Nostalgia & History > Worst Train Wreck In LaPorte County, Indiana?

It's not listed in Richard Simons' and Frances Parker's "Railroads of Indiana" book but illustrated here, from an unknown newspaper clipping dated April 22, 1937, is also one of the worst train wrecks in Indiana history. The wreck was on the Wabash September 22, 1893 at Kingsbury, in Northwest Indiana (not to be confused with another disastrous wreck on the Fort Wayne & Wabash Valley Traction interurban at Kingsland, Indiana in Northeast Indiana).

This 1893 Wreck was the worst wreck on the Wabash Fourth District as documented in my book, "Railroading on the Wabash Fourth District". (The photo is looking from the opposite direction of the photo on page 125 in my book.)

In the early, foggy morning hours that Friday, Eastbound Freight No. 92 had taken the siding for two sections of Westbound Passenger No. 55. Second No. 55 was a special train of travelers from Toronto, Canada headed for the 1893 World’s Fair at Chicago. Anyway, First No. 55 went by and though later, observers would note that it had the proper markers to indicate a second section following, a brakeman on No. 92, Herbert Thompson, opened the switch to let No. 92 out onto the main. There was no time to close the switch and Second No. 55 lurched into the siding and slammed into No. 92 head-on. Many of the cars on the regular trains between Buffalo and Chicago and Detroit and Chicago had closed vestibules but apparently Second No. 55 was a mix of cars, including open platform and Canadian cars. The first and last cars of the passenger train telescoped. Other cars were destroyed or landed on top of others. A fire also ensued.

Accounts vary on the final count of dead and wounded. Some say 13 fatal, others 14. But one thing for certain is that a number of children were killed; reportedly many from a singing group of Austrian orphans. Train crew members were also killed including Passenger Train Crewmen Conductor Coultas from Detroit and Engineer John Green of Ashley, Indiana, and a baggageman with the last name of Lyons. Fireman Barber from the freight train was badly scalded. The engineer on the freight train was Pete Byler.

Reportedly, Herbert Thompson, who threw the swtich, left the scene never to be seen again. But here is where it gets strange:

I accidentally found an account of him in an early 1905, Peru, Indiana paper, he having been killed in a train wreck on the Grand Trunk of Canada, working out of St. Thomas. The reporter said it was the same Herbert Thompson from the 1893 Kingsbury Wreck. Thompson was from the Bryan, Ohio area. Unfortunately, I never found more details of the wreck that killed him in Canada. Perhaps someone on the Canadian side would have better access to resources.

These items in my book and more can be found on the blog on my website at: http://www.erstwhilepublications.com/

Victor A.Baird
Erstwhile Publications
Fort Wayne, Indiana



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 07/17/14 13:17 by wabash2800.

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I have since heard from the great-granddaughter of one of the victims in the wreck. It appears that the newspapers incorrectly reported a singing troupe from Austria on board the train injured and killed in the Kingsbury, Indiana accident. In fact, it was a hand bell group from England headed to the Worlds Fair to raise money and awarness for the Barnardos Homes for Orphans. Two boys were killed and three injured.  The troupe consisted of nine boys, a supervisor and a muscial director. I don't know if any of the boys made it to the fair, but those that returned, went back to England a month later. 

There are more details of the recent info on my blog.

The image in the book on page 125 from the La Porte County Historical Society, taken from the other direction, is much better quality.



Victor A. Baird
http://www.erstwhilepublications.com



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 08/26/19 13:29 by wabash2800.