Skip to content Skip to footer

The Monon Rail Disaster — May 22, 1952

HomeLowell History PagesThe Monon Rail Disaster — May 22, 1952

The Monon Rail Disaster -- May 22, 1952

    Train Wreck
    		 People in front of train wreck
    		 Different angle of train wreck
    Another angle of train wreck
    		 Different angle of train wreck
    		 Another angle of train wreckTwo pictures of the train wreck
From the Chicago Sun-Times, May 22, 1952, pages 1 and 3:

    Wreck in Lowell, Ind.

    BLAZING TRAIN BLASTS TOWN!

    Blasts Rocks Town After Freight Wreck

    Explosions rocked the town of Lowell, Ind., Thursday morning as thousands of gallons of flaming alcohol poured out of a derailed Monon Line freight train.
    Burning tank cars, loaded with alcohol, gasoline and fuel oil, tied up travel on the town's main street and highway leading to Indianapolis. Thirty cars of the 69-car train left the rails.
    The derailed cars plunged into the town's depot, setting it ablaze. Police said the depot crumbled "like a house of cards."
    NO ONE INJURED
    No one was killed or hurt, police said after hours of searching through the smoldering debris.
    The fire, seen in the night sky for miles, was under control after 150 firemen fought it for more than six hours.
    Indiana state police said it was "a miricle" no one was in the station at the time.
    Thousands of residents in the Lowell area, which is about 35 miles south of Chicago in Lake County, Ind., rushed to the scene.
    In the center of town derailed cars were piled four deep. Flames, drawn upward by the volatile alcohol, shot three stories high.
    SERIES OF EXPLOSIONS
    The first explosion was followed by a series of blasts as the burning fuel seeped into the sewers. The explosions sent manhole covers high into the air.
    One witness said, "They went up like tiddlywink disks."
    The blasts knocked pictures and mirrors off walls, smashed windows and dishes for blocks around.
    Firemen sprayed the tank cars with foamite.
    Bud Quale, 28, of Lowell, a witness, said the wreck seemed to have been caused by a faulty wheel. He said he thought one wheel on a car buckled.
    'SWAY AND PILE UP'
    "Then the cars swayed and piled up and began to burn," he told police.
    The heat from the blazing alcohol kept firemen 100 feet away. Harold Heuson, 43, Lowell volunteer fireman said :
    "We thought the whole town was going up, but the boys really pitched in to stop it.
    "If the tank cars had gone 100 feet farther, though, there wouldn't have been much we could have done to save the business section."
    The firefighters prevented additional explosions by focusing the hoses of seven pump trucks and a foamite unit on several cars full of alcohol that had not caught fire from the other burning cars.
    EN ROUTE FROM HAMMOND
    The train was en route from Hammond to Lafayette, Ind., on the Monon's main line.
    Police Chief Harry N. Brown of Lowell said the cars left the rails as the train passed through the downtown district. The tank cars turned over, bursting into flame, and other derailed cars piled up alongside the railroad right-of-way.
    Monon road officials had no comment on the cause of the accident nor estimate of the damage.
From the Hammond Times, May 22, 1952, page 1+:

