1895
131 years ago
AccidentFranceSensitive Content

Montparnasse Derailment

Chemins de fer de l'Ouest

Paris

July 14, 1895

Summary

A Granville-Paris express train overran the buffer stop at Gare Montparnasse, crashing through the station wall.

Full Story

On July 14, 1895, the express from Granville entered Paris-Montparnasse at excessive speed due to brake failure on the Westinghouse system. The locomotive and tender plunged 10 meters onto the street below after smashing the station facade. Despite the dramatic scene, only one fatality occurred when a newsstand vendor was struck by falling masonry. The accident highlighted early challenges with continuous braking on steam locomotives and led to improved safety regulations in France.

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Content Advisory

This event contains sensitive content that may not be suitable for all audiences. This incident resulted in 1 fatalities.

Quick Facts

Date
July 14, 1895
Event Type
Accident
Country
France
Years Ago
131

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