July 11, 1911: Cautious Engineer Saves Train and Passengers from Tragic Accident

By Margaret Leidy Harner from her book One Day at a Time: A Social History of Boyertown, PA.

July 11, 1911: The evening passenger train from Pottstown was saved from plunging down a 70-foot ravine in Pine Forge last evening by the caution displayed by the engineer. Because of a terrific rainstorm, a little creek that runs through the ravine was greatly swollen and the abutments of the railroad bridge were washed away, together with a portion of the superstructure.

The train was traveling at a fast rate, but the engineer saw that something was wrong and stopped it as the cow catcher on the engine was about a yard away from the bridge. The rain was filled with passengers bound for Boyertown. They were returned to Pottstown , where they stayed until the next day.

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