The P&WV Hi-Line

[PWVJer]

Found very deep in the Archives an almost full and complete original report:

The Wheeling and Lake Erie ran diagonally across Ohio from Wheeling to Toledo. Pittsburgh and West Virginia trains joined the line at Pittsburgh Junction, about 3 miles east of Jewett. This was on the Second District of the Toledo Division, extending from Pittsburgh Jct. to Brewster, OH, 47.6 miles. Jewett had an important yard, and the passenger station was located between the westbound siding, to the west, and the eastbound siding, to the east. The west switch of the eastbound siding was 4900' east of the station. Just west of the yard limit sign, 1300' east of the east switch, was a distant switch signal. From this point to the station, around a 3° curve to the left and under a bridge that restricted vision, trains were required to proceed at restricted speed. There were no automatic block signals, and the traffic was heavy, about 25 trains per day.

On 16 July 1937, Second 92, a second-class freight train with engine W&LE 6016, 24 cars and caboose, left Brewster eastbound. At Harmon, 2 miles east of Brewster, order No. 43, Form 19, was received: "No ninety four 94 and second 2nd ninety two 92 will meet first 1st ninety five 95 at Dewey have right over second 2nd ninety five 95 Lonas to Sherrodsville and over third 3rd ninety five 95 to Pgh Jct 1st 95 take siding at Dewey 2nd 95 take siding at Sherrodsville Second 2nd ninety two 92 will pass No ninety four 94 at Bolivar No 94 take siding at crossover Bolivar." Note the spelling of train numbers (also required on the Southern and some other companies) when first mentioned, and also the archaic "will" phrasing. However, the order is clear and explicit, and carefully specifies who is to take siding.

Second 92 arrived at Jewett at 7.49 am, where it received order No. 53: "Third 3rd ninety five 95 will meet second 2nd ninety two 92 at Jewett 3rd 95 take siding on eastbound siding." One might quibble that the words "2nd 92 gets this at Jewett" should be added, but the east switch of the eastbound siding was two miles beyond the train order office, providing plenty of clearance and not restricting the train at the train order signal. The train pulled forward at 7.54 am and stopped clear of the east switch of the eastbound siding. The headlight was left on, but the switch was not lined for the siding, as is the usual custom.

Third 95 was a P&WV train, engine P&WV 1000, 45 cars and caboose, departing Rook, PA at 5 am, where it performed a running brake test. It pulled through Pittsburgh Jct. at 4-5 mph without stopping, where a clearance card, six Form 19 orders, and a message were handed up at each end of the train. The engineman read order No. 53, and remarked, "We meet 2nd 92 at eastbound siding at Jewett, he takes the hole." He handed the orders to the fireman, who handed them to the brakeman to read, since he was busy with the fire. They were still reading the orders when Second 92's headlight was seen ahead as they came out from under the overbridge on the curve, and the brakes were applied in emergency. Fortunately, nobody was killed, although Third 95 was moving at 15 to 30 mph at the point of collision.

Conductor Craven and flagman Diehl had read and understood the orders, and said they were about to "open the valve" when the brakes were applied. They would have had to have acted promptly, when speed was not reduced at the yard limit sign as it should have been in any case. The movement seems to have been performed in the manner customary if they did not have to go into the hole at the eastbound siding. The orders were received less than three miles and eight minutes from the point of collision, short time for everyone to have read and understood them, as the ICC pointed out.

Dispatcher Breymaier said he wanted Second 92 to hold the main track so they would not have to stop to close the switch on the ascending gradient when they left, and would have expected them to line the switch for the siding for Third 95. The westbound siding could not have been used, since the train order office was east of it. This accident was due solely to failure to take siding, not to overlooking the meet, and the curious omission of opening the switch, a protective measure that would have worked well here, and we would never have heard of Jewett.

[Longview Station]

When I read these old Train Orders I often scratch my head wondering how these guys ran a train, observed Special Timetable Instructions, remembered Slow Orders and such, read then understood each train order without forgetting or missing something. Then add in multiple Train Order offices along the line of road, additional orders being handed up, additional meets added, knowing that your out there with perhaps a half dozen trains and or motor cars and section men, maybe meeting half of them or having rights over some of them, is frightening to say the least.

Being a Train Dispatcher back in those days and times, writing out train order after train order, remembering who is where and which way each crew is headed, dealing with Section Foreman, Bridge Gangs, and all of the daily goings on along the railroad, was quite dangerous in comparison to todays computer assisted train dispatching.

I'm sure Centralized Traffic Control was a welcome investment when you have so much going on.

VW[/i]