C&O Derailment - Howell, 1976 - Bob M Photo

How did it happen? Here is the entire story, because I was there for it. The date was January 12, 1976, at 5:30am Train 156 from Grand Rapids to Flint, as it crossed the diamond at Ann Pere encountered a broken rail just east of the diamond. The last five cars in the train and the caboose derailed, but all but the caboose, which when down into the ravine, remained upright.

What was ironic about this, the conductor, who back in the "old days" had their own assigned caboose, that he took with him on whatever job he was on, was on his first trip to Flint with his cab 3160, after many years on the Grand Rapids to Toledo runs.

On the date of the incident, six inches of new snow had fallen, and within 24 hours after, another foot had fallen. Combined with this and other factors, the caboose was not re-railed and brought up from the ravine until March 17, 1976 after laying there for two months and five days.