At 7:16 pm, the Marlborough local train comprising one engine, one combination car, and three coaches left Boston's North Station on the Fitchburg line.

[3] A green spacing signal was also displayed at the Great Road crossing, over one-half mile (0.80 km) from the station.

[1] Horace W. Lyons, the engineer of the first locomotive of the Montreal express, stated that he saw the fusees and the spacing signals and knew what they meant.

[1] At 8:15 pm, the Montreal express, traveling an estimated 25 miles per hour (40 km/h), collided into the back of the Marlborough train.

During the trip, William H. Roberts, a spare train conductor, assisted in the identification of the deceased by looking through their personal effects.

[5] On November 27, Boston and Maine President Lucius Tuttle released a statement stating that the primary cause of the accident was Lyons' failure to heed cautionary signals.

[3] The commission's report stated that Lyons had seen at least one of the fusees as well as the spacing signal and failed in his duties by disregarding rules that required him to slow down.

The commission recommended having trains stop, then proceed with caution upon seeing a fusee or spacing signal, a rule that had previously existed on the Fitchburg line but had been done away with.

The commission also recommended that the state legislature require railroads and street railways where trains or cars followed each other in quick succession to implement a signalling block system.