    Monon Train Splinters Old Depot

    30 Cars Derailed;
    $250,00 Crash Starts Big Fire
    LOWELL -- Alcohol in six tank cars burst into flames here at 12:20 a.m. today when 30 cars of a 68-car Monon freight jumped the tracks and piled up four deep in the center of this centennial-celebrating town.
    The town's business section was threatened when burning alcohol flowed down the streets and into gutters. A number of manhole covers were blown high into the air when the liquid ran into sewers and exploded.
    Firemen from eight surrounding communities fought the flames, which at times leaped up to a height of 40 feet. Departments from Lowell, Crown Point, Cedar Lake, Lake Dalecarlia, Schneider, Shelby, St. John and Gary were still on the scene at 10 o'cock this morning putting out small scattered fires.
    * * *
    THE LOWELL depot, a 50-year-old landmark that had gained significance because of the town's 100th anniversary, was "smashed into kindling" by three freight cars. Later, flaming alcohol spewed over the building and destroyed it.
    Ironically, Lowell recently had requested the Monon to repair and paint the depot because of the town's centennial celebration, scheduled for the latter part of August.
    T.V. Sherrier, Monon superintendent who was on the scene directing operations of two railroad wreckers, said it will take up to midnight for the small army of workmen to clear the main line.
    While he declined to comment on the amount of damage, it was estimated by one railroad official at $250,000. Sherrier said an immediate investigation will be held to determine the cause of the accident.
    * * *
    THE USUAL speed of Monon trains through Lowell is 40 miles an hour, Sherrier stated. A railroad spokesman in Chicago said the smashup probably was caused by a broken wheel.
    The middle 30 cars of the train were derailed, Sherrier explained. He said the first 16 cars were pulled to Louisville by the engine and that the rear 24 cars were hauled back to Hammond. The train was headed out of Chicago for Louisville.
    Twenty-eight of the 30 cars that tipped over were loaded with alcohol, meat, syrup and steel. The other two cars were empty.
    Sherrier said trains will be rerouted from Monon, Ind., to Wilders, where they will be switched over to the Erie tracks which run into Hammond. He said it will take at least two days before all the wreckage is removed.
    * * *
    BUD QUALE, a Lowell mechanic, was one of two eyewitnesses to the crash, He was in his car about 250 feet west of the tracks when the smashup occurred.
    When the cars started toppling, Quale said he backed up quickly, as did a car in front of him, driven by a woman.
    The fire started immediately after the pile-up, Quale said, "and for a while it looked like the whole business district would go up in flames."
    Fire departments, however, started arriving in a matter of minutes, but it took 200 firemen nearly four hours to control the blaze.
    * * *
    COMMERCIAL Ave., Lowell's main street, was still completely blocked late this morning by freight cars jammed on top of each other to a height of 30 feet.
    Harold Heuson, 43-year-old volunteer fireman from Lowell, said intense heat kept firemen 100 feet away and hampered efforts to bring the blaze under control.
    "We thought the whole town was going up," Heuson said, "but the boys really pitched in to stop it. If the tank cars had gone 100 feet further, though, there wouldn't have been much we could have done to save the business section."
    Firefighters feared the alcohol would "let go" after several small explosions rocked the area, but seven pump trucks spraying water and one foamite unit prevented a large blast.
    * * *
    AFTER THE wreck occurred, nearly all of Lowell's 1,700 residents rushed to the scene. This morning, 12 deputy sheriffs headed by Chief Deputy Sandor Singer were attempting to keep back the crowd and prevent injury.
    "Meat, syrup, steel and splintered and smoldering cars jammed up for a distance of 800 feet along the tracks. Some of the alcohol flowed as far as 400 feet down the street, pouring into a sewer in front of the Cullen Chevrolet Sales shop.
    Many residents were seen carrying off battered cans of meat, but a railroad official explained that because of the damage the meat is useless.
    Shortly after the crash, a group of Lowell women, headed by Mrs. Fred Hutton, set up a coffee and sandwich stand to feed volunteer firemen who worked throughout the night.
    The Monon superintendent explained that safety valves on the tank cars carrying alcohol prevented what might have been a tragic explosion.
From the Chicago Herald American, May 22, 1952, page 1:

    6 RAIL CARS EXPLODE IN FIERY CRASH

    Station Cars Pile Up in Streets
    A 69-car Monon Railroad express freight bound for Louisville from Chicago was derailed in Lowell, Ind., early today, and six cars of denatured alcohol exploded into flames that threatened the business district.
    Thirty cars left the tracks in the center of the rown, which is 45 miles south of Chicago in Lake County.
    Some of them piled into the Lowell passenger station, flattening it. Others sprawled over the main street, in some instances three cars high.
    ALCOHOL BLOWS UP
    Flames from the 48,000 gallons of alcohol in the six cars rose many hundred feet, attracting several thousand people in the area for miles around. Each of the six cars exploded with a roar, waking the townspeople, who also gathered at the scene.
    Lowell fire chief Harold Brownell sent out a call for help, which was answered by the fire departments of 10 communities, including Gary, Hammond, Cedar Lake and Crown Point.
    $250,000 DAMAGE
    At least 150 firemen battled the flames, which spread to many of the other derailed cars. The fire lasted four hours. Damage was estimated at more than $250,000.
    William Elliott, conductor of the train; Claude Smith, engineer, and William Holmes, fireman, all of Lafayette, told state police they believed the derailment was caused by a split rail or by locking of the wheels of one of the cars.
    HINT SABOTAGE
    They also pointed out the possibility the train was deliberately wrecked, though there was no evidence to support it.
    Derricks sent from the railroad's Hammond yard began moving the derailed cars off the main street and right of the way after the fire was put out. The track is the railroad's main line. Passenger trains and other freights were detoured around Lowell on the Erie Railroad.

