The Wreck of the Old 97

It was a still September morning in 1903, punctuated only by the occasional ringing of church bells and the chatter among citizens of Danville as they strolled home from their Sunday worship services. Like normal, the Southern Railway train, known as the Fast Mail, was heading into Danville from Monroe, Virginia, en route to Spencer, North Carolina. Only, on this particular Sunday, it was running faster than usual. Much faster than usual. As it reached the Stillhouse Trestle near Danvilles Highway 58, it sailed off the tracks, plummeting down an incline and collapsing into a dusty, metal-clanging heap as people from all across town rushed in to help dig for survivors. The Wreck of the Old 97 story was quickly made famous by a top-selling country tune. Today, local historian Lawrence McFall details the events that led up to one of the most famous train wrecks in history.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Wreck
• Old 97
• train
• danville
• virginia

[BurtShank]

It was not the whistle that people heard break into a scream, it was the train's breaks. The rescuers found the engineer alive, pinned in the wreck by his legs. The boiler was above him on the hill, ruptured and was leaking hot water. He screamed to have his legs cut off before the water got to him. They didn't and he was scalded to death, though not by steam.

[ww245]

Great to hear the story of this, tragic though it be, it's a great presentation. Thanks!

[CuteCatFaith]

The Marlebone Street wreck in NYC comes to mind. I think Empire Boulevard is the new name of the street. What a disaster.

[ASSASSINofHALO]

FIFTH!!!

[bcschmerker]

Looks as though y'all fixed the information that I'm using for a Chuck Berry-based song project about Norfolk Southern construction to by-pass Danville, VA. The engineer and ten others killed, five serious to critical when #1102 pulled five mail cars over the side of a 5-mph bridge at 50 mph, on a line that nowadays would be considered unsafe at any speed, to quote Nader? Fatality waiting to happen, I'd say. :-(

[Pickinbuddy]

Wow....what an informative and well-done presentation. my favorite versions of this songs are by Flatt & Scruggs...and by Roy Acuff.

[MON383]

i saw somewhere that it said that he reversed the engine to try slow up and it droped a link makeing it vault off the line like the tailshaft story. any info ppl????

[simonspics1]

Excellent presentation! Isnt it ironic how thru great tradgedy and pain comes some of the best music and songs ever written.When i first read the story behind this song I was totally blown away,I had no idea it was this bad!