Castles Bridge, CT Train Derailment, Jan 1929

THREE PERSONS KILLED; 5 HURT IN TRAIN WRECK.

ENGINE AND TWO CARS DERAILED ON NEW HAVEN RAILROAD NEAR THOMASTON TODAY.

Thomaston, Conn., Jan. 23 -- (AP) -- Three persons were killed and five passengers injured when a local train from Waterbury to Winsted over the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad was derailed at Castle's Bridge, several miles north of here this morning.
Those dead were:
WILSON BURNS, engineer, of 84 Fourth street, Bridgeport.
P. J. SHORTELL, fireman, of 671 Broad street, Bridgeport.
JOHN H. GEDDES, 14 Weyman street, Waterbury, employe of American Brass company.
Several injured persons were sent in ambulances to Torrington. Among them were FREDERICK BOICE, 34, Newark, N.J., leg injury, and REV. DAVID OVERTON, pastor Torrington A. M. E. Zion church.
When the engine turned over the first coach of a two-coach train went with it and in falling over landed on the engine. Fire was started from the engine's firebox and the coach quickly ignited. The passengers in this coach, except one, made their way out but five had received injuries.
WOrd was sent here and to Torrington for equipment and Waterbury responded with more help with wrecking equipment. The first report here was that the train had struck several automobiles at a grade crossing and it was sometime before the exact nature of the accident was determined. There is no grade crossing here, however, as the State Highway Department by a new bridge has carried the highway over the tracks at that point, however, the tracks are on top of an embankment and down this rolled the engine and first coach.
The second coach, a combination smoker and baggage compartment, remained on the rails and those in it assisted the injured in the other car.

North Adams Transcript Massachusetts 1929-01-23
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!