiest long-distance route and busiest daily train, carrying more than 500,000 travelers annually since 2007. Overall, it is the railroad's 10th-busiest line. Before...
plows into a stalled observation car at Michigan, North Dakota, 34 killed. - August 20, 1945 – Two commuter trains collide head-on at Nishitetsu Tenjin Omuta LineTenjin Omuta LineThe is a heavy rail line in Fukuoka Prefecture in Kyūshū, Japan, being the main line of a Japanese private railway company Nishi-Nippon Railroad . The line is from Nishitetsu Fukuoka Station in Chūō-ku, Fukuoka, stretching south to Ōmuta Station in Ōmuta...
, Omuta, KyūshūKyushuis the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
, Japan, killing 40. another 83 are injured. - August 24, 1945 – Two passenger trains collided and plunged into the Tama riverTama RiverThe is a major river in Yamanashi, Kanagawa and Tokyo Prefectures on Honshū, Japan. It is officially classified as a Class 1 river by the Japanese government....
, Hachiko-Line, Hachioji, Japan, killing at least 105 people, injuring another 67. Caused by heavy rain and flood. - September 2, 1945 – , West Sussex, England. A Streatham to Newhaven empty coaching stock train, failed to stop after being signalled into a siding. It ran through the buffer stops and into the buttress of Haywards Heath TunnelHaywards Heath TunnelHaywards Heath tunnel is a railway tunnel on the Brighton Main Line between Haywards Heath and Wivelsfield. It is 249 yards long, one of the shortest tunnels on the line....
, killing the driver and fireman. It had been diverted into the siding, in order to reverse on to the up line, as the down line had been taken out of service by an engineering possession. - September 6, 1945 – According to Japanese Railroad Ministry and NHKNHKNHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
radio report, a Shinjyuku–MatsumotoMatsumoto Stationis a station of East Japan Railway Company and Matsumoto Electric Railway in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, Japan.It is the central station of Matsumoto, the central city of Chūshin Area.-Lines:*East Japan Railway Company **Shinonoi Line**Ōito Line...
local passenger train rammed safety catch point and crushing a locomotive and three passenger cars at Sasago switch back station, Otsuki, YamanashiOtsuki, Yamanashiis a city located in Yamanashi, Japan. It was founded on August 8, 1954. As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 29,803 and the density of 106 persons per km². The total area is 280.30 km².-Kōshū Kaidō:...
, Japan, in an incident caused by train driver is brake failure, at least sixty killed, injuring 91. - September 8, 1945 – LlangollenLlangollenLlangollen is a small town and community in Denbighshire, north-east Wales, situated on the River Dee and on the edge of the Berwyn mountains. It has a population of 3,412.-History:...
, DenbighshireDenbighshireDenbighshire is a county in north-east Wales. It is named after the historic county of Denbighshire, but has substantially different borders. Denbighshire has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited part of Wales. Pontnewydd Palaeolithic site has remains of Neanderthals from 225,000 years...
, Wales: An early morning mail train crashes after the adjacent canal flooded and washed away the track at Sun Bank, killing the driver and causing a fire. - September 30, 1945 – Bourne End rail crashBourne End rail crashThe Bourne End rail crash occurred on 30 September 1945 when an overnight sleeping-car express train from Scotland to London Euston derailed due to a driver's error...
, England: train fails to slow down for temporary diversion to slow lines and derails, 43 killed. - November 18, 1945 – A commuter train from SandaSanda, Hyogois a city located in Hyōgo, Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 113,585 and the density of 540 persons per km². The total area is 210.22 km².The city was founded on July 1, 1958.-History:...
derailed at Kobe Electric railroad (Kobe Dentetsu) Line, Kobe, Japan, killing at least 45, injuring another 131.
1946
- January 1 – Lichfield rail crashLichfield rail crashOn New Year's Day 1946 Lichfield Trent Valley station in Staffordshire, England was the site of a rail crash in which 20 people were killed. The disaster was caused by a points failure which routed the 14:50 fish express from Fleetwood to London Broad Street consisting of seven four-wheel fish vans...
, Point failure results in 20 deaths. - January 28, 1946 – A commuter train crashed and derailed at safety catch point inside Tsurumaki station, Odakyu Line, Hadano, outskirt of Tokyo, Japan, killing at least 30, another 165 injured, in an incident of caused by vandalism of a train appliance by passenger(s).
