Roll of Honor
David McConnell
Incident
Special Policeman David McConnell was killed while riding on the outside of a refrigerator car between the Chestnut Street bridge and Market Street bridge in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, while patrolling the railroad line.
As the train came around a bend he struck several pieces of lumber that were laying across a railroad car parked on an adjacent track. He was knocked off of the car and suffered a fractured skull.
Special Policeman McConnell was a Union Army veteran of the Civil War.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-RR-BFD5D008- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Special Policeman McConnell served with the Pennsylvania Railroad Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphpia community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
David McConnell served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Special Policeman David McConnell is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In PA, 417 of 1,261 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 33.1% of this state's fallen. That is 2.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Pennsylvania Railroad Police Department, 22 of 36 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 61.1% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. David McConnell's cause is highlighted.
How David McConnell Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. David McConnell is highlighted in Jun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
35 officers from Pennsylvania Railroad Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
