[Date Prev][Date Next] [Chronological] [Thread] [Top]

(erielack) Re: Dover Wrecks?

Guys,

Those were the two major wrecks I remember from the 50s and 60s.  I did have 
the ICC report on the P'brger/MU collision at Salem St. My father was nearby 
at the time and got quite a few slides. I believe it was in '67 or '68 as I 
was in Mass. at the time.

The earlier wreck was a westboud freight following #11 west from Denville 
and took down the west shed at Dover.  It was winter, maybe December or 
January and I remember trains were turned back at Denville.
Check Lowenthal's books or Taber's; I recall reading more in one of them.

If I find out more later, I'll add it.

Hank Sommers


>From: Dlw1el2_@_aol.com
>To: rutan3_@_nac.net, jda@nac.net, erielack@lists.railfan.net
>CC: JDBAR_@_att.net, MJC510@aol.com, JWCTRAINS@aol.com, CGreen6346@aol.com,   
>      skiptercris_@_webtv.net, lackawanna@earthlink.net, mcffin@gti.net,      
>   Northcreek28_@_aol.com, fra_8rpennisi@mindspring.com,        
>recordor_@_panetwork.com, dps_history@hotmail.com, hfsommers@hotmail.com,     
>    RNCCUMAPLE_@_aol.com, wavalentine@hotmail.com, abwagner@optonline.net,    
>     Hogger1647_@_cs.com
>Subject: Re: Dover Wrecks?
>Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2002 16:51:30 EST
>
>In a message dated 1/22/2002 8:00:45 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
>rutan3_@_nac.net
>writes:
>
>
> > When it rains it pours!  I don't have anything on these (see below).  If
> > I had seen such a thing in my readings I'm pretty sure I would have
> > taken note.  Any ideas?
> >
> > Dave
> > --
> > "Jon Andreasen (jda_@_nac.net)" wrote:
> > >
> > > Hello Dave:
> > >
> > > I was wondering if you would know where I could get information on two
> > > train wrecks in Dover NJ in the 1950's and 60's.  The one from the 
>1950's
> > > sheared off the side of the station (I am told).  The one from the 
>1960's
> > > was a head on under the Salem St. bridge.  The information is for the
> > same
> > > person you helped me with on the last passenger run on the Sussex
> > > Branch.  He asked me to thank you again, and told me that his 
>relatives
> > > were very happy to have a copy of the newspaper article again.
> > >
> > > Thanks again,
> > >
> > > Jon (NYS&W list)
> >
> > --
> > Monomania can be a good thing
> > DL&W Sussex Branch Memorial
> > http://SussexBranchMemorial.com
> >
>
>Jon and Dave
>The wreck in the 60s is when the P Bergers two engines 902 ( never rebuilt 
>)
>and I think the 1407? rolled away from Landing Station while the crew was 
>at
>lunch.
>They hit the West bound four car commuter train one car length east of the
>Salem St. bridge east of Dover.  Archie Speer the engineer of the MU 
>electric
>train was killed.
>The Conductor John Campbell and Engineer Russell Best of the P Berger were
>out of service for over a year, but both got back. They claimed the engines
>had a hand brake on, and that they were tampered with. Date was Nov 1, 
>1966.
>A girl in my high school class was in a car on the bridge when the MU
>actually raised up and hit it. My dad who was in town at the time went home
>and got the movie camera and went back down and shot a little of the
>aftermath.
>
>
>The wreck in the 50s took down the station canopy from the East end of the
>station.
>There might have been two wrecks during this time?  It was a west bound
>freight that scattered cars all through the Dover interlocking.  Don't know
>of a date, but I would guess 1950-53 My Grandfather took me down, as a 
>little
>kid, to see it.
>
>Just called a friend who was at the station at the time of the accident.  
>He
>said a flat car started knocking down the canopy pillars on the east end, 
>and
>then swung out the other way towards the wall track.  By the time 
>everything
>came to a stop some derailed cars were up between Morris and Orchard St. It
>wiped out the water plug at the West end of the station and put two baggage
>wagons into Dickerson St. A spring flying out of the truck of the flat car
>went clear through the hood of a big old Buick a lady was sitting in at the
>East end of the station. He said she never came out of the car for a long
>time she was so scared. A very white looking Black man came out of one of 
>the
>Box Cars and said he wasn't going to steel any more rides. The towerman 
>Bill
>Cregenzia had just bumped onto the Dover job, account the wreck at 
>Greendell
>a week or so before had actually hit the tower when he was in it.  The Wall
>by the Wall Track in Dover protected him this time, but he was having a run
>of bad luck you might say.
>
>Both wrecks would have been covered extensively by the local paper. Dover
>Advance, which later became the Daily Record. Dover Station now has lots of
>old photos in it, and it may have one or two from the 50s wreck.
>
>Hope this helps
>Bob Bahrs


_________________________________________________________________
Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com

------------------------------