On 22 October 1895, the Granville to Paris and Montparnasse express, operated by Chemins de fer de l’Ouest, was made up of steam locomotive No. 721 (a type 2-4-0, French notation 120) hauling three luggage vans, a post van, and six passenger coaches. The train had left Granville on time at 08:45, but was several minutes late as it approached its Paris Montparnasse terminus with 131 passengers on board. In an effort to make up lost time the train entered the station too fast, at a speed of 40–60 km/h, and the Westinghouse air brake failed to stop it. Without sufficient braking, the momentum of the train carried it slowly into the buffers, and the locomotive crossed the almost 30 m wide station concourse, crashing through a 60 cm thick wall, before falling onto the Place de Rennes 10 m below, where it stood on its nose.
The locomotive driver was fined 50 francs for approaching the station too fast.
Quintilllius
On 22 October 1895, the Granville to Paris and Montparnasse express, operated by Chemins de fer de l’Ouest, was made up of steam locomotive No. 721 (a type 2-4-0, French notation 120) hauling three luggage vans, a post van, and six passenger coaches. The train had left Granville on time at 08:45, but was several minutes late as it approached its Paris Montparnasse terminus with 131 passengers on board. In an effort to make up lost time the train entered the station too fast, at a speed of 40–60 km/h, and the Westinghouse air brake failed to stop it. Without sufficient braking, the momentum of the train carried it slowly into the buffers, and the locomotive crossed the almost 30 m wide station concourse, crashing through a 60 cm thick wall, before falling onto the Place de Rennes 10 m below, where it stood on its nose.
The locomotive driver was fined 50 francs for approaching the station too fast.
Visually recreated crash video (click to start): http://shannon-gans-i8ui.squarespace.com/hugo-train-crash/
Colorized by me, original photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Train_wreck_at_Montparnasse_1895_People_on_the_floor.jpg
Vapor_Steak
Sadly, there were no Spider-Man to stop the train.