Details
Creator Magee, John L.
Title The dreadful accident on the North Pennsylvania Rail-road, [graphic] : About 14 miles above Philadelphia, on Thursday, July 17, 1856 at about 6 A.M. which resulted in the death of over sixty, and terribly wounding about one hundred persons, excursionists of St. Michael's R.C. Church, Kensington. The collision took place at Camp Hill Station, destroying both locomotives and burning up several cars, in which a number of people were consumed.
Publisher Philadelphia: Lithographed from a drawing taken upon the spot, and for sale at 48 Passyunk road
Date c1856
Physical Description 1 print: lithograph, hand-colored; 24 x 33 cm. (9.5 x 13 in.)
Description Chaotic disaster scene showing the "Picnic Train Tragedy", the worst rail disaster at that time. Shows the burning wreck near Ambler, Pa. from the collision of North Pennsylvania excursion trains "Shakamoxon," departed from the Cohocksink depot, and "Aramingo" departed from the Wissahickon station. Burning tangled engines and train cars pile up on the single track line in the middle of farmland. People are propelled and jump from the burning railcars. In the foreground, bodies lay within the wreckage as rescuers rush in buckets of water. Others attempt to catch individuals jumping from a burning train car in the rear, carry children's bodies on a gurney, and comfort the grieving. In the lower left, a man wipes his face with a handkerchief as he stands over a legless body on a mattress. Nearby another man holds a body in his arms. Also contains the names of "The Killed" and "The Wounded" printed below the image as well as notice that "Many of the wounded are in a very precarious condition, and the death of several is hourly looked for." One train carried hundreds of children from St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church Sunday School in Philadelphia. The crash occurred due to an attempt by the "Shakamoxon" engineer to make up time for its late departure. It collided with the regularly scheduled Aramingo, before arriving at a siding pass. The boilers of the trains collided and caused an explosion that decimated the front cars, but left the rear cars intact. Around 60 persons died and 100 were injured from the crash.
Notes Philadelphia on Stone
POS 191
Duplicate of 7663.Fa.
Retrospective conversion record: original entry, edited.
Subject North Pennsylvania Railroad Company.
Railroad accidents -- Pennsylvania.
Disaster victims -- Pennsylvania.
Rescues -- Pennsylvania.
Genre Lithographs -- 1850-1860.
Location Library Company of Philadelphia| Print Department| *BW - Disasters [P.8970.8]
Accession number P.8970.8