Wreck of the Broker

Wreck of The Broker

On the drizzly evening of February 6, 1951, the Pennsylvania Railroad commuter train known as “The Broker” derailed in Woodbridge, New Jersey, killing 85 and injuring hundreds in what remains the deadliest railroad accident in the state’s history and among the top five in the United States. What happened is reasonably well-understood. The Broker hit a temporary track around a New Jersey Turnpike construction site going between 50- and 65-miles-per-hour, though the speed limit was set at 25. Why it happened, however, is an area of controversy that few (if any) histories have fully explored. While the role of speed is generally accepted, why the otherwise experienced and skilled engineer failed to properly observe the speed restriction drew attention at the time to systemic issues within the Pennsylvania Railroad itself and seemed to reflect what many had come to believe about the industry as a whole.

Author Gordon Bond will be presenting his research on this tragic and relatively recent piece of history.  He is an independent historian, author, and lecturer. He is the author of six books about aspects of New Jersey history ranging from the first colonial era printer to the first African American to vote under the Fifteenth Amendment to the deadliest train wreck in state history. In addition to these books, his website, www.GardenStateLegacy.com, offers free resources for the New Jersey history community, including a speaker’s bureau and online museum. He recently joined the Board of Directors of Preservation New Jersey.  Mr. Bond has written an in-depth book titled “MAN FAILURE: The Story of New Jersey’s Deadliest Train Wreck,” now in its second edition with an appendix of new stories and photos, some never before published!  Autographed copies will be available after the presentation for $30.

Join us on Sunday, June 29^th, 2025 at 2 PM at the historic Hageman House (209 South Middlebush Road, Somerset, NJ) for an informative presentation on this tragic event.  Tickets are $15, and discounted for Friends of the Meadows (members) at $12.  Light refreshments will be served after the presentation.