Program

Historic Transportation

Subject

Event, Site, Transportation

Location

14-16 Railroad Ave, Baiting Hollow, NY 11933, USA

Lat/Long

40.906244, -72.747623

Grant Recipient

Railroad Museum of Long Island

On August 13, 1926, a defective switch caused a Shelter Island Express train on the Long Island Railroad (LIRR) to derail at Calverton and crash into the nearby Golden Pickle Factory. Six people died, including an engineer, fireman, and four passengers, which sadly included two young children. Many were injured as a result of the crash. Initial reports put the number of people injured at 15, with the figure later increasing to 28 injured.

The August 14, 1926 edition of the New York Times described the wreck:

The two engines pulling the train jumped the tracks at a switch a short distance east of the Calverton station, wobbled ahead on the ties for about forty yards and then plunged off at right angles. They crashed into a factory building near the right of way and turned over. The engineer and fireman of the first engine were killed but the crew of the second engine escaped with cuts and bruises. A Pullman car and a combination baggage and smoking car immediately behind the engine also jumped the rail, wheeled around and fell on their sides across the tracks.

The New York Times article noted that the train, which operated only on Fridays and was usually filled with people on weekend holidays at Long Island resorts, was carrying 387 passengers at the time of the wreck.

A September 25, 1926 Interstate Commerce Commission report on the investigation of the crash ruled out the condition of the engines or cars and found that it was instead caused by a switch “of defective condition.” The report stated that the switch stand at this location had been in service for 40 years and that the “defective condition of the west switch on the south siding at Calverton” had caused the wreck.

Several LIRR officials ultimately resigned due to increased scrutiny placed on the railroad company after this and several other accidents happened on the railroad within a short amount of time (Brooklyn Eagle, November 29, 1926, 17).