Today I was searching worldwide historic train crash records online and came across two different crashes involving Elephants. (This alas was NOT the research the client needed but I thought I would share the information with my Happy Blogging friends)
- September 15, 1885 – St Thomas, Ontario: Express goods train hauled by a Grand Trunk Railway locomotive hits a dwarf Asian elephant on an embankment. The elephant is thrown down the embankment by the collision; the trains engineer throws the locomotive into reverse, but is unable to prevent a rear-end collision with an African elephant, killing it and derailing the locomotive and tender.
- 1891 – Delta, California: Elephant travelling as a passenger on a Southern Pacific train removes a coupling pin from a car. The train parts, and the forward portion travels 20 miles before the locomotive crew discover the split.
I am trying to find out more information on the 1885 incident - was it a close encounter with the Traveling Circus? - a break out from the Local Zoo? Interested parties (well.. not the actual Library one) wish to know!
Dwarf Asian Elephant?
Rather strange but interesting stories. If you learn more, please tell us.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Lola