Charles A. Ralston
Agency patch
Detective

Charles A. Ralston

Accident
End of Watch February 18, 1924
Age 34
The Vigil Panel 46 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Detective Charles Ralston was struck and killed by a string of seven freight cars being shunted in the Nickel Plate railroad yards at the foot of Tifft Street in Buffalo, New York.

He was patrolling the railroad yards when he was struck by the cars. Other railroad employees found his body after the string of cars had passed by.

Detective Ralston was survived by his wife and son.

Survivors

Detective Ralston was survived by his wife and son.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-RR-750D565F
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective Ralston served with the New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Cleveland community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Ralston.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Cleveland, OH
Platform Identity nycslrpd.rr.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 18, 1924
Age 34
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Detective Charles A. Ralston is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In OH, 318 of 991 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 32.1% of this state's fallen. That is 32.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad Police Department, 6 of 10 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 60% of this agency's fallen.

New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad Police Department
6
of 10 officers
60% Accident
OH — Statewide
318
of 991 officers
32.1% Accident
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Charles A. Ralston's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Charles A. Ralston Compares

Age at Death
34
This officer
Avg for Accident: 38.1 years

When Accident Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Charles A. Ralston is highlighted in Feb.

Jan
820
Feb
730
Mar
748
Apr
708
May
848
Jun
797
Jul
899
Aug
938
Sep
913
Oct
925
Nov
872
Dec
897

Incident Location