Many pictures of train wrecks on these old pstcards

https://www.cardcow.com/search3.php?s=t ... old&page=1

I can't identify anything on the one lettered "Cambrai" that appears to relate to railways at all, let alone a "train wreck". Looks more like WW1 inflicted damage to an industrial plant of some sort....
The uniforms worn by the three people aren't clear, but I would suggest they are German First World War ones.

A reverse image search showed me that this is a postcard labeled as a train wreck from Cambrai France, but I agree that it doesn't look much like a train wreck:
https://www.cardcow.com/489319/train-wr ... disasters/

As an aside, the cardcow site appears to have a ton of cool railroad postcards listed, in theme with the stuff that Rick was posting:
https://www.cardcow.com/viewall/29489/

A wild ride ended in the ditch here:

Cambrai was the site of two major battles in the latter days of WWI.

Cambrai was a major supply point for the German forces. The first battle of Cambrai was from November 20,1917 to December 7, 1917 and was an attack by mostly British troops featuring massed tanks. As usual heavy artillery was used in a combined offensive. The attack did not capture Cambrai and was mostly repulsed.

The second battle of Cambrai was from September 27 to October 11, 1918. This time Cambrai was taken by the Canadian Corps. The Armistice came a month later.

The postcard shows damage more typical of artillery fire with debris scattered in multiple directions.

Phil Mulligan

The O&W Fair Oaks wreck post card has me puzzled. Engine # doesn't match up with any of the rosters that I have. Thoughts?

I see NYO&W 161 listed here: https://www.steamlocomotive.com/types/c ... k/nyow.php

Agree that O&W 2-8-0 161, a Dickson (#783) built in 1890 and off the roster in 1932, scrapped in 1933 could be it, But the photo of the number on the tender says otherwise, indicating 461.

O&W mystery solved: it is #161. There is a mark on either the original print or the post card that makes the 1 look like a 4. Wreck was near Preston Park. A better image fram a slightly different angle: http://www.nyow.org/Double_Cab_Preface.pdf. Scroll down towards the bottom.

Thank you Eric. Mystery is indeed solved.

Here's another wreck postcard image I have at my fingertips, but the postcard does not say what railroad. NYO&W as well as the Ulster & Delaware are possibilities.

Evan, I've cropped and flipped an image of the smokebox. Looks like the engine # might be 13.

Actually when I look at a better copy I think that's #29, which would likely make it a U & D Alco 4-6-0. Its very hard to read but I think the markings on the end of the hopper are D & H Co.

The photo of the locomotive on its side is indeed U. & D. but the locomotive number is #29, this wreck happened June 14, 1907 at Brodheads Bridge, which is now under a NYC reservoir. The town is sometimes misspelled as Broadheads. I would add a couple more of this wreck if I could figure out how.

The Iowa wreck I believe was called "The Green Mountain " wreck.. How it got that name still puzzles me as the Green Mountains are in Vermont!