West Brookfield, MA Train Collision, Nov 1907

BRAKEMAN KILLED.

AND SEVERAL PERSONS INJURED WHEN EXPRESS RAN INTO FREIGHT.

West Brookfield, Mass., Nov. 9. -- The Boston & Albany express from Albany for Boston, struck a freight train which was backing out of a siding near this station today, causing a bad wreck and killing CHARLES HURD, a brakeman on the express.
Several persons were cut and bruised, but none were seriously injured.
The express was an hour late and the engineer was taking advantage of the ten miles of level track before the Charleston grade to make up some of the lost time. A special freight train bound west had been ordered to take a switch about 100 yards west of here, to permit another freight train also going west, to pass it. The special freight was standing on the eastbound track when the express came rushing towards it and before the speed of the latter could effectually be checked, it had plunged head-on into the engine of the freight. The engineers and firemen saw the collision about to occur and jumped, escaping serious injuries. Directly behind the engine of the express was a buffet car which was reduced to fragments. There were not passengers in the car, however. Many persons in the rear cars, however, were severely shaken by the shock of the collision.

The Mansfield News Ohio 1907-11-09
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!