From the Lowell Tribune and also found in the clipping files at the Lowell Public Library (LH--Lowell, IN--Disasters):

    28 Freight Cars Derailed At Commercial Avenue Crossing;
    Monon Depot is Demolished

    Broken Wheel Causes Accident This Morning; Seven Fire Departments Fight Roaring Blaze from Exploding Alcohol Tank Cars
    One of the worst wrecks in the history of the Monon railroad occurred at about 1:20 this morning when a broken wheel on a box car caused derailment of 28 cars on the Commercial avenue crossing in Lowell, piling them up in grotesque fashion along the right-of-way.
    Flames, shooting 75 feet in the air from exploding alcohol tank cars, and from ignited alcohol running east on the street to the bridge, brilliantly lighted the scene.
    The depot, which was to have been remodeled for the coming centennial, was completely demolished when struck by the telescoping cars and the remains burned to ashes from the roaring alcohol blaze. The entire scene from just north of the crossing to a point south of the Legion building is one of devastation, with approximately 500 feet of track torn up, broken power and telephone lines and mangled wreckage of burned up frieght cars.
    No estimate of the total damage had been made as yet this morning, but the figure will run into thousands of dollars.
    Credit for confining the fire to five of the six alcohol tank cars and another filled with molasses goes to fire departments from Lowell, St. John, Cedar Lake, Gary, Shelby, Schneider and Lake Dalecarlia, who fought the raging flames from shortly after the crash until 6 o'clock this morning. One car of alcohol failed to catch fire even though it was lying near the main blaze. When the two Lowell trucks arrived on the scene about 1:25, the entire street from the tracks to the bridge was ablaze with burning alcohol thrown several hundred feet by the exploding tanks. Firemen washed the alcohol down into nearby sewer traps and several smaller explosions resulted from sewer gases.
    Had it not been for the combined efforts of the departments, the two service stations only a few feet west of the tracks and many other nearby buildings would also have been destroyed.
    The engineer of the three diesel unit said that when the crash came he cut the engines loose, not knowing what was happening. The broken wheel on one of the cars allowed the undercarriage to drop and ties were mangled for several blocks before the derailment occurred on the crossing.
    It was estimated by Monon employees that traffic would be tied up for three days before the wreckage can be cleared and new tracks laid.
    If one can term such a disaster "a lucky accident," this one should be considered so. Had it happened during the day a number of people probably would have been killed. Each time the gates go down during the day, autos line up on either side of the tracks on the busy state highway in addition to the normal town activities which occur in the vicinity. As it is no one was injured.
    The firemen's auxiliary served coffee to the local and neighboring fire fighters throughout the night, and at 4:00 a.m. Matt's restaurant held an open house breakfast for all the firemen. Also extending hospitality all through the night were Hardings, Inc., and Mrs. Lovisa Love Jones, whose home became headquarters for Chicago newsmen and photographers who arrived at the scene about 2:00 a.m. Among them were Tom Connors of the Chicago Tribune, Charles Simmons of the Herald-American, and Paul Vincent of the Sun-Times.
    The human interest in the story concerns the depot. Only last week, in answer to a request of the Lowell Garden club, Mr. Barriger, president of the Monon, promised to remodel the depot before the centennial celebration, August 29, 30, 31 and September 1.
From the Lowell Tribune, May 29, 1952, page 1, and also found in the clipping files at the Lowell Pulbic Library (LH--Lowell, IN--Disasters):

