8. 9th Ave Derailment

9th Avenue Elevated Derailment Accident-NYC
Photo in public domain via Wikimedia Commons

This horrific looking accident took place in 1905, when a 9th Avenue elevated train was mistakenly taken onto an upcoming curve in the track (meant for the Sixth Avenue elevated line) instead of pulling into the 50th Street station. Instead of traveling on the recommended 9 miles per hour for the curve, it was speeding ahead at 30 miles per hour. The second car in the train fell off the track and fell onto the street below. This accident is known as the deadliest one on the city’s elevated rail system, with 13 dead and 48 injured. The motorman jumped town after the accident, was arrested in San Francisco, and put into Sing Sing, from which he escaped in 1909 (but was captured after).