Winslow Junction Train Derailment-DESTINATION ANYWHERE

On this episode of Destination Anywhere, we examine the 1922 Winslow Junction Train Derailment and then visit the site of some leftover railroad history.
#TheMickeyShuffle
Special Thanks to Paul W. Schopp for his expertise on the subject. Follow him on Twitter @jerseyhistorian
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Twitter: / mickey_shuffle
Facebook: / mjfranz2
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[@AsBobSeesIt]

My Mom (who insured I knew ALOT of South Jersey History) never told me about this but she wasn't born until 1924. I've driven through Winslow about a billion (estimated) times and never knew about this. Thanks for making sure South Jersey history isn't buried under casino history.

[@TheMickeyShuffle]

Hi Bob, I'm glad you liked it and I will do my best!

[@franmctamney8018]

This one is especially interesting since I worked for the railroad for 39 years but never heard about this derailment. Tragic. Thanks for putting it out there.

[@TheMickeyShuffle]

Thanks Fran. I'm glad u liked it!

[@joemellon5444]

Owl Flyer was the name of the train, their was a post in Winslow giving a history of it until it was stolen.

[@adam-the-gainer]

@@joemellon5444 The Blue Comet was also famous for going through Winslow to go to Atlantic City

[@bracdude181]

Supposedly that old interlocking tower has been filled up with PTC equipment but I can't confirm that. That rail yard there is actually still used somewhat. The Southern Railroad of New Jersey is based in Winslow Junction and they usually Store cars in that area. One SRNJ train goes to Pleasantville via the Atlantic City Line to serve a few customers. The other train runs to an asphalt plant a few miles away. Don't know how often the train to Pleasantville runs, but the asphalt train runs 3-4 times a year max.

[@fleshbuttbongos]

Stumbled on this place a few years back, didn't know about the history of this place till I came across this video. Went out there today to take some pictures, but everything's gone now. Seems like it's an active railway again.

[@TheMickeyShuffle]

Wow, that's pretty crazy but I guess good something is happening there again!

[@jdhorn123]

The base of the old tower that was involved in the wreck is still there. The tower in the video is not the one in question. The Atlantic type engine, reading number 349 was overturned and landed on the track that goes under the two bridges that lead to the active 80mph trains of New Jersey transit. Reading company Engine number 349 was rebuilt after the wreck. It was a camelback type (the cab sits over the center of the boiler)and the engineer, not the conductor could not see the signal. The tower operator thought the passenger train was a slow moving freight train and had the tracks lined up for that route to go down the cape may branch.

[@TheMickeyShuffle]

Thanks for the info Jdhorn123!

[@ralphbalfoort2909]

The line to Atlantic City that's shown in the diagram of the wreck site has been shortened to a single track that curves to the south to become a second connection to what's shown as the West Jersey & Seashore RR. The right-of-way toward AC has been built over, with part of it apparently becoming North Egg Harbor Road.

[@TheMickeyShuffle]

Thanks for the info Ralph. Figuring out these lines was probably the hardest part in putting this together. I had to call in some railroad guys for some help! Thanks for watching!

[@EnigmaticJack]

John Nace, the conductor on the Owl that day, was my great grandfather

[@TheMickeyShuffle]

Wow Jack sorry about the accident. Quite a piece of NJ history!

[@EnigmaticJack]

The Mickey Shuffle yeah, pretty amazing . I have a article from the local paper that was published in 1957 describing the accident from 1922. Its quite fascinating to read how it was described back then.

[@TheMickeyShuffle]

@@EnigmaticJack I think I saw that posted on the South Jersey Facebook page. It was such an interesting read. I'm so glad to have heard from someone with relation to the incident! My efforts were to document it so more people would know how busy and important that historical junction was at one time!

[@cassvitale7712]

My dad, Mickey Vitale, lived on a farm one half mile from the junction. At the age of 16 in 1922 he heard a loud bang "sounded like a bomb". He and his younger brother ran to the site. In his book "Never a Teenager", he gives a first hand account of the incident and recovery...there was barely a week that went by in his 90 years that he didn't reflect on that night. A copy of his book is at the Winslow Junction Historical site. His book is his personal account of life from 1906 thru his death in 1997...Russ Vitale

[@dawndipierro373]

I’ve lived in New Jersey my entire life and I’ve never heard of this until today. Wow..a lot of stuff happened here in my home state. I would definitely love to see more from New Jersey.

[@TheMickeyShuffle]

I'm glad you have enjoyed what you have seen. I'm trying to get more out there:) Thanks again

[@dawndipierro373]

The Mickey Shuffle I can’t wait to see more. You’re welcome.

[@frankmorlino3659]

Walked all through those trains and surroundings as a kid. I loved it

[@TheMickeyShuffle]

Wow, Frank, that's so cool. It must have been an interesting place to roam around as a kid! Hope you enjoyed the video!

[@AmericasParks]

Really done well, Mickey! Heard about this place, but learned a lot from your video. A pleasure to watch!

[@TheMickeyShuffle]

Thanks so much, man! I really appreciate it! I been trying to keep up with your stuff but I fell behind a bit! I will catch up soon! Keep on rockin!

[@patrocman4818]

Thanks for the video mickey. Was great to learn about it. I hadnt know the story

[@TheMickeyShuffle]

Thanks Pat! I appreciate the support. Always looking for little known Jersey stories!

[@lesjones5684]

Please look up the train explosion in pitman New Jersey it was long ago 😢😢😢

[@wvtreasurehunters2319]

Enjoyed thanks for the great history

[@TheMickeyShuffle]

You're the best, man! I really appreciate it.

[@bobbyspapercraft]

Very cool! Never heard about this one. I need to go and check it out.

