It was the 9th
of March, 1947 and that night the weather was very bad. A cargo
train was gong south from Dera'a to Amman. There were 10 cars
behind the steam locomotive, a Hartmann 260. There had been heavy
rains that day, and the bridge before Mufraw had been damaged
from the rains and the flash flood. The 3rd and 4th arch washed
out from under the bridge. The driver didn't realize that disaster
was coming to him as the locomotive began crossing the bridge.
He couldn't see the missing arches under the rails. The locomotive
suddenly plunged through the bridge with six cars falling ontop
of it. The last four cars remained on the tracks. Fortunately
no one was killed although some were wounded. This was the largest
accident on the Hedjaz Railway.
Below: The Hartman locomotive
after the accident, when it arrived at Mufraq station.
Below: A tender from the
1947 crash laying upside down.
