Great train wreck of 1918
Encyclopedia
The Great Train Wreck of 1918 occurred on July 9, 1918, in Nashville, Tennessee
. Two passenger trains, operated by the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway
("NC&StL"), collided head-on
, killing 101 people and injuring an additional 171. It is considered the deadliest rail accident
in United States
history.
The two trains involved were the No. 4, scheduled to depart Nashville for Memphis, Tennessee
at 7:00 a.m., and the No. 1 from Memphis, about a half-hour late for a scheduled arrival in Nashville at 7:10 a.m. At about 7:20 a.m., the two trains collided while traversing a section of single track
line known as "Dutchman's Curve" west of downtown, in the present-day neighborhood of Belle Meade
. The trains were each traveling at an estimated 50 to 60 miles per hour; the impact derailed them both, and destroyed several wooden cars.
An investigation by the Interstate Commerce Commission
(ICC) attributed the cause of the accident to several factors, notably serious errors by the No. 4 crew and tower operators, all of whom failed to properly account for the presence of the No. 1 train on the line. The ICC also pointed to a lack of a proper system for the accurate determination of train positions and noted that the wooden construction of the cars greatly increased the number of fatalities.
in Nashville, bound for Memphis. The train, pulled by locomotive No. 282, consisted of two mail and baggage cars and six wooden coaches.
Meanwhile, train No.1, pulled by locomotive No. 281, was heading into Nashville from Memphis. Containing one baggage car, six wooden coaches, and two Pullman sleeping cars
of steel construction, the No. 1 train had departed McKenzie
four hours earlier, and passed Bellevue
at 7:09 a.m., thirty-five minutes behind schedule.
While No.4 train traversed the double-track section, the conductor
delegated the responsibility of identifying No.1 to the remainder of the crew. While collecting tickets, the conductor mistook the sound of a passing switch engine with empty passenger cars as No.1. The crew either made the same error or were negligent in properly identifying the train.
As No.4 approached the interlocking tower at Shops Junction, tower operator J. S. Johnson showed a clear signal from the tower's train order signals, indicating all was clear. As he stopped to record the train in his logs, he noticed that there was no entry showing that No.1 had passed. Johnson reported to the dispatcher who telegraphed back, "He meets No.1 there, can you stop him?" Johnson sounded the emergency whistle, but there was no one at the rear of No.4 to hear it. The train passed on the assumption that the clear train order board indicated that the line ahead was clear. Also, the engineman and conductor failed to visually inspect the train register at Shops Junction to ascertain as to whether No.1 had yet arrived. That was required by operating instructions issued by the railroad's management prior to the wreck.
This was to have been the last trip before retirement of the engineer of the Nashville-bound train.
listed the dead at 101, though some reports listed the death toll as high as 121. At least 171 people were injured. Many of the victims were African American laborers from Arkansas
and Memphis who were coming to work at the gunpowder plant in Old Hickory outside of Nashville. As many as 50,000 people came to the track that day to help rescue survivors, search for loved ones, or simply witness the tragic scene.
In its official report, the Interstate Commerce Commission was harsh on the railroad. A combination of operating practices, human error and lax enforcement of operating rules led to this worst passenger train wreck in U.S. history. Had the signal tower operator properly left his signal at danger, the conductor monitored his train's progress rather than entrusting it to a subordinate, and had the crew inspected the train register at Shops Junction as required, the accident would not have happened.
This wreck provided the impetus for most railroads to switch to all-steel passenger cars versus wood and steel.
In the 1970s, songwriters Bobby Braddock
and Rafe VanHoy told the story of the trainwreck in the song "The Great Nashville Railroad Disaster (A True Story)". The song was recorded by Country music
singer David Allan Coe
on his 1980 album "I've Got Something To Say".
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. Two passenger trains, operated by the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway
Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway
The Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway was a railway company operating in the southern United States in Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia...
("NC&StL"), collided head-on
Head-on collision
A head-on collision is one where the front ends of two ships, trains, planes or vehicles hit each other, as opposed to a side collision or rear-end collision.-Rail transport:...
, killing 101 people and injuring an additional 171. It is considered the deadliest rail accident
Train wreck
A train wreck or train crash is a type of disaster involving one or more trains. Train wrecks often occur as a result of miscommunication, as when a moving train meets another train on the same track; or an accident, such as when a train wheel jumps off a track in a derailment; or when a boiler...
in United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
history.
The two trains involved were the No. 4, scheduled to depart Nashville for Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
at 7:00 a.m., and the No. 1 from Memphis, about a half-hour late for a scheduled arrival in Nashville at 7:10 a.m. At about 7:20 a.m., the two trains collided while traversing a section of single track
Single track (rail)
A single track railway is where trains in both directions share the same track. Single track is normally used on lesser used rail lines, often branch lines, where the traffic density is not high enough to justify the cost of building double tracks....
line known as "Dutchman's Curve" west of downtown, in the present-day neighborhood of Belle Meade
Belle Meade, Tennessee
Belle Meade is a city in Davidson County, Tennessee, United States, within Nashville.-Overview:In 1963, it was absorbed into the metropolitan government of Nashville-Davidson County, however, it retains its independent city status, and its residents pay taxes both to the Metro government and to the...
. The trains were each traveling at an estimated 50 to 60 miles per hour; the impact derailed them both, and destroyed several wooden cars.
An investigation by the Interstate Commerce Commission
Interstate Commerce Commission
The 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...
