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Awful accident on the North Pennsylvania Rail Road on Thursday July 17th 1856. [graphic] / from [sic] a sketch by Boerum; lith. W. H. Rease n.e. cor. 4th & Chesnut sts., Phila.
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Details
Creator
Rease, W. H., artist.
Contributor
Boerum, Simeon.
Title
Awful accident on the North Pennsylvania Rail Road on Thursday July 17th 1856. [graphic] / from [sic] a sketch by Boerum; lith. W. H. Rease n.e. cor. 4th & Chesnut sts., Phila.
Publisher
Philadelphia: Printed & for sale by S. Boerum north east cor. 4th & New sts
Publisher
PA. Philadelphia. 1856
Date
c1856
Physical Description
1 print: lithograph, hand-colored; 26 x 36 cm.(10.25 x 14 in.)
Description
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. Rear cars remain unscathed and a horse pulling a buggy rears up as it approaches the wreck site. Bodies lay near an overturned car in the foreground. 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
Not in Wainwright.
Philadelphia on Stone
POSP 12
Historical Society of Pennsylvania: Bb 674 N 811
Gift of David Doret.
Subject
North Pennsylvania Railroad Company.
Railroad accidents -- Pennsylvania.
Disaster victims -- Pennsylvania.
Genre
Lithographs -- 1850-1860.
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia| Print Department| *BW - Disasters [P.2007.21.13]
Accession number
P.2007.21.13
In Collections
Philadelphia on Stone Digital Catalog
Philadelphia on Stone: Library Company of Philadelphia
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