I used to work the Baggagemasters job on the Meteor between Richmond, VA and Columbia, SC. From checking my old time books I think I may have worked #57 on the date leaving Richmond.
WHAT A MESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This must have been a tramatic experience for you to go through EarlyFilms, but I am glad you still have an interest in trains. I regret not buying myself a reel of film for my dad's super 8 movie camera back in 1970 or 71 & recording the final runs of Burlington Northern's " Western Star " as it stopped at the Alexandria Minnesota depot.
Because it was 1968. Sound on home movies was an exclusive thing until Kodak came out with an affordable Super 8 sound movie system in the early to mid 70's.
I was born in winter haven in 89. I was told about this when I was young. Can't believe it happened close to where I live. I'm in lake wales now. Literally five mins from Eloise loop road.
Joerbk asked where was the wreck. Go to Google maps satellite view. Follow the CSX mainline south of Winter Haven. Between the crossings of Croton Rd and Eloise Loop Rd the two parallel tracks narrow into one. This is the south end of the Winter Haven siding, According to the addicent report, the collision was 485 feet north of the south siding switch. Best I can determine this switch is probably located in the same place it was 41 years ago. Still in the middle of an orange grove.
I don't know what you are seeing. This was shot and transferred at 18 fps. It was a spring-wound camera, but I don't see that it's so far off to be noticeable.
The first part seems to have been shot at maybe 12 fps which makes the action faster while the later scenes seem normal. This wreck was actually at Eloise, FL, just south of Winter Haven. The northbound and southbound Silver Meteors ran head first into each other. It was a bad wreck, for sure. One passenger suffered a ruptured spleen and died, perhaps later. She was in a lounge car and was thrown against a table where she had been sitting.
Wow!!! That train got creamed. Great job of capturing history on film. I was 1 year old when it was taken. Thank God you weren't hurt. Excellent footage. Five stars.
accident happened 08/05/68 12:47pm sb train 57 stopped for red signal, nb train 58 ran red signal. centralized train control not working because cable for signal & switches had been vandalized. info from ICC crash investigation
Yes it was a head-on. Southbound train was waiting behind a switch. Our train ended up on its track. I have a copy of the accident report, but it gets kind of complicated. I'll have to absorb it and paraphrase it sometime.
I was on this train with my Grandmother traveling to Ft Lauderdale. I was 7 years old so I have vague memories of the accident. I was thrown from my seat but fortunately not hurt nor was my Grandmother. I wanted to sit in the front of the train but thankfully my Grandmother persuaded me to go further toward the back. After the accident we took the train for the remainder of the trip. I have a copy of a newspaper but have never seen the video. Thanks for sharing.
I grew-up in Winter Haven. My parents and I went and saw the wreck very soon after it happened. And even though I was only 6 years old, I remember it well. The wreck did indeed happen in an orange grove inside the small community of Eloise. The track is still there, and it's still well-traveled by AMTRAK.
My Grandmother has told me about this accident. It happend in a little town just outside winter haven the town is called Eloise. My Grandparents rushed down the it because they did not live far from their to help the injured. The grove is still their my Grandparents even put some of the people who were on the train up in thier house for the night. It was not much my Grandparents could do but the people were greatful.
We chose to get on the replacement train later that night - after a lot of convincing by my parents. I was scared to death. That train included a few cars from the rear of the wrecked trains! The ride was bumpy and not all of them had running water.
By fruits, are you referring to the oranges? We did crash in an orange grove. Anyway, I do plan to detail the experience one of these days. As an eight-year-old, I just thought we had hit some extremely bad tracks - despite the flying seats and luggage! It wasn't until the conductor came through saying "The train went off the track" that I realized what happened.
Was this on that portion that use to go to Lake Alferd? the part that only has maybe 5 miles left? My grandma always told me stories of that line,and this particular story! Infact,I remember several books having this story in it!!
My granma can recall steam locomotives stopping and blowing the whistle in the City park where they stopped.My gran parents would go to the depot for mail,because like most older pencils we have,they had a insurance business in AL.
LOL There are lots of orange groves in Florida, especially back then. If the train was headed to Miami, I believe the section of track where this wreck occurred no longer exists.
I was there within two hours after the accident.I worked for SCL at the time,altho I was not on duty at that time.Took many slides but no video.The only person killed was a woman in Sun Lounge that was thrown into a table and ruptured her spleen and died later.Somewhere I have the full ICC accident report.Where did you get this film? I might be in it,but because of the fast panning I am not sure.The man in the white shirt and black tie and hat was E.B. "Eddy Boy" White,the Tampa master mechanic.
I didn't know about the woman in the Sun Lounge. I thought only our engineer died. In fact I think it's in the articles. I'll have to find those. This is from our personal home movies. I had no shots left in my still camera. I remember my camera sliding off the seat when the train starting shaking and my main concern was that it was wasn't broken as a result of what I thought were just very bad tracks. But then the flying luggage and seats put things in perspective.
