1907 - Tunnel Falls on Train

[NW Mailing List]

Roanoke Times - June 25, 1907

TUNNEL FALLS ON TRAIN

Sunday Wreck at Eggleston Delays Traffic for Hours

   About three o'clock Sunday afternoon a rather unique wreck occurred at
the tunnel near Eggleston on the Bluefield division of the N. and W. A
heavy train of loaded coal cars for the east was making full time on its
way around New river, but when it reached the tunnel at Eggleston and
darted into the bowels of the earth the entire train did not emerge from
the east side of the tunnel. Tons of rock and earth as a result of the
concussion created by the passing train, fell from the tunnels top and
submerged several cars. As a result fifteen loaded coal cars were jammed
into the tunnel, five of them being entirely demolished.
   A wreck train was dispatched from both sides of the wreck and with a
large force of hands at work the debris was cleared away in about six
hours, enabling delayed trains to go their way. No. 2, which gets into
Roanoke shortly after 7 o'clock p.m., was delayed five hours, and No. 17
was delayed about two and half hours.
   The wreck occurred in the old tunnel at Eggleston, the new one being not
quite completed. This old tunnel had for some time been considered unsafe
and until the new tunnel could be constructed the top had been timbered up,
but it seems these timbers had partially decayed, with the result that a
wreck occurred.

-----------------------------------

- Ron Davis, Roger Link