On the evening of December 15, 1923, there was a head-on collision between two Missouri Pacific passenger trains, northbound train #106 (the Rainbow Special) and southbound train #103 (the Central Division passenger local). No. 106 had taken siding and stopped at Amboy, Arkansas, about 1.5 miles beyond Levy/North Little Rock, and was awaiting the passage of #103. According to Interstate Commerce Commission Accident Report #1017, someone (most likely the train porter on #106 who also functioned as the head brakeman) lined the switch from the mainline to the siding right in front of #103. As a result, #103 ran into the siding, struck #106 head-on, resulting in the deaths of the engine crew on #106 and a hobo riding the train.

The behavior of a “panic” lining of a switch in this fashion was common enough that many rulebooks instructed brakemen to line the switch properly, lock it, and then move to the opposite side of the track to inspect the passing train. Perhaps someone more conversant with the MP operating rules of 1923 can verify whether those instructions were indeed in effect.

The photograph is courtesy of Judy Dickerson Parker, and a PDF file of the ICC report is also included.

Bill Pollard

[attachment=1:2xvebee1]Amboy-wreck.jpg[/attachment:2xvebee1]

[attachment=0:2xvebee1]Amboy-1923-wreck.pdf[/attachment:2xvebee1]