- February 25, 1946 – Hachiko LineHachiko LineThe is a 92.0 km regional railway line owned and operated by East Japan Railway Company . It is located within Tokyo, Saitama, and Gunma Prefectures in Japan. Its endpoints are Hachiōji Station in Hachiōji, Tokyo and Kuragano Station in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture.-Services:Komagawa Station in...
rail crash, Komagawa, SaitamaSaitama Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Saitama.This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, to which a large amount of residents commute each day.- History...
, Japan: A train derailed on sharp curve and four cars fell onto a farm. 184 are killed, 495 are injured. - March 20, 1946 – Aracaju train crashAracaju train crashThe Aracaju train crash, which occurred on March 20, 1946 is the worst ever rail disaster in Brazil; killing 185 people and injuring 300 others. The accident happened near Aracaju, capital of the coastal state of Sergipe, 800 miles northeast of Rio de Janeiro....
, 185 are killed and 300 injured in Brazil's worst ever train crash when a train derails descending a steep gradient near AracajuAracaju-Vegetation:Aracaju lies in tropical forest. Rainforests are characterized by high rainfall, with minimum normal annual rainfall between 2,000 mm and 1,700 mm...
, capital of SergipeSergipeSergipe , is the smallest state of the Brazilian Federation, located on the northeastern Atlantic coast of the country. It borders on two other states, Bahia to the south and west and Alagoas to the north, and to the east is the Atlantic Ocean...
state. - April 26, 1946 – Naperville train disasterNaperville train disasterThe Naperville train disaster occurred on April 26, 1946, at the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad station in Naperville, Illinois when the railroad's Exposition Flyer rammed into the Advance Flyer, which had made an unscheduled stop to check its running gear. The Exposition Flyer had been...
in Naperville, IllinoisNaperville, IllinoisNaperville is a city in DuPage and Will Counties in Illinois in the United States, voted the second best place to live in the United States by Money Magazine in 2006. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 141,853. It is the fifth largest city in the state, behind Chicago,...
, United States: Chicago, Burlington and Quincy RailroadChicago, Burlington and Quincy RailroadThe Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington or as the Q, the Burlington Route served a large area, including extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri,...
's Advance Flyer, stopped in Naperville station to check the running gear, is rammed by the Burlington's Exposition Flyer, coming through on the same track at 80 mi/h. 47 killed, some 125 injured. - August 21, 1946 – near Sweetwater County, Wyoming, United States: The Mail Express Number 6 was eastbound at the time of the accident and had passed through Rock Springs at 2:07 a.m. The train was due to arrive in Rawlins at 2:55 a.m. but had derailed about 2:20 a.m. The train derailment occurred about a mile west of the Thayer junction. References: The Rawlins Daily Times, Rawlins, Wyoming, Wednesday, August 21, 1946, Volume LVIII, Number 162, pages 1 and back page and Thursday, August 22, 1946, Volume LVIII, Number 163, pages 1 and 6. Early reports the wreck had been caused by a broken rail or an open switch were not confirmed by Union Pacific. Cause of the derailment was still undetermined on August 22, 1946 and officials were quoted as saying that they doubted it would be announced. Seven men injured and one died. The deceased was the engineer, David Francis Michie, born 4 July 1886 who died on 21 August 1946 in Rock Springs, Sweetwater County, Wyoming at 12:20 a.m. of severe burns he suffered in the derailment.
- September 20, 1946 – near CatfordCatfordCatford is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-Architecture:...
, south east London: A London Victoria to Ramsgate passenger train derails on a curve at 40 mph (17.9 m/s). Seven of the nine carriages leave the track, with the first four dropping to the bottom of the 20 feet (6.1 m) embankment. One passenger from the first carriage is killed. Derailment was due to poor track. - December 13, 1946 – near Coulter, Ohio, United States: The Pennsylvania RailroadPennsylvania RailroadThe Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
's Golden Triangle sleeper train derails in darkness when it strikes the wreckage of 2 freight trains which had rear-ended half an hour earlier on an adjacent track. 19 killed, 139 injured. Most of the dead are soldiers on furlough from Fort Dix, New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, seated in two day coaches at the front of the train.
1947
- February 17, 1947 – Michigan City, IndianaMichigan City, IndianaMichigan City's origins date to 1830, when the land for the city was first purchased by Isaac C. Elston. Elston Middle School, formerly Elston High School, located at 317 Detroit St., is named after the founder....
