| 1958 Newark Bay rail accident | |
|---|---|
 The Central Railroad of New Jersey Newark Bay Bridge connected Bayonne and Elizabeth, seen in the distance. | |
| Details | |
| Date | September 15, 1958 10:01 am EDT |
| Location | Newark Bay, Bayonne, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 40°39′16″N 74°09′00″W / 40.6545°N 74.15°W |
| Country | United States |
| Line | Central Railroad of New Jersey main line |
| Operator | Central Railroad of New Jersey |
| Incident type | Derailment into water |
| Cause | Signal passed at danger |
| Statistics | |
| Trains | 1 |
| Deaths | 48 |
| Injured | 48 |
On September 15, 1958, a Central Railroad of New Jersey (CNJ) morning commuter train, #3314, ran through a restricting and a stop signal, derailed, and slid off the open Newark Bay lift bridge in Newark Bay, New Jersey, United States. Both diesel locomotives and the first two coaches plunged into Newark Bay and sank immediately, killing 48 people and injuring 48 more.[1] A third coach, snagged by its rear truck (bogie), hung precariously off the bridge for two hours before it also toppled into the water. As the locomotive crew was killed, the cause of the crash was never proven, though the lack of a "dead man's switch" may have contributed to the derailment.
- ^ "Daily Chronology of Coast Guard History: September". www.uscg.mil. United States Coast Guard. September 29, 2010. Archived from the original on May 5, 2011. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
15 September: 1958- A New Jersey Central passenger train plunged into Newark Bay through an open drawbridge, submerging two engines and two coaches. Coast Guard small craft and helicopters assisted in rescuing 43 survivors and recovering 29 bodies.