Wow! Incredible footage. Looking at those EMD E units, one has to assume that this crash was at aI see that one of the famous Sun Lounge cars was damaged as well. Was this from a "head-on" collision? Were there fatalities?
We were moving unusually fast, especially for an approach to a switch where a southbound train was waiting to get onto our track. So yes, it was a head-on collision. Only the engineer of our train died, but I think it was later at the hospital. Somewhere in the stacks of papers I need to sift through are articles and information on this crash.
I think it was the Silver Meteor in the late 90s that hit a loaded fuel tanker semi at a grade crossing in Ft Lauderdale. Caused a huge fireball and incinerated many people sitting in their cars. Truck driver at fault.
I used to work the Baggagemasters job on the Meteor between Richmond, VA and Columbia, SC. From checking my old time books I think I may have worked #57 on the date leaving Richmond.
Tex5x5 10 months ago
WHAT A MESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This must have been a tramatic experience for you to go through EarlyFilms, but I am glad you still have an interest in trains. I regret not buying myself a reel of film for my dad's super 8 movie camera back in 1970 or 71 & recording the final runs of Burlington Northern's " Western Star " as it stopped at the Alexandria Minnesota depot.
Petemonster62 1 year ago
Because it was 1968. Sound on home movies was an exclusive thing until Kodak came out with an affordable Super 8 sound movie system in the early to mid 70's.
EarlyFilms 1 year ago
The ICC accident report says the dispatcher lost control of the CTC system shortly before the accident, and may have contributed to it.
JLJ061 1 year ago
wow
conrailforever1999 2 years ago
I was born in winter haven in 89. I was told about this when I was young. Can't believe it happened close to where I live. I'm in lake wales now. Literally five mins from Eloise loop road.
Erikawilliams2009 2 years ago
Joerbk asked where was the wreck. Go to Google maps satellite view. Follow the CSX mainline south of Winter Haven. Between the crossings of Croton Rd and Eloise Loop Rd the two parallel tracks narrow into one. This is the south end of the Winter Haven siding, According to the addicent report, the collision was 485 feet north of the south siding switch. Best I can determine this switch is probably located in the same place it was 41 years ago. Still in the middle of an orange grove.
quazephoto 2 years ago
Thanks!!!
joerebk 2 years ago
Why didn't you slow this down to the correct running speed?
hrvideo 2 years ago
I don't know what you are seeing. This was shot and transferred at 18 fps. It was a spring-wound camera, but I don't see that it's so far off to be noticeable.
EarlyFilms 2 years ago
The first part seems to have been shot at maybe 12 fps which makes the action faster while the later scenes seem normal. This wreck was actually at Eloise, FL, just south of Winter Haven. The northbound and southbound Silver Meteors ran head first into each other. It was a bad wreck, for sure. One passenger suffered a ruptured spleen and died, perhaps later. She was in a lounge car and was thrown against a table where she had been sitting.
hrvideo 2 years ago
Where exactly was the collision? I just purchased a home in SE Winter Haven right by Lake Eloise and you can see the train from my backyard.
joerebk 2 years ago
I like turtles
kirkpatrick321 2 years ago
Wow!!! That train got creamed. Great job of capturing history on film. I was 1 year old when it was taken. Thank God you weren't hurt. Excellent footage. Five stars.
SFLRailFan 2 years ago
what a mess!
look at all that beautifull equiptment......E-7s, pullmans....SUN LOUNGE, what a shame.
but great vid. thank you for sharing.
27526 2 years ago 2
accident happened 08/05/68 12:47pm sb train 57 stopped for red signal, nb train 58 ran red signal. centralized train control not working because cable for signal & switches had been vandalized. info from ICC crash investigation
bradnoga 2 years ago
The video is in bad shape but thanks for sharing.
prmass1 2 years ago
It's NOT a video! Since it was taken in 1968, it most likely was taken with an old 8mm camera. For it's day, it's actually not bad at all.
giza5564 2 years ago
Whew!! That was a BAD accident by the looks of it: cars and engines thrown everywhere. Did they use your footage in any of the news broadcasts?
ultragor 2 years ago
looks like a head-on. was it?? if not they had a ton of motors on there.. one of those E8's looked fairly trashed..
CNKILLERCLOWN 3 years ago
Yes it was a head-on. Southbound train was waiting behind a switch. Our train ended up on its track. I have a copy of the accident report, but it gets kind of complicated. I'll have to absorb it and paraphrase it sometime.
EarlyFilms 3 years ago
Oops.. typo on my previous post... meant to say we took the bus the raminder of the trip....
golfcat12 3 years ago
I was on this train with my Grandmother traveling to Ft Lauderdale. I was 7 years old so I have vague memories of the accident. I was thrown from my seat but fortunately not hurt nor was my Grandmother. I wanted to sit in the front of the train but thankfully my Grandmother persuaded me to go further toward the back. After the accident we took the train for the remainder of the trip. I have a copy of a newspaper but have never seen the video. Thanks for sharing.
golfcat12 3 years ago 2
I grew-up in Winter Haven. My parents and I went and saw the wreck very soon after it happened. And even though I was only 6 years old, I remember it well. The wreck did indeed happen in an orange grove inside the small community of Eloise. The track is still there, and it's still well-traveled by AMTRAK.
