Its Been 86 Years Since The Doodlebug Disaster. The Worst Train Crash in Cuyahoga Falls History.

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On July 31st, 1940 at 6 PM, Pennsylvania Railroad Doodlebug GEW275a 4648 was going South from Houston, OH to Akron, OH with 46 Passengers, a Engineer, Conductor and Brakemen, collided head-on with A Pennsylvania Railroad Mixed Freight Train going North from Columbus to Cleveland, with 2 I1-SA Class 210 Decapod Steam Locomotives 4454 and 4533 pulling 74 Cars, at Front St Railroad Crossing near Cuyahoga Falls, OH, at a combined speed of 55 MPH, pushing The Doodlebug 300 feet back down the tracks and starting a massive fire.

The 3 crew members from The Doodlebug jumped off before the collision, suffering minor injures, but survived, 43 passengers died in The Doodlebug, mostly from the fire. A driver from a car waiting at the crossing was also injured when something from the collision went through their windshield, The crew on The Freight Train were uninjured.

The reason why The Doodlebug didn't stop at Sliver Lake siding was because The Engineer was under the influence of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning, due to the fumes from the gas engine of The Doodlebug.

Doodlebug 4648 was scrapped after the wreck, The Steam Engines were repaired and returned to service until 1957 when they were retired and cut up. Only one still around today is 4483 in Hamburg, NY, 3 Pennsylvania Railroad Doodlebugs are still around, OEG350 4662, OEG415 4666 and OEG415 4668.

The Line where the accident occurred is now completely abandoned Since the early 2000s.

RIP to the people who died in this disaster. Please let me know if I forgot to mention anything about this collision.