MBTA Loco #1073 Photos (Back Bay Wreck)

Other then #1073 I do not recall how much equipment was wrecked in this crash - were there two Amtrak F40s pulling the Night Owl north that morning? It is hard to believe that 19 years have passed since this major wreck. As bad as it was there were NO fatalities as far as I remember.
I kept the clippings and I still have them somewhere...MACTRAXX

Yes, they were indeed two Amtrak F40PHs pulling the Night Owl. 272 and 366. 272 was the lead engine and 366 was the engine behind it.

Coach 303 was retired from the Back Bay wreck in 1988.

D

I was wondering how bad did 1073 get hit? understanding that the Amtrak train was going a good 80 to 91mph.

The 1073 took the brunt of the collision. It ended up on it side (based on a slide I've seen).
Likely had severe frame damage for starters. The 1036 reputedly its replacement as part
of the settlement between the T and Amtrak...

D

StevieC48 wrote: the carnage

The carnage ? Thankfully, there wasn't even one fatality.

MBTA1052: The Night Owl derailed on the curve into Back Bay station at speed but the momentum-even as the derailed train was slowing down-propelled it into the rear
of the stopped MBTA train. I never found out the exact speed of the Night Owl at the time of impact but even if it had slowed down to,say 40 mph it would be strong enough to cause substantial damage as we saw in this wreck. MACTRAXX

I am sure the loco that went up into the street was one of the Amtrak Locomotives not the 1073 as that ended up crushed on it's side. I know I have seen a photo of the loco from the street and you could see the Amtrak number board in the hole!

There were a series of columns between Tracks 3 and 1. The 1073 was wrapped around the fifth column in the series after snapping off the first four.

DAW

(edited on 1/22/10 - I realize now that the columns were between Tracks 3 and 1)

MBTA1052 wrote:I was wondering how bad did 1073 get hit? understanding that the Amtrak train was going a good 80 to 91mph.

What do you mean by the different columns and that 1073 was wrapped a another column.

MBTA1052 wrote:What do you mean by the different columns and that 1073 was wrapped a another column.

There were columns holding up the ceiling of the tunnel. The 1073 was thrown in such a way that it went through 4 of them and then didn't quite make it through the fifth one.

Lets please take anymore personal conversations to PMs... Thanks!

***Paused while I review this thread.***

-otto-

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-otto-

The full NTSB report with pictures is available on their website

http://ntl1.specialcollection.net/scrip ... _railroads

I'm not sure if the above link will work correctly. If not go to

http://dotlibrary.specialcollection.net/

I.C.C. Historical Railroad Investigation Reports (1911-1994)

1990

and click on the lower AMTRAK (the first is a derailment in Iowa)