Locomotive Collision

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Locomotive Collision

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1 Edison, James White, Raff & Gammon (MU 162)  
2 William Heise  
3 30/05/1896  
 
LOCOMOTIVE COLLISION EXPERIMENT.-The 20,000 people who gathered at Buckeye park, on the Columbus, Hocking Valley and Toledo railroad, near Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday evening have a well defined idea of a railroad collision. Two 40 ton locomotives, to each of which were attached three coal cars and a caboose, were run together at a speed of forty miles an hour. The engine W. H. Fisher was started 3,600 feet south of the point of meeting and the A. L. Streeter 3,000 feet north. Both engines were started at the same minute, the engineers jumping after opening the throttles. The engines came into sight, each running at the rate of forty miles an hour. As they came together they reared up in the air and the cars behind them were telescoped, but the cabooses were only partially wrecked. Both engines were a complete wreck. Kintescopic and eidoloscopic views of the collision were taken by New York experts.
Alexandria gazette, Alexandria, June 1, 1896, p. 2.

 

The sight, we have no doubt, was inspiring; and it is presumable that the photographic views obtained were quite interesting. The spectators must have been extremely amused. The kinetoscopic and eidoloscopic views, we suppose, will be perfected and exhibited before delighted throngs at so much per exhibition, but those who conceived the attraction scheme are to be censured for failing to secure the same representation of the accident to the unfortunate Mr. Peck. A kinetoscopic photograph of a flying bolt breaking a man's leg would be hardly less thrilling than a like representation of two forty ton engines dashing into each other at full speed.


Fisherman & Farmer, Edenton, June 12, 1896, p. 1.

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The Daily Eagle, 22 mai 1896

4 États-Unis, Columbus, Buckeye park  

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"This photo shows souvenir seekers climbing onto two trains soon after they collided.
The staged collision was conducted at Buckeye Park, just south of Coonpath Road on May 30, 1896, while some 20,000 people watched."
Helen Hampson/Submitted Photo

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