just saw this and maybe you like to read it

[leah3211]

http://kewgardenshistory.com/ss-lirr-0650.html    hope you guy's like it

[baileyjet]

This sent my memories flowing. James Conboy of Bellaire, one of the casualties was the father of a girl I went to grammer school with. Several years later her and her sister were killed in a headon collision in Miami when they were on vacation.

Ray J
RSW

[RetiredLirrConductor]

I got to speak to passengers who were on that train, some 23 years later, who were still commuting to hempstead.
It seems the Brakeman, went out to flag, (no speed control then at that location), and the engineer signaled him to return. He got back on, the train moved a few feet, and craped out again, so the brakeman slid the rear door open to go flag again.
At that point, the babylon express was approaching fast, and the brakeman stepped back into the car and yelled something to the effect of Hit the deck!
He was just a few feet from the point of impact, and he fell to the floor.
He was pushed forward as the car tilted up in the air, and he slid down the aisle ahead of the carnage behind him.
When he got to the other end of the car, he got up uninjured and 89 people behind him died.
True story, I later checked it out on microfilmed newspaper at the queens Library in Jamaica.
They told the same story,

[Ernie]

RetiredLirrConductor:

I'd rather believe your version then that of the linked article (and several others) that the brakeman erred and returned without being signaled to do so.

[RetiredLirrConductor]

Yes, from what I was told by people that were actually there that day, The Engineer recalled him By  "Arcing The Motors" on the MU.
Some how they were able to cause the motors to arc, as a signal instead of the recall whistle, which they did sometimes.
So when the brakeman got on, and signaled he was on, the train started to leave, and only moved a short distance, then crapped out again.
So the brakeman went back to flag again when the accident happened.
Also any comment on why the Engineer on the second train did not stop is pure speculation.
He was killed in the collision, and very badly mangled, making a proper autopsy impossible.
For all we know he could have had a heart attack or stroke.
Give him the benefit of the doubt, he was not a junior man, and knew his way around the RR.
I dont know if the Queens library in Jamaica still has the LI Press and Star Journal on Micro film, but they did a few years ago, and I read the story there also.
 According to Co-workers, and Passengers alike, very few people rode in the front or rear cars of trains for awhile after that.
Two interesting side notes, It happened on November 22, 1950, which was thanksgiving eve that year.
13 Years later, on Nov 22 1963, President Kennedy was assasinated.

[Block Limit]

According to Co-workers, and Passengers alike, very few people rode in the front or rear cars of trains for awhile after that.

Does this include trains that loaded off tracks 17(behind hanger) and lower tracks, whatever the lowest track used in those days was?

[M1_9174]

Um, why haven't I heard from you via phone lately sir???  Call me when you get a chance!!!!!

[RetiredLirrConductor]

apparently so, since the RR had another wreck at Rockville Centre the same year.
After 2 serious accidents, people were afraid to ride on the head end and rear ends awhile.
I did not say Nobody rode in those cars, I said very few did.
My Father is 90 and used to commute to Port Jefferson.
Back Then, Change at Jamaica was changing from a DD-1 engine to a steam engine on many port jeff trains.
 I asked my father about it, and he said yes, for a couple of years on the RR the front and rear cars on many electric trains were less full then the rest of the train.
We had a house in bayside, and a Summer home  in Port Jeff.
Back then Port Jeff was mostly a summer town