Thirty-two people died horribly in the dining car after the train struck a defective switch. The following event happened in Honda, California, in 1907.
32 Die in Train Wreck
Thirty-two persons were killed in a wreck of the Shriners’ special train on the Southern Pacific coast line at Honda Saturday afternoon.
Of the two-score or more injured many are terribly hurt and probably will die.
The wreck took place one hour and forty-five minutes after the conclave visitors, forming a merry party, had passed the morning sightseeing in Santa Barbara.
The train was running 60 miles an hour when it struck a defective switch at Honda. In an instant the bog locomotive, baggage car, diner and Pullman coupled with it were hurled together in a huge heap of wreckage.
The engine shot forward on the broken track, tearing up the rails and ties and twisting the huge iron spans like fishhooks. The baggage car half buried itself in the sand on the right side of the locomotive and was smashed almost to kindling wood.
The dining car, in which were 32 persons eating their noonday meal, leaped into the air and was thrown directly on top of the demolished locomotive.
Nearly every person in this coach was killed. Scores were scalded by steam escaping from disconnected pipes in the kitchen of the diner.
It is said that after the wreck occurred Conductor Jones climbed the nearest telegraph pole and with a telegraph instrument provided for such purposes succeeded in tapping one of the dispatcher’s wires. Connected with the San Luis Obispo division office, he told of the wreck.
The men at the other end of the line doubted his story, believing someone was playing a prank, but consternation followed when in confirmation of his identity the conductor read a copy of his last order.
The news immediately was sent to Santa Barbara and other points.
Source: Wood County reporter. (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.), 23 May 1907.
