Ligonier Valley Rail Road Newspaper Articles
We have compiled over 1,400 newspaper articles that mention the Ligonier Valley Railroad, or related subjects. The articles were originally published starting in 1873 and our collection runs through 1995. Enjoy!
Latrobe Advance
Wednesday, June 2, 1882
Four Cars Wrecked
Yesterday morning another freight wreck on the P.R.R. occurred within the limits of Latrobe Borough. At about five o'clock a double freight train was proceeding westward at a moderate rate of speed and when it reached a point almost in front of this office one-third of the flange of a wheel under a car in the first third of the train bursted off and caused the accident. After the wheel broke the car kept on the rails for a short distance until some worn out or rotten ties were reached. At the Alexandria street crossing immediately east of the telegraph tower, the car left the track and was shoved out on the street at right angles with the rails. As soon as the engineer on the front engine discovered the break he whistled "down brakes: with all the power of the engine. However, before the rear engineer was able to stop his ponderous machine, four of the cars of the train were piled up in a promiscuous manner, completely blocking both tracks. Two of these cars were laying on Alexandria street on the north side of the track, one being on its side. Another one had piled across the south track and run into the "Union Depot" at the Ligonier Valley Railroad. The "Union Depot" was shoved out of position while the railing was broken. The P.R.R. switch target and lantern was broken and displaced. The fourth and last of the wrecked cars was remaining on the track with the trucks, etc., shoved around in a promiscuous manner.
In a short time after the accident the Derry wreck train made its appearance and commenced clearing up the debris. Later the Brinton wreck train appeared and at present there is no evidence that a wreck occurred. The south track was cleared first and a single line established around the wreck and in this manner the passenger trains got through without much delay.