The “Guadalajara train disaster,” as it is often called, occurred on January 22, 1915, resulting in the deaths of over 600 people.
At the height of the Mexican Revolution, President Victoriano Carranza was engaged in armed conflict with forces led by Pancho Villa. On January 18, 1915, Carranza’s troops captured Guadalajara. Immediately afterward, he ordered the families of his soldiers to be transported by train from Colima to the newly captured city.
On January 22, a special train consisting of 20 cars departed from Colima, packed with passengers clinging even to the roofs and undercarriages. Upon entering Jalisco, between Ciudad Guzmán and Sayula, the engineer lost control on a steep descent. As the train gained speed, many passengers were thrown off as it navigated the curves. Eventually, the entire train derailed and plunged into a deep canyon. Less than 300 of the 900 passengers survived the disaster.
This tragedy remains the deadliest railway accident in North American history.