The Ashtabula River railroad disaster (also called the Ashtabula horror, the Ashtabula Bridge disaster, and the Ashtabula train disaster) was the failure of a bridge over the Ashtabula River near the town of Ashtabula, Ohio, in the United States on December 29, 1876.
A Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway train, the Pacific Express, passed over the bridge as it failed. All but the lead locomotive plunged into the river. The train's oil lanterns and coal-fired heating stoves set the wooden cars alight. Firefighters declined to extinguish the flames, leaving individuals to try to pull survivors from the wreck. Many who survived the crash burned to death in the wreckage.
The accident killed approximately 92 of the 160 people aboard. It was the worst rail accident in the U.S. in the 19th century and the worst rail accident in U.S. history until the Great Train Wreck of 1918.
The coroner’s report found that the bridge, located about 1,000 feet (300 m) from the railway station, had been improperly designed by the railroad company president, poorly constructed, and inadequately inspected. As a result of the accident, a hospital was built in the town and a federal system set up to formally investigate fatal railroad accidents.
Here below is a set of incredible photos of the Ashtabula River railroad disaster in 1876.
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| This bridge may be earlier than the Howe Truss steel/iron bridge that collapsed in 1876. Later photos show stone arches on both sides of the bridge |
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| The Wreck of the Ashtabula Bridge, known as the Ashtabula Bridge disaster, Ashtabula, Ohio, December 29, 1876 |
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| 1876 Ashtabula River Railroad Disaster |
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| 1876 Ashtabula River Railroad Disaster |
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| 1876 Ashtabula River Railroad Disaster |
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| 1876 Ashtabula River Railroad Disaster |
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| 1876 Ashtabula River Railroad Disaster |
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| 1876 train wreck locomotive |
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| Ashtabula Howe Truss Bridge, Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway over the Ashtabula River. This was the scene of the 1876 Ashtabula Railroad Bridge Disaster |
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| Ashtabula River Railroad Bridge |
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| Ashtabula River Railroad Bridge |
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| Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Howe Truss Bridge over the Ashtabula River. Erected after the December 1876 bridge collapse. Ashtabula, Youngstown & Pittsburgh Railroad boxcar on bridge |
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| Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad over the Ashtabula River. Possibly the temporary replacement bridge that was built after the bridge collapse of December 29th 1876 |
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| Locomotive in winter |
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| The Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Howe Truss Ashtabula River Bridge. Noting the cribbing below. A temporary construct after the 1876 collapse, before the concrete arch bridge was built |
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| This appears to be a bridge that replaced the Howe Truss bridge that collapsed in 1876, prior to the construction of the concrete and stone arch bridge |
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| Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Concrete Arch Bridge |
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| Monument to unknown dead of Ashtabula Railroad Disaster, December 28, 1876 |
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| Monument to unknown dead of Ashtabula Railroad Disaster, December 28, 1876 |
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