Collision At Troy

New Hampshire Sentinle, May 6, 1891 - The Fitchburg Night Express Runs into the Rear of a Freight Train. – A collision occurred at Troy station, April 28th, between the night express tram from Boston and freight train No. 20, which resulted in the demolishing and burning of a saloon car, the derailment of one or two freight cars, and some injury to the forward part of the passenger locomotive, No. 216.  No one was injured.  It appears that two west bound freight trains, Nos. 16 and 20, had the right of road to Troy ahead of the express which was to pass them at the station.  A wild train which was ahead of No. 16, and going in the same direction, has some difficulty in getting up the grade this side of Fitzwilliam, but had been able to run as far as Marlboro’ ahead of the time of the express.  Train No. 20, which was the last of these freights, found itself getting too close to the express train’s time before reaching Troy.  Fuses were therefore thrown off and a brakeman, with signals, was also dropped off to warn the express.

This brakeman was in due time picked up the express, which then proceeded to run, cautiously, to Troy.  On approaching the station, the engineer of the passenger train doubtless saw the freight had already arrived at the station, and supposed it has hauled off upon the side track, and that the main line was clear for him to pass.  Such was not the case, however, and the engine of the passenger train collided with the caboose upon the rear of the freight, which with a portion of the cars at least, stood upon the main tracks.  The locomotive lifted the caboose up upon the boiler and one of two freight cars next to the caboose were detailed and somewhat broken.  The caboose then took fire from the locomotive, and the Troy fire department was called u to extinguish the blaze.
The passenger cars were not injured and the train was brought to Keene, as soon as possible, by the engine of train No. 20 arriving here soon after midnight.  The wrecking train went down from Keene and the tracks were cleared in a few hours.  The side tracks were not obstructed by the wreck so that other trains proceeded as soon as the freights on the siding got out of the way an the fire was put out.  The stack, headlight and pilot of the passenger engine were destroyed.