The two opposing lines intersected in Hyde Park, Chicago, resulting in the creation of Grand Crossing.

[5] On the night of April 26, 1853, at around nine o'clock, the Michigan Southern express made a stop to load passengers from a Rock Island Line train.

Thomas Backman, the engineer of the Michigan Central train, assumed he had right-of-way and continued toward the crossing while reducing his speed down from twelve miles an hour to four.

[7] Those who had survived the initial impact in the sixth car would suffer from massive injuries ranging from broken bones to severed limbs.

[2] After investigation, it was determined that both engineers, plus the conductors of both trains (Moses M. Tyler and Herbert I. Whitney), were all at fault.

[2] Roswell B. Mason would never face scrutiny for his careless construction and instead remained cherished in the Chicago spotlight; he would later be elected mayor in 1869.

[4] The accident itself resulted in trains being forced to stop at the intersection before proceeding,[10] which, in return, helped to expand the city as it led to the creation of many settlements in the area.