A RUNAWAY LOCOMOTIVE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1622, 29 February 1884, Page 3

A RUNAWAY LOCOMOTIVE.

The power ol a locomotive under full head way was illustrated (an American paper reports) in a receilb accident that, happened on the Lowell (Massachusetts) branch of the Boston and Maine railroad. While a construction train

on that line was backing down on tho track, it was struck in the rear * by an approaching train, demolishing two cars. In the excitement of the moment the driver of the construction train opened tho throttle of Ins engine! instead of closing it, and then jumped off, along with tho stoker, Under the extra pressure of steam the locomotive broke the' connections with the train, and started alone for Lowell. Meeting with nor obstruction on the way, the engine plunged into the depot at a rate of speed' estimated at CO. miles an hour. The first obstacle encountered was a heavy hunter at the end of the track, which was torn up aud lodged on the cowcatcher, The mgine next tori up the planking anl beams of the floor and demolished one end of tho baggage-house. It next encountered a brick partition about IBiu thick, which was scattered in all directions. After passing through this wall, it traversed the length of the U.S. and C. Express office, and struck the outside wall of the depot, abutting on Central-street, with such force as to drive the hunter, which had lodged on the cow-catcher, clear through a granite wall a foot in thickness, mailing a hole about 15in in diameter. This put a. stop to its progress in that direction, and as tho floor was not, strong enough to longer hold the weight, the whole broke through into tho cellar, where it came to a standstill. A bystander had the presence of mind'to make his way to the steaming ma.is of ruin and allow the steam to esca p2, and thus possibly prevented an cx| liosion. 'Clio entire floor of the express office was broken away, and a largo <j«antity of express matter destroyed. The only serious accident was that of an old lady of 70, who was in tho ex'prcss office at tho time. She was so severely injured that she died in abot it two hours. The engine went about a 100 ft after leaving the rails before coming to a standstill.