TSBY #392 derailed in Whitmore Lake

[OwlCaboose2853]

TSBY Derailment
Posted by Paul on October 25, 2005, 6:24:08: See at MSLF

The same train noted on the post below looks like they may have run into some trouble at Whitmore Lake. First reports are saying a switchlock was removed from an industry switch. The southbound train entered the track, plowed through the gate, off the end of track just missing the power pole that supplies the industry. Locomotive 392 finally came to rest in the parking lot just a couple of feet from a fire hydrant. Luckily no one was injured, but 392 did suffer extensive damage to the front pilot including losing the plow somewhere in the rough ride. Right now they are saying the apparent cause is vandalism. Must be a pre-devil's night incident.

[OwlCaboose2853]

Newspaper Photo: http://railroadfan.com/gallery/displayi ... ?pos=-5919


Train derailment may have been work of vandals
Police say engine went off track in Northfield Twp.; switch box tampering suspected

Tuesday, October 25, 2005
From News staff reports

The Northfield Township Police Department suspects youths tampering with a switch box on a train track could be responsible for a train derailment Monday near Eight Mile Road and US-23. No one was injured, police said.

Northfield Township Police Chief Carl Watkins said the first engine in a 66-car train derailed about 1:22 p.m. after the track was moved by someone who broke into the switch box.

Watkins said the train stopped after the first car went off the track. He said crews were working Monday afternoon to get the derailed car back on track. The rest of the train was able to continue on, he said.

"We suspect it was kids messing around,'' Watkins said. "But it is pretty difficult to find. It could be an adult.''

Watkins said the police monitor the tracks and have found youth playing around on the tracks before.

Watkins said the train wasn't carrying anything hazardous. He described it as box freights.

No further information was available this morning.

http://www.mlive.com/news/aanews/index. ... xml&coll=2

[markvz]

The man speaking on behalf on TSB on the MR boards seems to be suggesting that this goes deeper than simple tampering/vandalism. I am curious as to what he's getting at.

[OwlCaboose2853]

Soon potential, Whitmore Lake students whom will have to report to principal office as of over hearing as esteem round the gangster socials about the train results. A Whitmore Lake principal notify an officers about gangsters who did play the switch box and another else. An officers will be find to get them.

[Scooterb]

Wow, kids playing around the tracks. Either they knew what they were doing or more than likely a prank that went way bad. Thank god no one was hurt or killed.

[GreatLakesRailfan]

Just wanted to say that the person who goes by TSB on the boards is one of the most reliable sources of TSBY info on the board. Also, Owl, are you saying that it was gang-related? I've heard of some of the really bad street gangs that were moving out of the cities and into more rural areas (gangs like M13 I think, that really bad one from LA that is moving into rural West Virginia), and I know that different cities (like Port Huron) have had gang trouble in the past, but are they moving into areas like Whitmore Lake? Makes me wonder if that would have something to do with the Feds being on the scene (assuming they weren't just the FRA or NTSB or whoever it is that investigates train wrecks).

[markvz]

I was wondering the same thing as I don't know what he's implying by saying the "feds" are there. If it's the FRA or NTSB that's one thing, but the FBI would be something entirely different. I took TSB's post to mean that there was something more sinister behind the accident than kids playing with a switch. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

[~Z~]

I was wondering the same thing as I don't know what he's implying by saying the "feds" are there. If it's the FRA or NTSB that's one thing, but the FBI would be something entirely different. I took TSB's post to mean that there was something more sinister behind the accident than kids playing with a switch. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

i was thinking also that something more major is going on...but also made me think they are saying to stay away just to keep us and the general public away from the mishap there.

[OwlCaboose2853]

I was wondering the same thing as I don't know what he's implying by saying the "feds" are there. If it's the FRA or NTSB that's one thing, but the FBI would be something entirely different. I took TSB's post to mean that there was something more sinister behind the accident than kids playing with a switch. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

How do kids can do switch moved, you can imagine? You know Woodbridge plant was bankrupted then stopped up for two or three years ago, so railroad switches has became so heavy rusts. Have kids a supremacy?

[markvz]

If the lock was indeed broken as reported, it makes it appear that this was a premeditated action. I don't know about you, but I dont normally carry around tools capable of breaking a lock. Someone put some thought into this and equipped themselves to break the lock. My guess is that they picked that switch because of the unoccupied state of the building, since nobody would be around to notice them. Also, the fact that it was broken may rule out the possibility of an inside job, e.g. disgruntled employee.