(ICC) attributed the cause of the accident to several factors, notably serious errors by the No. 4 crew and tower operators, all of whom failed to properly account for the presence of the No. 1 train on the line. The ICC also pointed to a lack of a proper system for the accurate determination of train positions and noted that the wooden construction of the cars greatly increased the number of fatalities.
Departures
At 7:07 a.m. on the morning of the accident, the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis ("NC&StL") No. 4 train departed Union StationUnion Station (Nashville)
Nashville's Union Station is a former railroad terminal opened in 1900 to serve the passenger operations of the eight railroads then providing passenger service to Nashville, Tennessee...
in Nashville, bound for Memphis. The train, pulled by locomotive No. 282, consisted of two mail and baggage cars and six wooden coaches.
Meanwhile, train No.1, pulled by locomotive No. 281, was heading into Nashville from Memphis. Containing one baggage car, six wooden coaches, and two Pullman sleeping cars
Pullman (car or coach)
In the United States, Pullman was used to refer to railroad sleeping cars which were built and operated on most U.S. railroads by the Pullman Company from 1867 to December 31, 1968....
of steel construction, the No. 1 train had departed McKenzie
McKenzie, Tennessee
McKenzie is a city at the tripoint of Carroll, Henry, and Weakley counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The population was 5,310 at the 2010 census.It is home to Bethel University and the Tennessee Technology Center at McKenzie.-Geography:...
four hours earlier, and passed Bellevue
Bellevue, Tennessee
Bellevue is a neighborhood of Nashville, located roughly 13 miles southwest of the downtown area via I-40. It is incorporated as part of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County....
at 7:09 a.m., thirty-five minutes behind schedule.
Approach
Both trains required the use of a single-track section approximately 10 miles (16.1 km) long in the western portion of Nashville. According to contemporary practices, the inbound train (the No. 1) retained the right-of-way. Thus, the railroad dispatch informed the crew of the opposing (No. 4) train of the locomotive number of the No. 1, with the orders to stop in the double-track section if the crew did not visually identify the passing No. 1 before they reached the interlocking tower known as "Shops Junction", where the single-track section began. The term "Shops" referred to the railroad's massive repair and refueling shops including its largest roundhouse. This was not a passenger stop but rather the junction where the road's mainline track to Memphis narrowed down to just one track.While No.4 train traversed the double-track section, the conductor
Conductor (transportation)
A conductor is a member of a railway train's crew that is responsible for operational and safety duties that do not involve the actual operation of the train. The title of conductor is most associated with railway operations in North America, but the role of conductor is common to railways...
delegated the responsibility of identifying No.1 to the remainder of the crew. While collecting tickets, the conductor mistook the sound of a passing switch engine with empty passenger cars as No.1. The crew either made the same error or were negligent in properly identifying the train.
As No.4 approached the interlocking tower at Shops Junction, tower operator J. S. Johnson showed a clear signal from the tower's train order signals, indicating all was clear. As he stopped to record the train in his logs, he noticed that there was no entry showing that No.1 had passed. Johnson reported to the dispatcher who telegraphed back, "He meets No.1 there, can you stop him?" Johnson sounded the emergency whistle, but there was no one at the rear of No.4 to hear it. The train passed on the assumption that the clear train order board indicated that the line ahead was clear. Also, the engineman and conductor failed to visually inspect the train register at Shops Junction to ascertain as to whether No.1 had yet arrived. That was required by operating instructions issued by the railroad's management prior to the wreck.
Collision
Shortly after 7:15 a.m. the two trains collided at Dutchman's Grade near White Bridge Road. It is estimated that the westbound train was traveling at about 50 mph while the Nashville-bound train was running at 60 mph. Many of the wooden cars were crushed or hurled sideways. The sound of the collision could be heard two miles (3 km) away.This was to have been the last trip before retirement of the engineer of the Nashville-bound train.
Aftermath
The Interstate Commerce CommissionInterstate Commerce Commission
The 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...
listed the dead at 101, though some reports listed the death toll as high as 121. At least 171 people were injured. Many of the victims were African American laborers from Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
and Memphis who were coming to work at the gunpowder plant in Old Hickory outside of Nashville. As many as 50,000 people came to the track that day to help rescue survivors, search for loved ones, or simply witness the tragic scene.
In its official report, the Interstate Commerce Commission was harsh on the railroad. A combination of operating practices, human error and lax enforcement of operating rules led to this worst passenger train wreck in U.S. history. Had the signal tower operator properly left his signal at danger, the conductor monitored his train's progress rather than entrusting it to a subordinate, and had the crew inspected the train register at Shops Junction as required, the accident would not have happened.
This wreck provided the impetus for most railroads to switch to all-steel passenger cars versus wood and steel.
In the 1970s, songwriters Bobby Braddock
Bobby Braddock
Robert Valentine Braddock is an American country music songwriter and record producer. A member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Braddock has contributed numerous hit songs during more than 40 years in the industry, including 13 number-one hit...
and Rafe VanHoy told the story of the trainwreck in the song "The Great Nashville Railroad Disaster (A True Story)". The song was recorded by Country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer David Allan Coe
David Allan Coe
David Allan Coe is an American outlaw country music singer who achieved popularity in the 1970s and 1980s. He has written and performed over 280 original songs throughout his career...
on his 1980 album "I've Got Something To Say".
External links
- Text of 1918 local news story on the accident
- 2007 news article with links to audio recollections of witness to aftermath of the crash
- Official ICC Report