Chesterfield County, Virginia: April 22, 1907 @ 8:15 am, at the 20th mile post on the Seaboard Air Line Railway, 2 miles from Petersburg, an "extra freight" train - No.6, south bound hit 3 people in a horse drawn wagon, killing 2 people. Can anyone tell me anything at all about this accident? I am curious if the 20th mile post is indeed the crossing on Brandersbridge Road, if it was a wrecker train headed to an train wreck in Dinwiddie, and if anyone on board the train were injured. Anything about this wreck would be of interest to me, as one of the people killed was my gr-gr-grandfather, George Perkinson. There seems to be a tale that there once 2 railroad tracks crossing Brandersbridge Road at that time plus a trolley line as well. All information is greatly appreciated! Thank you all!! * Peggy

-- Peggy Scott Edwards (TallChik57@aol.com), July 12, 2002

Answers

Based on the data you provided the tragic accident occurred at the former Seaboard's Lakeview Ave crossing. As I recall, that crossing was located south of a blind curve for southbound trains and in a slight depression. Hope this information is helpful...

-- Herman Wilkins (railrdn@aol.com), July 19, 2002.

Ma'am,

Unfortunately, I don't have any maps that identify the names of roads in the area. However, from the information you provided, the accident happened north of the Appomattox River just south of Lynch (Mile Post 18.7). Lynch was once the site a siding, although I don't know if the siding was installed at that early date. MP 87 was almost exactly three miles north of Seaboard's viaduct over the Appomattox, so that might help you identify the correct road crossing further. As you probably know, the Seaboard is torn up now so you may have some difficulty finding the crossing.

There was indeed an electric railway in that location. Herman Wilkins- -also in the Society--can tell you more about it than I can. It was called the Richmond-Petersburg Electric Rwy and ran between the SAL and ACL lines from Richmond to Petersburg. So...you may find a road crossing but it might be hard to tell if it's the SAL crossing or the old R-P Line crossing.

incidentally, Dinwiddie was 15 miles further south of Petersburg at MP 37.5--so the information you provided is a little conflicting unless you're describing two different accidents. Hope this helps!

John Golden Travis AFB, CA

-- John Golden (Golden1014@yahoo.com), July 12, 2002.