| So the story goes: In the early morning of October 1, 1979, two trains were leaving Allentown for Philadelphia, APY-2 departing first with 115 cars of mixed freight, then ALPG-2 would leave too eventually have 43 hoppers of anthracite on a single unit. Just before 5 AM, APY-2 came to a stop at the west end of the Phoenixville tunnel on a red signal. ALPG-2 made a pick up at Pottstown then continued on for Philadelphia. As APY-2 waited the ALPG-2 rolled through Royersford at about 45 mph with the conductor at the controls and high as well, did not blow for crossings and ran a red signal. The rear end brakeman of APY...following safety protocols, placed flares and torpedoes behind his train and attempted to flag down ALPG. On impact...the engine of ALPG had the carbody sheared from the frame and shot beneath 15 cars of the pile up (a friend's account). Both the engineer and conductor of ALPG were instant fatalities...both were thrown from impact. The brakeman of APY narrowly escaped. The aftermath is obvious. The crumpled mass just ahead of the hi rail suburban is the remains of the ALPG's locomotive. I was at the scene for 10 minutes at most till I was escorted away by railroad security. One additional note...the train that APY was waiting for at the tunnel received a red board at the very last moment before entering the tunnel and came to a stop a few hundred yards from this wreck...almost a wreck on a wreck. This was told to me by the engineer on the 8715 in the photo. |