VGN 800

[NW Mailing List]

Thanks to Harry for his detailed report. I thought I might add a few things.

Coming up on April 1, will be the 70th anniversary of the 800 blowing up at Stewartsville, Virginia about 5:20 AM. 

This tragedy killed all three crew members, Engineer John Dudding, 46, Fireman Mead Brown, 25 and head brakeman Hollie Harrision, 26, less than a week short of his 27th birthday. It would be hoped that all three died instantly, as they were thrown great distances and dismembered by the violence of the explosion.

While the Federal Investigators pinned the cause on a worn and pitted injector nozzle, causing the injector to fail. They also pulled a large quantity of cinders, coal and mud dredged out of the tender tank, which could easily have caused the valve to the injector to have stopped up. The injector had been reported as problematic in a number of inspection reports both at Victoria and at Roanoke in the months prior to the explosion, but apparently tested fine at Roanoke early in the morning of April 1, 1941.

Of course, we'll never know exactly why the crew allowed the water to get so low in the boiler. It could have been inexperience, as Harry pointed out, Brown had only hired out on the Virginian about 6 months previously, the crew could have been tired or not paying attention. Another accident with less dramatic consequences a few years ago on the Gettysburg Railroad, found that the water glass could have had some debris in it giving a false indication of water in the gauge when there was none. One of the photos shows the water column and glass, relatively intact I am certain the investigators checked it, but the violence of the explosion could have dislodged any debris in the line.

I've written a rather lengthy story on the 800's fateful trip, if there is any interest, I'll submit it for the Arrow.

Ken Miller

On Mar 6, 2011, at 8:17 PM, NW Mailing List wrote:


> I've not stayed abreast of everything. What led to its explosion?

> 

> 

> 

> Kim

> Huntsville

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