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The Great Train Wreck of 1856 | |
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Details | |
Date | July 17, 1856 6:18 a.m. |
Location | Whitemarsh Township, Pennsylvania |
Coordinates | 40°07′43.66″N 75°12′10.56″W / 40.1287944°N 75.2029333°W |
Country | United States |
Operator | North Pennsylvania Railroad |
Incident type | Head-on collision |
Cause | Human error |
Statistics | |
Trains | 2: "Shakamaxon" and "Aramingo" |
Passengers | "Shakamaxon": 1,100-1,500; "Aramingo": 20 |
Deaths | Approx 60 |
Injured | Over 100 |
The Great Train Wreck of 1856 occurred in Whitemarsh Township, Pennsylvania, between Camp Hill station (known as Sandy Run, Camp Hill, Sellwick and finally Fellwick station before being closed in 1996) and Fort Washington station, on July 17, 1856. Two trains, traveling on the same track in converging directions, collided, killing between 59 and 67, and injuring over 100. The incident was referred to as The Camp Hill Disaster in Montgomery County, and The Picnic Train Tragedy in Philadelphia. It was the deadliest railroad catastrophe in the world up to that time and became one of the signature events of its era.