Nostalgia & History > Wreck of Old 97 (SOU Rwy, 1903) -- an inquiry

A friend of mine who is a retired railroad conductor living in eastern Virginia, and who is a railroad enthusiast, is conducting (pun not intended) a major research project on the historical details of the wreck of Southern Railway mail-express train 97, which occured in Danville, Virginia on September 27, 1903 -- and has found numerous discrepancies in the numerous news reports and books surrounding the incident. He has asked me to help him locate ANYONE OUT THERE who has accurate information about the details, of which there are obvious errors in many reports. THIS MESSAGE is a request for contacting any and all persons who can help him find the corrections for these discrepancies.

Some of those would be:

Accuracy of the following Southern Railway TRAIN NUMBERS for the year 1903:
#37 - Crescent (southbound passenger, class-A)
#38 - Crescent (northbound passenger, class-A)
#97 - Mail Express, southbound*
#98 - Mail Express, northbound

* Was there another train-ID for this move, such as Train "411" ...?

The engine + tender in question, Southern Railway's Baldwin-built, ten-wheeler No. 1102 (a 4-6-0) -- had a water/coal capacity of only 150 miles of travel (perhaps stretching it to 155 miles if necessary). WHERE were Southern's crew-change points in 1903 between Washington DC and Atlanta GA, and where were the coaling/watering locations that year on that part of the Southern Railway mainline?

Research shows this southbound mail-express train departed Washington, D.C. at 10am that morning, Sept. 27, 1903 -- ONE HOUR LATE. What time would the train have originated in New York City during that year, and what time was it due into D.C.?

About the three-mile downgrade leading into Danville (north side of Dan River): while the modern, 2009 N.S. right-of-way is now relocated about a mile east of the former railroad, many reports state the train came off the trestle over Cherry Stone Creek. However, that creek is 12-to-18 miles NORTH of the wreck site! Instead, Stillhouse Creek is beneath the former sharply-curved bridge where the wreck occurred, next to the former Dan River cotton mill (part of the derailing train hit a portion of the structure). Why are there so many reports of Cherry Stone Creek being at site of the incident?

About various Personnel aboard the doomed train:
---There was 1 survivor: J.S. Moody. Was he the chief mail clerk, or the train's conductor?
---A 12-year-old son of a mail clerk, riding aboard as a passenger, lost his life as well. Who was this person?
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NOTE: THERE IS A HUGE LIST OF QUESTIONS the person performing research on this topic has made. For a full list and direct inquires, may I please ask all of those "in the know" about the wreck of Southern Railway's "Old 97" contact me via TRAINORDERS.COM's private message service about calling and/or emailing him directly?

Thank you all.

rbx551985 Wrote:
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> The engine + tender in question, Southern
> Railway's Baldwin-built, ten-wheeler No. 1102 (a
> 4-6-0) -- had a water/coal capacity of only 150
> miles of travel (perhaps stretching it to 155
> miles if necessary). WHERE were Southern's
> crew-change points in 1903 between Washington DC
> and Atlanta GA, and where were the
> coaling/watering locations that year on that part
> of the Southern Railway mainline?

150 miles on coal, maybe.

Water? Not a chance.

So, there's another question.

I enjoyed H. Reid's accounting of this story in his book, "Extra South".
It would be nice to see the results of the research, so when it's ready, could you please let us on TO know?
Thanks