, United States: A westbound Chicago South Shore & South Bend Railroad train strikes a bus carrying track workers. 13 are killed, 14 others injured. - February 18, 1947 – Blair County, PennsylvaniaBlair County, Pennsylvania-Significant Topographic Features:*Brush Mountain*Logan Valley*Morrison Cove*Tussey Mountain-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 129,144 people, 51,518 households, and 34,877 families residing in the county. The population density was 246 people per square mile . There were 55,061...
, United States: The Red Arrow, a Pennsylvania RailroadPennsylvania RailroadThe Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
express passenger train, jumped off the track on the Bennington Curve near Altoona, PennsylvaniaAltoona, Pennsylvania-History:A major railroad town, Altoona was founded by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1849 as the site for a shop complex. Altoona was incorporated as a borough on February 6, 1854, and as a city under legislation approved on April 3, 1867, and February 8, 1868...
and tumbled down a large hill. 24 killed, 131 injured. - February 25, 1947 – Hachiko Line Accident. An over-speeding train derailed on a curve in Saitama PrefectureSaitama Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Saitama.This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, to which a large amount of residents commute each day.- History...
. 184 killed, 495 injured. - May 1, 1947 - Two huge inch-thick steel plates on a Pennsylvania RailroadPennsylvania RailroadThe Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
freight train strike and cut open the side of the first coach of the 15-car New York to St. Louis American, killing at least four passengers and injuring 40 others in a 1:47 a.m. EST accident five miles W of Huntingdon, PennsylvaniaHuntingdon, PennsylvaniaHuntingdon is a borough in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Huntingdon County. It is located along the Juniata River, west of Harrisburg, about halfway between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, in an agricultural and fruit-growing region, with valuable forests and deposits of...
. The steel plates are then jolted onto another track of the four-track mainline, derailing a third train, a freight. - May 5, 1947 – Camp Mountain train disasterCamp Mountain train disasterThe Camp Mountain rail accident occurred at approximately 9:48am on 5 May 1947 when a crowded picnic train derailed on a sharp left-hand curve between Ferny Grove and Camp Mountain stations on the now-closed Dayboro line, approximately northwest of Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland,...
, Queensland, Australia: A picnic train derails after taking a sharp curve too fast on the DayboroDayboro, QueenslandDayboro is a town in the Moreton Bay Region, approximately 46 km north-northwest of Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, Australia.To the north of Dayboro lies the D'Aguilar Range and the mountain township of Mount Mee. Other nearby towns include Petrie and Samford. The land surrounding...
line to the north-west of BrisbaneBrisbaneBrisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. 16 killed. - May 30, 1947 - The engineer and fireman of the Frisco railroad's Florida Special were killed in a derailment near Mansfield, MissouriMansfield, MissouriMansfield is a city in Wright County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,349 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Mansfield is located at ....
. Two passenger cars left the rails but remained upright and none of the passengers sustained injury. - September 1, 1947 – Dugald train disasterDugald Train DisasterThe Dugald rail accident was a railway accident that occurred on September 1, 1947 in Dugald, Manitoba, Canada, ending the lives of 31 people.-Scene:...
, Dugald, ManitobaDugald, ManitobaDugald is a community in Manitoba, Canada, 22 km east of Winnipeg. It was the site of a railway accident in 1947.It is located in the rural municipality of Springfield.Dugald is the birthplace of former NHL goaltender Trevor Kidd....
, Canada: A Canadian National RailwayCanadian National RailwayThe Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
excursion train failed to take the siding and collided with the No. 4 Transcontinental that was standing on the main line. 31 people were killed, most by fire breaking out in two gas-lit wooden cars on the excursion train. - October 24, 1947 – South Croydon rail crashSouth Croydon rail crashThe South Croydon rail crash on the British railway system occurred on 24 October 1947.The crash took place south of South Croydon railway station. Two electric commuter trains collided in fog and 32 people were killed, one of whom was the driver of the second train...
, South LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England: Signalman improperly uses release key to free signals. Two commuter trains collide in thick fog, 32 killed. - October 26, 1947 – Goswick rail crashGoswick rail crashThe Goswick rail crash occurred on 26 October 1947 near the village of Goswick, Northumberland, England. The Flying Scotsman express from Edinburgh Waverley to London Kings Cross failed to slow down for a diversion and derailed. 28 people were killed...
Flying Scotsman express fails to slow for diversion and derails; 28 are killed. - November 26, 1947 – Near Farnborough, HampshireFarnborough, Hampshire-History:Name changes: Ferneberga ; Farnburghe, Farenberg ; Farnborowe, Fremborough, Fameborough .Tower Hill, Cove: There is substantial evidence...
