Malbone Street Wreck

The Malbone Street Wreck, also known as the Brighton Beach Line accident, was a tragic railroad accident that took place on November 1, 1918, in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City. It occurred on the New York City Subway's BMT Brighton Line, now part of the BMT Franklin Avenue Line. The accident involved a speeding train that derailed in a sharply curved tunnel beneath Willink Plaza, resulting in the loss of at least 93 lives. This devastating incident remains the second-deadliest train crash in American history and the deadliest in the history of the New York City Subway.

The circumstances leading to the crash included a labor strike against the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company (BRT), which resulted in the use of inexperienced personnel to operate the line. Other factors contributing to the accident were the layout of the track and the weight of the train cars. In the aftermath, the BRT faced legal consequences, and safety measures were implemented, including the phasing out of wooden cars and the installation of additional train protection devices. The tunnel where the wreck occurred remained in operation for forty years, and a memorial was later erected to commemorate the tragic event.

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