Kingsland Interurban Wreck - Kingsland, IN
N 40° 49.803 W 085° 10.587
16T E 653760 N 4521491
Kingsland Interurban Wreck is the deadliest interurban disaster in U.S. History. The marker is located near the scene along the railroad track in Kingsland, Indiana.
Waymark Code: WM199GZ
Location: Indiana, United States
Date Posted: 01/01/2024
Views: 0
This Indiana historical marker is at the location of the deadliest interurban wreck in United States history. On September 21, 1910, two trains collided killing 41 passengers.
There is an Indiana historical marker near the wreck site that reads:
The interurban electric railway system grew in popularity with commuters for its speed and convenience after 1900. However, accidents were common on the large network of interurban track spread across the state. Two cars on the Fort Wayne & Wabash Valley Traction line, busy with passengers traveling to a county fair, collided north of Kingsland on September 21, 1910.
The larger car failed to pull over at the appointed switch and telescoped the smaller car on a blind curve. Forty-one passengers died, despite the efforts of local residents. The Kingsland wreck led to strengthened safety protocols, such as automated signaling, which caused accidents to decrease. The interurban declined by 1930 with the rise of the automobile.
Note: Historical photo in the gallery credited to
orange bean