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!
Ligonier Echo
Wednesday, December 11, 1907
Ligonier Valley Freight Wreck
Occurred Last Friday Morning Near Idlewild Park
Luckily No One Was Injured
Five Steel Hoppers Loaded With Coal from Old Colony Works Jump the Track in Mix-up Wooden car Loaded With Pitposts Torn to Pieces Engine Remained on Ties Loss Probably $3,500
What might have been a disastrous wreck occurred on the L.V.R.R. last Friday morning as the coal train from Old Colony works under direction of C. E. Naugle, conductor, with R. D. McConnaughey as engineer, and Wm. Noel, fireman, was going down to Latrobe and passing the switch just south of Idlewild Park the frog broke throwing the engine and six cars off the track. The engine did not leave the ties but five large steel hoppers left the track and there was a frightful mix-up. The wooden car was badly damaged and torn to pieces by the wreck crew in removing it. All the steel hoppers were more or less damaged and they with the engine had to be sent to the shops for repairs. The pit posts in the wooden car were being shipped by Guy B. Flyte.
The P.R.R. wreck crew at Derry came over and placed the engine and hoppers on track. The obstruction was cleared away by Saturday morning so that the passenger train could go through. Brakemen Piper and Holman narrowly escaped death by jumping. Passengers on Friday trains had to walk around the wreck and were met on the Ligonier side by another train which conveyed them to and from Ligonier. This was perhaps the most costly wreck ever occurring on the L.V.R.R. and will likely cost the company from $3,000 to $4,000. Fortunately no one was hurt.