1976 Beckemeyer train accident
 | This article, 1976 Beckemeyer train accident, has recently been created via the Articles for creation process. Please check to see if the reviewer has accidentally left this template after accepting the draft and take appropriate action as necessary.
Reviewer tools: Inform author |
| This article, 1976 Beckemeyer train accident, has recently been created via the Articles for creation process. Please check to see if the reviewer has accidentally left this template after accepting the draft and take appropriate action as necessary.
Reviewer tools: Inform author |
 Truck destroyed after collision | |
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Date | 7 February 1976 6:50 PM local time |
| Location | Beckemeyer, Clinton County, Illinois |
| Coordinates | 38°36′23″N 89°25′53″W / 38.6064°N 89.4313°W |
| Country | United States |
| Line | Ohio & Mississippi |
| Operator | Baltimore and Ohio Railroad |
| Incident type | Vehicle collision |
| Cause | Diver Error |
| Statistics | |
| Trains | 1 |
| Vehicles | 1 |
| Crew | 3 |
| Deaths | 12 |
| Injured | 4 |
The 1976 Beckemeyer train accident occurred on 7 February 1976 and was a collision between a pickup truck and a train in the town of Beckemeyer, Illinois. The Train crash killed 12 people including 11 children and injured three others. The Disaster was the worst in the history of Clinton county.[1][2]
Accident
On 7 February 1976, a freight train traveling on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad from Washington, Indiana to East St. Louis, Illinois departed. The Train was 70 cars long and consisted of 36 empty freight cars, 31 loaded freight cars, and three diesel freight cars. The train had three crew members, two in the locomotive and one in the caboose. At 6:45 p.m. the freight train was approaching the small town of Beckemeyer, Illinois.[3][4][2]
At the same time 60-year-old Mr. Henry Lowe driving his 1967 GMC pickup truck was bringing 15 people, mostly children to a roller skating party in Highland, Illinois. Six individuals were in the cab of the truck and another 10 were in the bed. Mr. Henry Lowe was traveling to the west on Beckemeyer Street going between 15 to 18 mph (24-29 kph). The truck turned left onto Scoville street and continued south towards the railroad tracks without changing speed. At 6:50 p.m. the train struck the truck going 56 mph (90 kph).[3][4][2]
As soon as the train hit the truck the engineer of the train, O.J Coers threw on the emergency braking system in an attempt to stop the train. The front coupler of the train hit the truck near the driver's side door and ripped the body off the truck and threw it to the right of the train. The train continued down the tracks for another 2,500 feet (762 meters) before stopping with the truck’s cab and chassis still wrapped around the front of the train. [3][4][2]
Six of those killed were found north of the impact site after being thrown from the truck, another six were carried with the truck, and only four were found inside the cab. Injured from the train crash were quickly taken to St. Joseph's Hospital in Breese, Illinois by bystanders. The crash completely destroyed the truck and killed 12 people including 11 children and Mr. Henry Lowe himself. Three people have been left with serious injuries and only one person survived without serious injury. The crash was the worst single disaster in Clinton county's history.[3][4][2]
Investigation
On 8 February 1976, a two-man team from the National Transportation Safety Board arrived at the scene of the disaster and began an Investigation. A report was made seven months later found that mechanical malfunction was not at fault for the disaster and neither was the train engineer. Rather it concluded that the accident was likely caused by driver error. Mr. Henry Lowe was not intoxicated and did not have a history of hearing or eyesight problems so the most likely explanation is that he was distracted at the time of the collision. The NTSB recommended that a signal system be added to the crossing.[3][4][2]
Aftermath
Over 1,400 people attended the funeral of Mr. Henry Lowe and his grandchildren that were killed in the crash. The funeral was held in Carlyle High School gym. The funeral procession to the three different cemeteries was over 200 cars long.[4][5] Citizens of the Beckemeyer petitioned the Illinois Commerce Commission to install lights at the crossing after the disaster.[2]
References
- ^ "11 Children Killed as Train Rams Camper". The New York times. 9 February 1976. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Worst Disaster in History of County". No. Vol. 36 No. 3. The Breese Journal. 12 February 1976. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
{{cite news}}:|issue=has extra text (help) - ^ a b c d e Railroad/highway Accident Report: Collision of a Baltimore and Ohio Freight Train with a Pickup Truck, Beckemeyer, Illinois February 7, 1976. The Board. 1976. p. 8. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f "Crash that killed 12 still haunts Beckemeyer". Belleville News-Democrat. 3 July 2017. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
- ^ "Beckemeyer, IL Camper And Train Collision Feb 1976". gendisasters. Retrieved 17 February 2022.