Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman Emil Woelffel was struck and killed by a train while on a guard post.
Due to a railroad worker's strike, Patrolman Woelffel was assigned to guard the New York Central Railroad Overpass at the corner of Niagara and Tonawanda Streets. At approximately 1530 hours, a light switch engine was traveling on the same tracks that Patrolman Woelffel was guarding. The train was traveling backward on the tracks and the operator never blew its whistle. The train struck Patrolman Woelffel and dragged him 20 feet along the tracks, fracturing his skull. Patrolman Woelffel died from his injuries before he could be taken to a hospital.
Patrolman Woelffel had served with the Buffalo Police Department for 30 years.
Due to a railroad worker's strike, Patrolman Woelffel was assigned to guard the New York Central Railroad Overpass at the corner of Niagara and Tonawanda Streets. At approximately 1530 hours, a light switch engine was traveling on the same tracks that Patrolman Woelffel was guarding. The train was traveling backward on the tracks and the operator never blew its whistle. The train struck Patrolman Woelffel and dragged him 20 feet along the tracks, fracturing his skull. Patrolman Woelffel died from his injuries before he could be taken to a hospital.
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BO-US-NY-E1A6EB86- Stewardship
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- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
30 years. You could have gone home.
Patrolman Woelffel gave the Buffalo Police Department 30 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Buffalo community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Woelffel.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Patrolman Emil Woelffel 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 NY, 645 of 2,147 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30% of this state's fallen. That is 30 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Buffalo Police Department, 26 of 51 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 51% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Emil Woelffel's cause is highlighted.
How Emil Woelffel Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Emil Woelffel is highlighted in Apr.
Others Who Wore This Badge
50 officers from Buffalo Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