[@TheMickeyShuffle]

Awesome and thanks for watching!

[@kaitlynmarie6223]

Friends and I took photos here and the brick factory

[@emilyramirez5644]

is it safe to go?

[@delcasaleexcavating9508]

New Sub today... stumbled upon your channel because I saw the Winslow junction title...my in-laws live there... great content !! Regards,Tom

[@TheMickeyShuffle]

Thanks so much! I'm glad you enjoyed!

[@delcasaleexcavating9508]

@@TheMickeyShuffle excellent !

[@lesjones5684]

It was in the pitman book 😢

[@red_409]

Just went there today, they cleaned up but still got to get inside some of the relics left

[@TheMickeyShuffle]

Hey there...I haven't been there since I went. What did they clean up? Glad you got to check it out and thanks for watching!

[@joemellon5444]

Not much in the storage of old cars there anymore. Most have been scrapped or sold off.

[@kenweis2291]

I went by there twice a day for a year....only 1 lane wide under the hi speed overpass....no yield sign or anything back in 01

[@kevinh.2047]

I would like to suggest West Jersey Rails Quarterly publication Vol 7, No. 4 that has a write up of this famous wreck. Should help clear up any questions one would have.

[@TheMickeyShuffle]

Thanks Kevin!

[@lesjones5684]

Please make a video

[@shootertrns]

I like the video and the editing but you kind of shortened up and skimmed over a lot of the detail in the junction itself.. The Reading railroad control the Atlantic railroad and the Pennsylvania railroad which parallels it from Winslow all the way to Lantic city was the Camden and Atlantic. The tower that is viewed to this day was always a Pennsylvania Tower there was a tower that was built before it just next to it I have photo if you want to see it. That accident would have occurred on the Reading railroad which would be the bridge to the south of the red colored bridge and the ditch witch I believe they called a hole is the inner change track of the comes off the Pennsylvania railroad over to the Reading Cape May branch which was built in 1933 when they joined both the Reading and the Pennsylvania railroad to become the Pennsylvania Reading Seashore Lines

[@TheMickeyShuffle]

Hi John, thank you for watching and thanks for the additional information and feedback! I appreciate it.

[@newjerseyrailfanproduction6677]

All those abandoned trains: are now not there. The only remains are the SRNJ locomotives the coobose and a conrail boxcar and further down the bottom line there’s well cars

[@TheMickeyShuffle]

Oh wow, that's such a shame! A nice piece of history!

[@nelsonavery5069]

I grew up 2 miles from there but never heard that story, thanks for sharing! You left out something people should know, though! Those decrepit cars are there because Winslow Junction was repurposed not long ago and they strip down and refurbish old cars! If you just turn around, there are new sheds and structures built to accommodate that new activity; they were not there just 20 years ago.

[@TheMickeyShuffle]

I'm so glad you liked the movie and thank you for the new information! Since I put the video out I realized a few things I could have added. I appreciate your feedback!

[@soulife8383]

I've worked for them for years, and this isn't exactly accurate depending on what you mean by recently. They stripped down an old Delco loco and salvaged some parts from it, but had to shop around not to make a loss on disposal of the scrap. This was just because the old loco was on blocks on conrail's part of the property for too long and needed to go due to the timing of some pending work in the area. There were also 2 NJ Transit cars gutted a few years ago on location, but that was NJ Transit selling their old cars to some place in Las Vegas so they could be repurposed for some Christmas ride on wheels. We just let transit use the property. All of the other engines and passenger cars stored there have been sold to various railroads over the years and have all since been rebuilt by them to the best of my knowledge. Out of everything stored there, the only things that belong to Winslow junction (SRNJ) is the caboose (which has been sold), a flat car (which might not even be our tbh lol), and 1 box car used for storage. Everything else rotting over there (which I think is only 2 or 3 cars now) is owned by the historic society. The track they're stored on isn't even owned by SRNJ, I believe the state leases it to the DOT. Prior to the past 10yrs, going back to the early 90s, have some of those -railcars- locos been used by the railroad for parts? Of course... But that's not what they were there for per se. They were just retired and stored, and eventually sold when proper bids were made. But the railroad has been SRNJ since the early 90s. They're just a short line freight railroad. Those new sheds and structures are related to various projects for various contracts and have nothing to do with any of the storage. Lol.

[@capt.fuzzball8956]

I hope they restore everything there.

[@ericpilich6444]

Same I hope one day those locomotives and rail cars will be restored, and if anyone know about them already I want to see a link of some sort.

[@joemellon5444]

Nice video, what type of drone did you use?

[@TheMickeyShuffle]

Hey thanks Joe! I use a Mavic Air.

[@orhs1967]

I go threw there all the time & use Spring Rd. I have never seen the tower. There is a building across from the abandoned trains that looks like they use it to work on trains. If I am traveling on Spring Rd. toward the White Horse Pike(Rt. 30), where would I look to see the tower?

[@TheMickeyShuffle]

Hi Judy, if you are passing the trains headed towards Route 30 I believe the second bridge you go under is where the tower is. If you just look back and up to the right, you would see it. There's a small parking area there and you can usually take a look at it although you want to make sure not to get close to the tracks as they are still used I believe.

[@kathygorman6615]

Would like to contact Mickey Shuffle about using a still shot from your Winslow Junction Train video.

[@TheMickeyShuffle]

Hi Kathy, Please email me at [e-mail] and let me know what you need.

[@Mercedesshippy]

ou know they're still using the railroad

[@kenweis2291]

90mph? 70mph its the same

[@jimicocobop]

I seriously hate graffiti. The scourge of America.

[@TheMickeyShuffle]

Couldnt agree more!