    30 Freight Cars Derailed at Commercial Avenue Crossing;
    Monon Depot Demolished

Picture of flaming train wreck
    The scene above taken by Jim Baker, Tribune photographer and also a Lowell fireman, shows tongues of flame shooting skyward from five ignited Monon alcohol tank cars at the height of the conflagration at about 2:00 a.m. last Thursday morning.
    The crash, thought to have been caused by a broken wheel, piled up 30 cars of the 69 car freight on the Commercial avenue crossing in what was said to have been the most cars involved in one train wreck in the history of the nation where no one was killed or injured.
    Even before flames were entirely extinguished, two huge railroad cranes arrived on the scene at about 9 o'clock that morning and began the monumental task of clearing the tons of debris from the right-of-way so a temporary track could be laid. This was accomplished in record time and the first train rolled through Lowell at 9:00 a.m. Friday, after section crews and cranemen had worked around the clock.
    When the Lowell fire department arrived about five minutes after the crash and found a wall of flame almost to Cullen's gargage, other departments were called from Crown Point, Schneider, St. John, Lake Dalecarlia, Shelby, Gary and Cedar Lake. Had it not been for the combined efforts of approximately 70 firemen who worked from shortly after the wreck at 1:20 a.m. to 6 o'clock, Lowell would probably have had a much worse fire than the one in 1898 which burned several business houses on the south side of Commercial Ave. The Lowell department stood watch all day and evening and several times extinguished small fires which flared up in the rubble.
    Mrs. Hugh Hutton, Mrs. Lowell Bydalek and members of the firemen's auxiliary took food from their lockers and cupboards and fed the firemen during the night.
    Monon crews, after nearly a week's work, now have the right-of-way nearly back to normal but the absence of a depot lends a naked appearance to the scene.
This clipping, from an unknown source, can be found in the Lowell Public Library's clipping files (LH--Lowell, IN--Disasters):

    Speed Work To Clean Up Lowell Wreck

    LOWELL -- A crew of 50 men, working all night long under auxiliary flood lights, were expected to clear the rails of the Monon railraod lines and resume traffic by tonight or early tomorrow, officials have indicated.
    Lowell was the scene early yesterday of a devastating train wreck, in which 30 of 68 cars jumped the tracks and piled up four deep in the center of town. Six tank cars burst into flames. The railroad station was destroyed by the fire.
    Two train wrecking crews are working from opposite ends of the wreckage in an effort to clear the tracks as soon as possible. Temporary tracks will be installed in an effort to restore near-normal service. Railroad through traffic has been blocked since the time of the wreck, at 12:20 a.m.
    * * *
    THE LOWELL Fire Department was called back to the scene at midnight last night to extinguish a small blaze which sprung up in the floor of the gutted depot. The Lowell volunteer force had worked until 9 p.m. to wet down the gutted gas tanks and prevent further damage.
    By this morning, all six of the tank cars, containing 180 proof government alcohol, had been removed as a safety measure.
    * * *
    SCORES OF spectators, many from Hammond, Gary and East Chicago, arrived at the scene last night. Many received packaged hams and pork from one of the wrecked cars. But the bulk of the meat was hauled away yesterday with a semi-trailer truck, according to Bob Cullen, Lowell auto dealer.
    One car of barley was ruined by water, and will be hauled away at a total loss, railroad officials said.
    Railroad officials failed to comment on the cause of the accident, but it is believed that the pile-up occurred when an iron wheel broke on one of the freight trucks.
From the Lowell Tribune, May 29, 1952, page 1:

    Old Landmark Passes on at Age 70

    The Monon depot, leveled last Thursday morning in the train pile-up on the Commercial Avenue crossing, at the age of approximately 70 years, was one of Lowell's old timers.
    The station had several close calls from flying train parts and once when several cars were derailed in front of the building, signal arms were knocked down a few feet from its doors. Frank Maloy, who served as depot agent from 1903 until the 1930's, once dove out of a window (it was closed at the time) when a derailed car clipped off a few steel poles against the building. Frank said when he heard the crash, he pictured a freight car coming through the depot and promptly dove throught the window on the opposite side without waiting to find out. He suffered no ill effects from his perfectly executed swan dive but he had to replace the window glass.
    Joe Cassady, the present Monon agent, when told how lucky he was that the accident happened when he was off duty, remarked that it wouldn't have made any difference because every time a train went through he always made certain that he was outside the building. Having heard stories told on former agents, he always viewed passing trains from his favorite spot--behind a large tree near the driveway to the Legion building.
The following June 19, 1952, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 1, columns 3-4. Sadley, the accompanying photo was too blurred to use.

