Photos of the Day: Naperville, Illinois Rail Disaster (1946)

On April 26, 1946, the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad's Advanced Flyer, stopped in the Naperville, Illinois Railroad Station, was rammed by the Burlington's Exposition Flyer coming through on the same track at 80 mph.  Forty-seven people died and 125 were injured in the wreck. Charles Cushman happened to be in the area with his camera. He began shooting 15 minutes after the wreck occurred.

Removing the injured and killed from the wreckage. Click photos to enlarge.

Remnants of the smashed steel dining car.  LEFT-CLICK photos for larger view.

Comments

[Mark H]

I'd never heard of this train wreck. Amazing how these events quickly fade from public memory.

[St Sirmack]

Train stations can be dangerous places and not just because of the trains.

[Robert Schrader]

Hi You have the date wrong it was April 25th 1946 and that was 62 years ago. My Father was standing by the tracks watching men from the Advanced flyer look under the carriage when he saw the Exposition flyer come around the curve and he witnessed the fireman on the Exposition Flyer jump and get killed (only person on the second train to die) he ran inside Kroehler's and phone the operator to call the police and fireman. then went outside and the first thing that happened was someone handed him a baby and he held the baby for an hour or so before someone took the bgaby then he helped in getting people out of the wreck. His office area and warehouse at Kroekler's was used as a temporary morgue. My Dad testified at Wheaton during the Grand Jury inquest into the accident and my Dad is 97 this month and could tell you a lot more. i believe he is the last person alive to witness the wreck.

[Dr X]

Yes, Robert,of course, it was sixty-two years not fifty-two years. There goes my dementia acting up again. And, thanks very much for the additional information.

[William H. Huntington]

I remember the accident and I remember that teacher Mr Mali.....? was one of the responders as he was for that time a what you would call a early EMT. I remember he was one of the first responders to it. He also ran the big swimming pool at the end of the road that was along side of the railroad track that the coal cars and oil cars that were taken down to the coal yard at the river.
Bill Huntington

[Barbara Widder Heintz]

Our house was on 4th avenue, so the train wreak happened
nearly in our front yard.My Father was a fireman (he is in two
of the pictures) I recall him handing my Mother a child over the fence so that she could care for him until they could
find his Mother. Also I remember the insulation from the
train cars floating in the air like snow.

[Cindy Creevy]

My Father told me about this train wreck one day in late 1980's. We were on a walk with the children on Naperville's river walk. We came across the Map near the library. He said his father worked near by where the train wreck was (I believe it was in an old furnture factory that is now 5th ave. station) and my Grandfather was able to help people comming off the train. Dad was 8 years old at the time. Both Dad and Grandpa are gone now. I've heard the story but never saw photos...Wow. I've taken my children to the map near the library in downtown naperville many times and told them too so it will not be forgotten.

[Will]

It is a shame this happened.My family was in railroading for over 100 years and to this day it can be a dangerous job.
In recent years, we hear of police officers and firefighters being "heroes" but everyone is a hero in some way, including railroaders, truck drivers, convenience store clerks, factory workers and others. We take many things for granted.