Atlantic Express

The third big railroad wreck within a fortnight occurred last week two miles out of Binghamton, N. Y. on the Erie's main line. Week prior the Southern's Crescent Limited had lurched off a water-logged bridge into a raging river while entering Washington over the Pennsylvania's tracks, had killed two, injured 13. Five days later the Southern Pacific-Rock Island Golden State Limited had met with an almost identical disaster on the Southern Pacific's tracks near Tucumcari, N. M., had killed eight, injured 40 (TIME, Sept. 4 ). Both wrecks were due to sudden storms, could be set down as acts of God. But last week's Erie smash-up was the kind that all railroad men most deplore--the reckless failure of man power. After dusk the Atlantic Express (No. 8) pulled out of the Binghamton station on its way from Chicago to Jersey City. All of its eight cars were of heavy steel except the third from the rear, an oldfashioned wooden coach full of Binghamton commuters and Erie workers going home to Susquehanna, Pa. Near the Binghamton city line No. 8 was stopped by a red block signal while just ahead a freight backed into a siding to clear the main line. No. 8's flagman sprinted back with red lantern and track torpedoes. Several minutes behind No. 8 out of Binghamton was a fast milk train (No. 2). At the throttle was Engineer Martin ("Biddy") King, 62, heavyset, red-faced veteran of the Erie service. As he approached B D tower, the block signal changed from red (stop) to yellow (caution). An air whistle tooted in his cab as part of the automatic train control system. To acknowledge that signal and keep his train rolling, Engineer King pulled down a small lever. He knew he was in dangerous territory, that the running rules required him to be able to stop in the length of his own vision. He pulled open the throttle another notch. No. 2 thundered around a curve. Torpedoes began to pop under its wheels. Directly in front of it a red lantern bobbed madly up & down. A few hundred feet farther on the two red tail lamps of motionless No. 8 glared in the darkness. Engineer King shut off steam, slammed on his brakes, let go the sand. He did not throw his reverse lever because he knew he did not have time to make it work. He closed his eyes as his locomotive's snout struck the rear coach, buried itself eight feet inside. The two steel cars jounced forward thunderously, crunched the wooden car to tinder. From its splintered interior were removed all the wreck's dead (14), most of its injured (25).

Soon after the disaster Engineer King, dazed but unhurt, was sitting on his seat when an Erie official climbed into the cab ordered him to test his brakes. They were in good order. At the investigation that followed King admitted he saw the signals, knew No. 8 was just ahead, put on speed against the rules. Accused of "assuming too much," he replied: "Everyday service led me to assume. It made me a little bold. I was taking a chance and going a little too fast. . . . But the collision wouldn't have occurred if No. 8's flagman had got off where he should."

Ever since 1913 the Interstate Commerce Commission has been fruitlessly urging Congress to outlaw the use of wooden cars sandwiched into steel trains where they are crumpled to bits in every wreck. Few first-class roads are guilty, in the name of economy, of this dangerous misuse of rolling stock. At last report the Erie still had in service 89 wooden passenger coaches, the Pennsylvania 82, the Southern 157, the Southern Pacific 216, the New York Central none. Though no R. F. C. loans have been specifically made lor the elimination of wooden cars, the Government has turned millions & millions of dollars over to carriers to improve their equipment.

A big railroad wreck like last week's may cost a company $200,000 or more in damage claims and repair bills. Incalculable is the loss of goodwill and passenger traffic. Last year all U. S. carriers paid out $20,947,799 for personal injuries on their lines as compared with $41,828,966 in 1929. Immediately after a wreck the company's adjusters, their pockets bulging with cash, swarm about the injured to make quick settlements. Passengers with minor hurts can usually be pacified with $200 or $300. The average settlement for a permanent injury is about $8,000. Death claims vary with the earning capacity of the deceased. For a baby, little more than funeral expenses are paid. The average adult death payment is about $10,000 It takes about five years to get such a claim through the courts and collected.

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