Today in Wheeling History: March 27––The Wheeling rail disaster occurred, marking a tragic moment in the city's transportation history and the first time in the history of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad that passengers perished as the result of an accident (1853).
The disaster unfolded on the newly constructed rail bridge over the Cheat River near Rowlesburg, Virginia (present-day West Virginia), a critical part of the ambitious project to connect the Ohio River Valley to Atlantic ports via rail. The bridge suffered from structural flaws, including loose crossties held in place by inadequate nails. Around 3:00 P.M. on March 27, 1853, a two-engine train carrying four cars—three of which were full of passengers—departed from Wheeling and began to cross the bridge. As it passed over the compromised crossties, the nails gave way, causing the train to derail. The cars tumbled down a 100-foot embankment, shattering upon impact.
The aftermath was devastating. Furnaces inside the wooden passenger cars spilled burning coals, igniting fires that trapped many passengers. The reported death toll ranged from eight to as many as 17, with between 25 and 40 individuals injured. This event became one of the earliest documented train derailments in the United States.
The Wheeling rail disaster underscored the urgent need for higher safety standards in rail construction and operations, leaving an enduring legacy in the history of American railroads.
To learn more: Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/mru7yfkh), Wikiwand (https://tinyurl.com/5n8w5v5u), Natchez Daily Courier (https://tinyurl.com/5fvtyjb8), Railroad Record and Journal of Commerce, page 134 (https://tinyurl.com/2jfd37ay)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Natchez Daily Courier, Railroad Record and Journal of Commerce, Library of Congress
The disaster unfolded on the newly constructed rail bridge over the Cheat River near Rowlesburg, Virginia (present-day West Virginia), a critical part of the ambitious project to connect the Ohio River Valley to Atlantic ports via rail. The bridge suffered from structural flaws, including loose crossties held in place by inadequate nails. Around 3:00 P.M. on March 27, 1853, a two-engine train carrying four cars—three of which were full of passengers—departed from Wheeling and began to cross the bridge. As it passed over the compromised crossties, the nails gave way, causing the train to derail. The cars tumbled down a 100-foot embankment, shattering upon impact.
The aftermath was devastating. Furnaces inside the wooden passenger cars spilled burning coals, igniting fires that trapped many passengers. The reported death toll ranged from eight to as many as 17, with between 25 and 40 individuals injured. This event became one of the earliest documented train derailments in the United States.
The Wheeling rail disaster underscored the urgent need for higher safety standards in rail construction and operations, leaving an enduring legacy in the history of American railroads.
To learn more: Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/mru7yfkh), Wikiwand (https://tinyurl.com/5n8w5v5u), Natchez Daily Courier (https://tinyurl.com/5fvtyjb8), Railroad Record and Journal of Commerce, page 134 (https://tinyurl.com/2jfd37ay)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Natchez Daily Courier, Railroad Record and Journal of Commerce, Library of Congress
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