South Bend train wreck

{{Short description|1859 railroad accident in Indiana}}

{{Infobox public transit accident

| name = South Bend Train Wreck

| image = SouthBendWreck.jpg

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| caption = Wood engraved view of wreck from Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, New York, dated July 16, 1859

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| date = {{start date and age|1859|06|27}}

| time = Just before midnight

| location = between Mishawaka and South Bend, Indiana

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| country = United States

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| operator = Michigan Southern Railroad

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| type = Embankment washed away

| cause = Blocked culvert

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| trains = 1

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| passengers = 150

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| deaths = 42

| injuries = 50

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The South Bend Train Wreck (known also as the Great Mishawaka Train Wreck{{cite web| url=http://mishawaka.in.gov/timeline| author=City of Mishawaka, Indiana| title=Mishawaka's History Timeline| year=2002–2012}}) occurred on June 27, 1859, between Mishawaka and South Bend in Indiana on the Michigan Southern Railroad killing 42 people and injuring 50 more.Haine, p. 43.

The train concerned was the Night Express from Chicago to Toledo carrying about 150 passengers. Just before midnight it was crossing an embankment known as the Springbrook BridgeHaine, pp 99-100. over a {{convert|25|ft|adj=on}} deep ravine at a speed of {{convert|10|to|20|mph|abbr=on}} when the embankment collapsed, plunging the entire train into a torrent of water, drowning many.

According to the Chicago Daily Journal: "The engine was literally buried in the opposite side of the ravine in quicksand and mud, and the tender, baggage and express car, and two second class cars, were shattered almost into kindling wood, and piled on top of the engine. The two first class passenger cars followed, and were torn to pieces and carried down the stream, while the sleeping car, although making the leap with the rest was less injured".{{cite news| url=http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~instjose/disasters/train_wreck_june_1859.htm| newspaper=Chicago Journal| others=transcriber: Julie Chitwood| date=June 28, 1859| title=Terrible Railroad Calamity| publisher=RootsWeb}}{{Better source needed|date=December 2021}} There had been extreme rainfall in the area the previous afternoon and evening and it is thought that the culvert beneath the embankment became blocked causing build-up of water behind the embankment which collapsed as the train was crossing. The westbound train had passed over safely at 8:30 p.m.{{Better source needed|date=December 2021}}

One body was found in the St. Joseph River a mile below the creek; other bodies were discovered buried completely in sand and a week after the accident the death toll was 41 persons,{{cite news| url=http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~instjose/disasters/train_wreck_june_1859.htm| newspaper=Davenport Daily Gazette| location=Davenport, IA| date=July 4, 1859| title=The Railroad Tragedy| others=transcriber: Julie Chitwood| publisher=RootsWeb}} though some sources estimate the death toll as much as 60 or 70.{{cite news| url=https://www.gendisasters.com/indiana/10900/south-bend-in-railroad-disaster-july-1859| title=The Terrible Railroad Slaughter on the Michigan Southern Railroad| newspaper=Chicago Times| date=June 29, 1859| others=transcriber: Stu Beitler| publisher=GenDisasters}}

The site of the accident is close to the present intersection of Ironwood Road and Lincoln Way West.