A Race Against Time
On October 22, 1895, the Granville–Paris Express, carrying 131 passengers, approached Gare Montparnasse in Paris behind schedule. The driver, aiming to recover lost time, increased speed significantly.
Brakes That Didn’t Stop
At 4:00 PM, the train entered the station too quickly, and the driver activated the air brakes—but they failed. Unable to stop, the locomotive barreled through the buffer stop, crossed the station concourse, and smashed through a wall.
The Dramatic Fall
The engine plunged from the station onto Place de Rennes, falling 10 meters and landing vertically on its nose. Miraculously, passengers survived with only minor injuries.
A Tragic Casualty
Below, Marie-Augustine Aguillard, standing in for her husband at a newspaper stand, was struck by falling masonry and died instantly. The train’s driver faced two months in prison, and the station guard received a fine for negligence.
In 1895, a speeding train entered Paris's Gare Montparnasse station, failed to stop, crashed through the station wall, and spectacularly fell onto the street below. This shocking incident ended in chaos and tragedy, drawing curious crowds to an unbelievable scene.🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/VTaPJ8bu1s
— Detective Tiger's Stories (@TigerDetective) March 6, 2025