Old railroad bed and culvert over Swift Run near New Oxford along Route 30 six miles east of Gettysburg.
One of the frequent problems for railroaders in the 19th century was the very distinct possibility of collisions with wildlife, and, more frequently, domesticated farm animals such as cattle. Cows would at times wander off from their farms and try to cross or walk along railroad tracks. Often, the train engineer could see the bovine in plenty of time to avoid a collision, and, as the years went on, the railroads began attaching "cow catchers" to the front of the engine to gently nudge the stubborn animals from the roadway.
However, at times, the visibility wasn't as good, and the locomotive would smash into the cow. Such was the case on June 25, 1863, when the 26th Pennsylvania Militia's troop train struck "a poor woman's cow" and derailed, forcing the regiment into temporary bivouac. The soldiers had traveled safely through York County, changed trains at Hanover Junction, enjoyed a festive reception in Hanover (where a company had been raised), and then headed into Adams County where the accident occurred.
Gettysburg Compiler, Monday June 29, 1863.
