Thomas Hudson, grandson of John Cochrane one of two men killed
in a New Haven railroad accident that happened on January 16,
1913, places a memorial wreath near the site of the crash.
(David Dalton) For most of us, a train wreck that happened a
century ago wouldn’t register on our radar. But friends, family
members and a few history buffs took time Wednesday to remember
and honor two men killed in a New Haven railroad accident 100
years ago. “Both men heroically lost their lives trying to save
passengers,” said Carole Pease, great-granddaughter of Grand
Truck Railroad Engineer John Cochrane, killed along with fireman
Charles Redunski on Jan. 16, 1913 in New Haven. Late in the
afternoon on that fateful day, the 55-year-old Cochrane was
piloting a passenger train on its usual route from Detroit to
Port Huron. Redunski, 24, was with him in the engine. News
reports at the time described the men as “two of the best known
and most competent trainmen of their respective positions.”
Dense fog, heavy rain and gatherin