Steam & Excursion > Accident at Redding, 7 y/old involved

Child fell off bridge at Reading Station, rumors of fatality, no word if the train was involved. Wish it wasn't true but appears confirmed.

i have no patience for the "haw haw, musta been drunk" crowd right now.

Rebecca Morgan
Jacobsburg, OH

saw the crowd seens , tons of people, did not seem  it was close to the track the steamer was coming on, just a good vantage point crammed with people


edit, now i have seen there are a couple bridges in area , one does cross the tracks..not sure what overlook it was



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/02/26 15:06 by dan.

If you mean READING Outer Station on the READING & Northern, nothing of the kind has been reported, so far. Just 100+ people treated for heat related issues while waiting for the 4014 to arrive. 45 of those were taken to hospital. This weather is no joke!

Posted from Android

Chris Bost
Leesport, PA

Philadelphia TV is reporting that the youngest person treated for heat-related illness was seven years old.  The ABC affiliate also said that someone had gone into cardiac arrest, but was revived at the scene.  Can't do anything about the weather, but I feel bad for all the people who want to enjoy the Big Boy and other holiday events only to have to deal with the stifling and dangerous heat. 

Jeff Gast
Greenwood, Indiana  

The Reading Eagle has the more complete story.  https://www.readingeagle.com/2026/07/02/big-boy-no-4014-locomotive-makes-historic-stop-in-berks/  All the articles like this one and a few shorter ones on the TV stations mentioned the heat related issues as many ambulances were sent to the area.  However none mentioned anything about a fatality or a kid falling off a bridge.

Chris Bost,
Thank you for restoring sanity to the social media gone wild stories!
Fortunately I survived the heat and finally got to see the 4014 200 yards from my front door!
Gonut
 

a 7 year old fell down an embankment  apparently


https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1483340263828431&set=a.350854193743716


we should have sold gatorade



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/02/26 18:56 by dan.

---

Things get mangled so fast these days. It's always been true to some extent, but now ...

What likely happened: kid fell, adults nearby collapsed unrelated, someone saw CPR in progress and assumed. There's no way to run the schedule in daylight without mass casualty incidents from heatstroke. 

A reminder: many fans out there are new and a lot of the others are autists. Watch our brothers and sisters, because it's easy for anyone with autism to lock in on the train and forget to drink. One effective strategy I've found is to finish a free-refill cold drink, then reload with ice and cold water for the car. Load your cooler with frozen water bottles that will melt fast when you take them out. Beer won't help until you're safely at the hotel or home.

Rebecca Morgan
Jacobsburg, OH

The incident didn't occur in Reading. It happened between Hamburg and Port Clinton at the old PRR Bridge that's now a trail.

Posted from Android

Thanks to everyone who clarified this incident and put it in the proper perspective.  The HEAT dome over the eastern states sure is taking a toll on folks.

OHRY Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The incident didn't occur in Reading. It happened
> between Hamburg and Port Clinton at the old PRR
> Bridge that's now a trail.

You are quite right. Although it is worse in this day and age, mangling the news is nothing new. Back in the late '70's I had a van camper with two 30 gallon propane tanks secured in their own compartment. One day I was rear ended, and I said to the local small town reporter who showed up that I was glad the propane tanks were ok. The subsequent news article stated the propane tanks were strapped onto the back of the camper. I have not trusted the media ever since.

Bob Phelps
Micanopy, FL

https://www.abc27.com/pennsylvania/mass-casualty-incident-declared-at-pennsylvania-big-boy-train-stop-after-dozens-treated-for-heat-illnesses/

READING, Pa. (WHTM) – A “mass casualty incident” was declared at the Berks County stop in Pennsylvania for the Union Pacific’s Big Boy No. 4014 locomotive‘s nationwide tour.

The Muhlenberg Township Police Department says thousands of spectators waited in 106-degree weather for the train at the Reading & Blue Mountain Railroad Outer Station in Reading on Thursday.

Beginning shortly before the train’s arrival and throughout the event, more than 100 individuals received medical treatment on scene, and 35 people were taken to the hospital for evaluation and care for heat-related illnesses.
One person suffered cardiac arrest and was successfully resuscitated before being transported.

The “mass casualty incident” declaration was issued to facilitate the deployment of additional emergency resources.

Posted from iPhone



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/03/26 09:59 by Spoony81.