Train wreck at Montparnasse Station, Paris, France, 1895
~
The train had left Granville left at its usual time of 0845 but was running
several minutes late for its arrival time of 1555. Driver Pellerin was an
experienced man having worked for the railway for 19 years. Although he was
understandably anxious to make up the lost time, he would have been well aware
of the rule that forbade drivers to use the
Westinghouse brake
to bring trains to a halt at Gare Montparnasse. On this occasion however, he
guided his train at speed into the station. He attempted to apply the
Westinghouse brake, but it failed to operate. He was left with only the
locomotives brakes to stop the train. But owing to the speed and the weight of
the train, these were inadequate for the task. The two conductors on board
realised that they were entering the station at a speed which was too high to
stop safely. One of them at least, Albert Mariette was pre-occupied at this
time. Although he should perhaps have been alert to the situation of the train,
he was instead concentrating on completing his paperwork. It was at the last
moment that he realised the train's plight and he attempted to apply the
handbrake. He had barely begun to turn the handle when the locomotived ploughed
through the buffer stop.
The engine careered across almost 100 feet (10Metres) of the station concourse,
crashed through a two feet (0.6m) thick wall, across a terrace and sailed out of
the station as it plummeted onto the street 30 feet (9m) below. This was the
Place de Rennes which carried the tramway between the station and Place de
l'Etoile. The falling locomotive just missed hitting one of the trams.
The front three vehicles were extensively damaged, but all the passenger
carriages remained on the track. There were only five serious injuries amongst
those travelling on the train. These were two passengers, the fireman and the
two conductors. However, a woman bystander in the street was killed and another
was injured.
Driver Pellerin and Conductor Mariette were both prosecuted. The driver was
found guilty by virtue of having driven the train too fast. He was fined 50
francs and sentenced to two months imprisonment. He was not however required to
serve the term of imprisonment. Mariette was also at fault for not having
applied the Westinghouse brake himself. He was fined 25 francs.
~
Gare Montparnasse, Paris 1895
Synopsis
Compagnie de l'Ouest, 22nd October 1895 :
One person was killed when the Granville - Paris Express overan the buffers at
Gare Montparnasse.
The Granville - Paris Express was carrying 131 passengers as it approached its
destination, Montparnasse Station in Paris. The train was in the charge of
locomotive No. 721, a 2-4-0 (type 120 in the French style of notation) and was
being driven by Guillaume-Marie Pellerin.The train was made up of twelve
vehicles. Two luggage vans and a postal van were coupled behind the locomotive.
There followed eight passenger carriages and another luggage van coupled at the
the rear. There were 131 passengers.
The train had left Granville left at its usual time of 0845 but was running
several minutes late for its arrival time of 1555. Driver Pellerin was an
experienced man having worked for the railway for 19 years. Although he was
understandably anxious to make up the lost time, he would have been well aware
of the rule that forbade drivers to use the
Westinghouse brake
to bring trains to a halt at Gare Montparnasse. On this occasion however, he
guided his train at speed into the station. He attempted to apply the
Westinghouse brake, but it failed to operate. He was left with only the
locomotives brakes to stop the train. But owing to the speed and the weight of
the train, these were inadequate for the task. The two conductors on board
realised that they were entering the station at a speed which was too high to
stop safely. One of them at least, Albert Mariette was pre-occupied at this
time. Although he should perhaps have been alert to the situation of the train,
he was instead concentrating on completing his paperwork. It was at the last
moment that he realised the train's plight and he attempted to apply the
handbrake. He had barely begun to turn the handle when the locomotived ploughed
through the buffer stop.
The engine careered across almost 100 feet (10Metres) of the station concourse,
crashed through a two feet (0.6m) thick wall, across a terrace and sailed out of
the station as it plummeted onto the street 30 feet (9m) below. This was the
Place de Rennes which carried the tramway between the station and Place de
l'Etoile. The falling locomotive just missed hitting one of the trams.
The front three vehicles were extensively damaged, but all the passenger
carriages remained on the track. There were only five serious injuries amongst
those travelling on the train. These were two passengers, the fireman and the
two conductors. However, a woman bystander in the street was killed and another
was injured.
Driver Pellerin and Conductor Mariette were both prosecuted. The driver was
found guilty by virtue of having driven the train too fast. He was fined 50
francs and sentenced to two months imprisonment. He was not however required to
serve the term of imprisonment. Mariette was also at fault for not having
applied the Westinghouse brake himself. He was fined 25 francs.
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