© JERRY F. COUCH
On Saturday, June 27, 1908 at about 1:30 p.m., eastbound fast freight #86 of the N& W Line was on its way from Norton to Bluefield. The train was headed up by Engine #386, a heavy Class M steam locomotive* which been in service between Bluefield and Norton for about two weeks.
Approximately two miles outside of St. Paul, the train’s engine jumped the tracks and it, along with six freight cars, rolled over an embankment. Fireman A. L. Meadows, a resident of Dante, was ejected from the engine which then rolled over him, killing him instantly. Engineer James Harvey “Pat” Wyrick. Jr. of Bluefield was severely scalded by steam but lived for two more hours in terrible pain before succumbing to his injuries.
According to contemporary news accounts, the wreck was thought to be a combination of the weight of the Class M engine and the light rails then in use on the N & W tracks between Richlands and Norton. There was no report of injuries to the train’s conductor or brakeman – and (significantly) no statement from either of them was included in newspaper articles.
Wreck crews were dispatched to clear the tracks, a job which took several hours. The bodies of Meadows and Wyrick were taken to Bluefield by special train to be prepared for burial. Meadows’ funeral was held at Dante, and he was buried there. Wyrick’s funeral and burial took place at Speedwell in Wythe County, Virginia.
At the time of their deaths, Meadows was in his 20’s and Wyrick was in his mid-30’s. Meadows was unmarried, but Wyrick left behind a wife and five children.
The picture included in this article was produced by a local photographer and copies were sold to memorialize the tragedy. The copy you see here is exceptionally well-preserved and was shared with me by one of the CVT’s “Friends of History.” It serves as a reminder to us of the dangers faced by railroad employees in bygone years – and now.
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Editor’s Note: According to a report in the World News of Roanoke, a dozen Class M steam locomotives were purchased by the Norfolk & Western Railway in 1907. Some were manufactured by the Baldwin Locomotive Works and others by the American Locomotive Company. Perhaps a knowledgeable railfan can provide additional information about the locomotive seen in this photo.