HINTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – “Engine 143” is a traditional American folk song that tells the tragic story of a train wreck.
The song is based on the true events of the 1890 train crash of the Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Railway’s “Fast Flying Virginian” passenger train, which ran between Washington, D.C., and Cincinnati.
The train, numbered Engine 143, derailed near Hinton, West Virginia, killing its engineer, George Alley, who is often portrayed as a heroic figure in the song.
The lyrics recount the accident. Alley is depicted as bravely staying with his train in an attempt to save the passengers and crew.
The song captures both the tragedy of the event and the sense of admiration for the courage of those who worked on the railroads.
“Engine 143” has been widely recorded by various folk and country artists, including The Carter Family and Johnny Cash.