, England. A to London Waterloo train had been halted near Farnborough due to the failure of signalling system's power supply. The following train, from , was erroneously admitted into the section, and stuck the rear of the Bournemouth train at 20 mph (8.9 m/s), killing one passenger. - 1947 - Litchfield, ?: the Green Diamond was traveling at 70 mph when it slammed into the side of a coal train crossing the diamonds just out side of Litchfield, quite shockingly, no people were killed.
1948
- January 5, 1948 – An express commuter train derails due to excessive speed, at Meitetsu Seto LineMeitetsu Seto LineThe is a Japanese railway line which connects Sakaemachi Station in Higashi-ku, Nagoya. Aichi Prefecture with Owari Seto Station in Seto, Aichi Prefecture. It is owned and run by Nagoya Railroad .-Stations:-Rolling stock:...
, outskirt of Nagoya, Japan, killing at least 35 people and injuring another 154. - January 25, 1948 – Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, United States: Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe RailwayAtchison, Topeka and Santa Fe RailwayThe Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
's Super ChiefSuper ChiefThe Super Chief was one of the named passenger trains and the flagship of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. It was often referred to as "The Train of the Stars" because of the many celebrities who traveled on the streamliner between Chicago, Illinois and Los Angeles, California.The Super...
experiences brake failure arriving Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal and crashes through a bumperBuffer stopA buffer stop or bumper is a device to prevent railway vehicles from going past the end of a physical section of track.The design of the buffer stop is dependent in part upon the kind of couplings that the railway uses, since the coupling gear is the first part of the vehicle that the buffer stop...
and concrete barrier at the end of track. The locomotive slides to the edge of the station retaining wall and comes to rest dangling 20 feet (6.1 m) above street level. No one is injured. - February 28, 1948 – Wadenswil, Lake Zurich, Switzerland: Swiss South Eastern Railway train runs away down a steep incline and crashes into a house after being diverted into a siding to avoid collisionCollisionA collision is an isolated event which two or more moving bodies exert forces on each other for a relatively short time.Although the most common colloquial use of the word "collision" refers to accidents in which two or more objects collide, the scientific use of the word "collision" implies...
with other trains. 21 killed. The cause was unique: power and regenerative brakeRegenerative brakeA regenerative brake is an energy recovery mechanism which slows a vehicle or object down by converting its kinetic energy into another form, which can be either used immediately or stored until needed...
were controlled through a two-way handle and the driver firmly believed he was braking, but was in fact applying power. - March 31, 1948 – During morning rush hour, an express commuter train collides with a local commuter train at Kawachi-Hanazono StationKawachi-Hanazono StationKawachi-Hanazono Station is a train station on the Kintetsu Nara Line in Higashiosaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan.-Building:There are 2 side platforms and 2 tracks.-History:* 1914 - The station opens as a station of Osaka Electric Tramway...
, Kintetsu Nara Line, Higashiosaka, Japan, killing at least 49 people and injuring another 272. The cause was excessive speed by the express train driver. - April 17, 1948 – Winsford rail accident: Signalling error results in 24 deaths.
- July 17, 1948 - An express train and a local train collide at Ardler Junction, Scotland. Two people are killed and seven are injured, one seriously. The local train overran signals, with a signalman's error in accepting the train when the express had been accepted being a contributory factor.
1949
- August 17, 1949 – Matsukawa derailmentMatsukawa derailmentThe happened on August 17, 1949 when a passenger train hauled by a JNR Class C51 steam locomotive derailed and overturned between Kanayagawa and Matsukawa stations on the Tōhoku Main Line in Japan, killing three crew members. It was reported that the tracks had been sabotaged, which the...
: A Japanese National RailwaysJapanese National Railways, abbreviated or "JNR", was the national railway network of Japan from 1949 to 1987.-History:The term Kokuyū Tetsudō "state-owned railway" originally referred to a network of railway lines operated by nationalized companies under the control of the Railway Institute following the nationalization...
train derails in Fukushima PrefectureFukushima Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region on the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Fukushima.-History:Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Fukushima prefecture was known as Mutsu Province....
, killing three crewmembers. - October 22, 1949 – GdańskGdanskGdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
–WarsawWarsawWarsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
express derailed at Nowy Dwór MazowieckiNowy Dwór MazowieckiNowy Dwór Mazowiecki is a town in central Poland with ca. 42500 inhabitants . It is situated in the Masovian Voivodeship ; previously, it was in Warszawa Voivodeship...
, Poland, killing at least 200.