Old 97 Mural - Danville, Virginia
N 36° 35.318 W 079° 23.460
17S E 643935 N 4050444
This mural shows the Wreck of the Old 97 which crashed in 1903 near Danville, Virginia.
Waymark Code: WM2X27
Location: Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 01/02/2008
Views: 91
The wreck of the Old 97 occurred on September 27, 1903, when Southern Railway Mail Train jumped the tracks near Danville, Virginia. The Train known as Old 97 had a reputation for never being late and was almost an hour behind scheduled when it pulled into the station at Monroe, Virginia. It was here that Joseph A. “Steve” Broadey took controls of Engine number 1102. Broadey was instructed to get Old 97 into Spencer, North Carolina on time. The distance from Monroe to Spencer is 166 miles and if Old 97 were on time it would have to average about 40 m.p.h., but since the train was already almost an hour behind schedule, Broadey would have to average 51 m.p.h. in order to arrive in Spencer on time.
As Old 97 approached Stillhouse Trestle at Danville, Virginia, it was estimated that the train was traveling between 50 and 70 m.p.h., too fast to make the curve leading onto the trestle. The Old 97 plunged into the ravine below killing 11-people including Broadey. The Wreck of the Old 97 inspired a ballad by the same name, which was first record in 1924 by Vernon Dalhart. For more information concerning the Wreck of the Old 97:
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This mural is located at the corner of Memorial Drive and Craighead Street across the Dan River from the crash site. Pictured in the mural is engine 1102 and its crew including the engineer, brakeman and fireman, and the sightseers at scene of the crash. The mural was created in 3-weeks by Wes Hardin and stands 46-feet X 74-feet. For more information concerning this mural and the other Murals located in Danville:
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