Rahway Valley Railroad - Accidents On The NY&NO and The RV

Accidents On The NY&NO and The RV

• September 1, 1899 – At 1:10 pm a Mr. Theo Harrison of Newark, New Jersey, was driving his horse-drawn wagon on Westfield Avenue when he tried to outrun the oncoming NY&NO locomotive No.1. Mr. Harrison was thrown from the wagon and sustained a minor flesh wound from a broken crosstie on the right leg. He was later reported to be partially paralyzed.
• March 11, 1904 – William H. Harding, a conductor on the New Orange Junction Four Railroad (NY&NO), was fatally injured while coupling cars and died May 13. The accident was a result of carelessness on the part of Mr. Harding.
• 1905 – James Gray, an engineer on the Rahway Valley Railroad, was thrown from the cab of locomotive No.3 while running at full speed. His leg was crushed so badly that it was amputated.

Both from the annual reports of the NY&NO and the RV, can be found on Google.

In 1906 No.3 was wrecked after traveling at a high rate of speed near the Rahway River trestle.

Also in 1906 an accident resulted when a passenger train got loose from the locomotive going up the grade to Summit and plowed into a locomotive in Springfield.