Lehigh Valley train wreck

Lehigh Valley train wreck
Details
Date	August 25, 1911 ~12:00 pm
Location	Near Manchester, New York
Coordinates	42°57′45″N77°13′39″W / 42.96250°N 77.22750°W / 42.96250; -77.22750
Country	United States
Operator	Lehigh Valley Railroad
Incident type	Derailment
Cause	Broken rail
Statistics
Trains	1
Deaths	29
Injured	62
List of rail accidents (1910–1919)

The Lehigh Valley train wreck was a 1911 train derailment that occurred as a locomotive was passing over a bridge. 29 would perish after the passenger cars fell into the Canandaigua Outlet below. ^[1]

Background

Engine no. 4 had left Buffalo heading towards Philadelphia. The no. 4 engine was carrying fourteen cars: an express car, a mail car, a baggage car, one sleeper car, one parlor car, one dining car, and eight coaches.

While the train was running slightly behind schedule, the engineer was following all appropriate orders. The train signals had indicated that the speed be reduced to twenty-five miles per hour, with which the engineer complied. ^[2]

Many of the passengers on board were Civil War veterans who were returning from a GAR reunion. ^[3]

Accident

As the train passed over a bridge built over the Canandaigua outlet, a broken rail caused several of the coaches to plummet over the edge and into the river below. The locomotive had managed to pass the section of broken track without derailing, as had several of the train cars. However, the dining car and sleeping car fell down the embankment, followed by coaches no. 237 and 293. It was in these two passenger coaches where the majority of the fatalities occurred. ^{[2] [4]}

Rescue & Recovery

Eyewitnesses to the disaster were on scene immediately and were the first to initiate rescue services. Removal of bodies began instantly with many rescuers not initially able to differentiate if the bodies were corpses or if they were of individuals who had merely fainted.

The dead would be taken to a furniture store in Shortsville and placed in the basement Ultimately, 29 would die either in the initial derailment or in the passing days as a result of their injuries. An additional 62 were injured and treated. ^{[2] [4]}

Memorial

In 2022, the William G. Pomeroy Foundation established a memorial on the banks, 500 feet from where the accident had occurred. ^[1]

References

1. "Historic Marker TRAIN WRECK". William G. Pomeroy Foundation. Retrieved January 10, 2026.
2. "Today, August 25, in Rochester History: Railroad Disaster Claims 29; Injures 62". Rochester Subway. Retrieved January 10, 2026.
3. Reed, Robert (1968). Train Wrecks: A Pictorial History of Accidents on the Main Line. Seattle: Superior Pub. Co. p.  97. ISBN   0-517-328976.
4. "AGREE ON BAD RAIL AS CAUSE OF WRECK; State Officers Report Growing Defects and Complete Smashing of the Piece of Steel". New York Times. August 27, 1911. Retrieved January 10, 2026.