    Substitute Monon Depot "Open for Business"

    The above scene shows the spot where the pile-up of 30 Monon freight cars occurred about a month ago. Now, however, it is once again back to normal with the exception of a permanent depot. The right-of-way has been terraced better than it was before and all rail and other repair has been completed. Lowell has been promised a new depot to replace the temporary baggage car moved in after the old depot was destroyed, but the car has been painted and remodeled to suit the purpose until the new one is built.

    In order to relieve the odor caused from decaying meat, cheese and molasses buried in the ground from the wreck, Monon officials are considering spreading lime over the entire area.

A copy of the following newspaper article, hand-dated August 17, 1953, was found in a scrapbook owned by Town Historian Richard Schmal:
    August 17th marked an important date for folks of the Lowell community as well as officials of the Monon's Hoosier line. Both are justly proud of the new station which was dedicated in fitting ceremonies.

    To show their appreciation for the fine new station which the Monon added to Lowell's business district, local business people closed their establishments at noon and joined in the dedicatory service.

    Loyal Alyea, president of the Commercial club of Lowell, was master of ceremonies. He introduced Rev. E.L. Worley, who in his dedication vocation, praised God for the many blessings with which He favors Lowell.

    Principal speaker was Warren W. Brown, president of the Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville Railroad. Mr. Brown has been a railroad executive since 1924, soon after his discharge from the Marine Corps. On January 1, 1953, he assumed the presidency of the Monon.

    Mr. Brown told of the comfort and convenience train travel offers and urged local citizens, business people and students to make their trips to Chicago, Hammond, and down to Purdue University and Indianapolis via the Monon.

    Alyea presented Fred Kuhn, Monon vice-pres.of traffic, John Stewart, assistant treasurer, Carl Bick, vice-pres. of operations, and Mr. John Clark of Northern Indiana Public Service Co., who pointed out Lowell's progressiveness in obtaining new mercury vapor lighting.

    Alvah Pletcher, president of the town board, on behalf of the community, congratulated Monon officials on their splendid new depot which is an attractive addition to Lowell.

    A recording of the national anthem concluded the ceremony and Mr. Alyea, through the courtesy of the Monon, invited the large assemblage of interested folks to enjoy free refreshments served in the Legion building. Members of the Lowell Garden club, wearing their Centennial costumes, acted as hostesses for the occasion.

    Perhaps Melvin A. Halsted's (founder of Lowell) greatest achievement was the securing of a railroad for his town. The drive was begun in 1874 and through Halsted's persistent efforts and unselfish financial losses, the town and community has long enjoyed the benefits of the Monon railroad. In April of 1881, when the first train crossed the main street in Lowell, Halsted was saluted as the "Railroad King" of that day. He had invested $20,000 of his personal funds in the construction of the Lowell to Cedar Lake right-of-way.

    Lowell grew rapidly after the coming of the Monon and via its rails went lumber, grain, and livestock. Veal calves and milk were shipped daily into Chicago on the "milk train." The Monon featured special excursions to Chicago for week end cruises on Lake Michigan, attendance at latest stage plays as well as for shopping. In the 1890's, Cedar Lake was the Chicagoans week end rendezvous, so the Monon's passenger traffic was heavy to and from that city.

    Lowell's old depot, a landmark for more than 70 years, was destroyed in the historic train wreck which rocked Lowell on May 22, 1952.

Further Information on the Monon Train Wreck in Lowell, Indiana
Last updated on August 18, 2008

For information on other Monon Railroad events in the area, go to Happenings on the Monon Railroad.
Go to Fires--1952--train wreck, "Pioneer History Index," for more information.

Return to Lowell History