Nice piece of (super-8?) footage.
countingman 3 years ago 2
Standard 8 film actually. A bit overexposed and no daylight filter. But at least there was film in the camera.
EarlyFilms 3 years ago
My Grandmother has told me about this accident. It happend in a little town just outside winter haven the town is called Eloise. My Grandparents rushed down the it because they did not live far from their to help the injured. The grove is still their my Grandparents even put some of the people who were on the train up in thier house for the night. It was not much my Grandparents could do but the people were greatful.
cindyhull1999 3 years ago
We chose to get on the replacement train later that night - after a lot of convincing by my parents. I was scared to death. That train included a few cars from the rear of the wrecked trains! The ride was bumpy and not all of them had running water.
EarlyFilms 3 years ago
I moved from there (happy I did, too many fruits). What does it FEEL like when a train wrecks?
noeatingallowed 3 years ago
By fruits, are you referring to the oranges? We did crash in an orange grove. Anyway, I do plan to detail the experience one of these days. As an eight-year-old, I just thought we had hit some extremely bad tracks - despite the flying seats and luggage! It wasn't until the conductor came through saying "The train went off the track" that I realized what happened.
EarlyFilms 3 years ago
wow its really great to see some history from my town before i was born.. or my dad for that.. thanks man!
R3CKL355one 3 years ago
Was this on that portion that use to go to Lake Alferd? the part that only has maybe 5 miles left? My grandma always told me stories of that line,and this particular story! Infact,I remember several books having this story in it!!
My granma can recall steam locomotives stopping and blowing the whistle in the City park where they stopped.My gran parents would go to the depot for mail,because like most older pencils we have,they had a insurance business in AL.
marklester01 3 years ago
I'm not familiar with the area. I was on vacation from New Jersey. It was in the middle of an orange grove if that helps.
EarlyFilms 3 years ago
LOL There are lots of orange groves in Florida, especially back then. If the train was headed to Miami, I believe the section of track where this wreck occurred no longer exists.
TrainMan7070 3 years ago
wow--these events are routinely captured today on video, but was a rarity in 1968. thanks for sharing this historical piece of footage.
CSXDixieLine 3 years ago
I was there within two hours after the accident.I worked for SCL at the time,altho I was not on duty at that time.Took many slides but no video.The only person killed was a woman in Sun Lounge that was thrown into a table and ruptured her spleen and died later.Somewhere I have the full ICC accident report.Where did you get this film? I might be in it,but because of the fast panning I am not sure.The man in the white shirt and black tie and hat was E.B. "Eddy Boy" White,the Tampa master mechanic.
sale4a 4 years ago
I didn't know about the woman in the Sun Lounge. I thought only our engineer died. In fact I think it's in the articles. I'll have to find those. This is from our personal home movies. I had no shots left in my still camera. I remember my camera sliding off the seat when the train starting shaking and my main concern was that it was wasn't broken as a result of what I thought were just very bad tracks. But then the flying luggage and seats put things in perspective.
EarlyFilms 4 years ago
Wow! Incredible footage. Looking at those EMD E units, one has to assume that this crash was at aI see that one of the famous Sun Lounge cars was damaged as well. Was this from a "head-on" collision? Were there fatalities?
ACLTony 4 years ago
Sorry, as an SCL fan I typed my previous response too fast when I saw this. Meant to say that this crash had to be at a high speed.
ACLTony 4 years ago
We were moving unusually fast, especially for an approach to a switch where a southbound train was waiting to get onto our track. So yes, it was a head-on collision. Only the engineer of our train died, but I think it was later at the hospital. Somewhere in the stacks of papers I need to sift through are articles and information on this crash.
EarlyFilms 4 years ago
I remember the Seaboard Coast Line; was my favorite train line. So sad to see it in a dark moment like this.
ultragor 4 years ago
I think it was the Silver Meteor in the late 90s that hit a loaded fuel tanker semi at a grade crossing in Ft Lauderdale. Caused a huge fireball and incinerated many people sitting in their cars. Truck driver at fault.
raridan1 4 years ago
RE: Silver Meteor/tanker collision, Ft. Lauderdale, I heard the truck driver waited until enough space to clear the track opened up in front of him.
Then, as he proceeded, an idiot or two moved into his open space, stopping him with tank on the track.
Still, he should have PUSHED them all forward or moved onto the sidewalk (not sure what lane he was in) and gotten his tank clear of foul.
Horrible for all those innocent drivers killed in their cars. Too bad they did not see and flee.
robertgift 2 years ago
A very good piece of history you have there.
murjax 4 years ago