Eastern Railroad Discussion > CN Collision, Oakland County, MI

An auto-rack train and a doublestack train collided this morning at the east end of the Andersonville siding on the Holly Subdivision. Rescue crews reportedly are working to extricate a crew member from one of the engines. There is no further report of fatalities or injuries.

It appears from helicopter shots that Fox 2 Detroit is showing that the eastbound stacker ran past the end of the double track. The worst damaged engine, the one from which the rescue is being attempted, is GTW 4922. Other units in the wreck also appear to be GTW units.

Channel 2, which is giving the most detailed coverage of the incident, is reporting that a half-mile radius has been evacuated because of the possibility of hazardous materials on board one of the trains. Of course, this the fact they say most breathlessly, even though it appears that none of the stack cars is burning or heavily involved in the impact. The east end of the Andersonville siding is relatively far from road access, which has complicated matters somewhat.

Channel 2 now reports that the Oakland County Sheriff's Department has confirmed two fatalities in the collision.

Closer camera views suggest that one of the containers on the stack train is smoldering.

It is also reported that dense fog may have been a factor. Tape they're showing from soon after the crash shows quite a bit of fire near the impact point and suggests that the crash actually occurred in the east switch interlocking at Andersonville.

Just after 0815 EDT, MNSBC broke into the live "Imus in the Morning" radio/TV simulcast to report about the GTW derailment in Michigan, which had occured about 2 hours earlier. The first helicopter shots showed the collision occurred in a heavily wooded area (altho the leaves of course were gone), at one end of a sdg or the end of two main tracks. As posted earlier, the rescue efforts appeared to be directed to getting someone out of the conductor's side of the GTW 4922, which was leading the stack train, and appeared to me as either having the engineer's side sliced off in the derailment, or perhaps having been torched off by the rescue workers. Appeared to be another GTW unit besides the 4922 on the stack train, which was on the single track side of the collision.

The auto rack train was on the section where 2 tracks were evident, and looked to me as if it was on the main track, or in the case of double track, the westward main. Really couldn't see any evidence of that train's locomotives. I'm sure it will be determined soon, but to me it looked like it could have been a rear-ender, but since they are reporting 2 dead and 2 trapped, would have to assume it was a head-on.

Interestingly, Don Imus mentioned his experience of working on the railroad" in the past, thought I knew a lot about him but musta missed a chapter in his biographies! He mentioned that he recalled riding the head-end of trains, it would be early in the morning after being up all night, the cab heaters were turned on and makes everyone sleepy, and they miss a signal. I can just hear Imus on the RR radio calign the dispatcher a "moron...."

As usual, the MSNBC news anchor said the trains consisted of "box cars..."

As of 0900 EST, MSNBC video feeds make it apparent that FOUR locos were involved, and from the angle of them spread out, it was a head-on. I hope and pray that the trapped crewmembers are able to make it out.

The Fox-2 views actually show that the autorack train, headed west on the Holly, was on the single track and the stack train was exiting the double track. The westward home signal was visible in one of the views, perhaps two long carlengths east of the impact point.

It appears that each train had two GTW locomotives.

Lastest images on MNSBC at 0950 EST show something "venting" out of what appears to be an APL container, that is on its side. Looks like any diesel-induced fire is out.

As an aside, I recall seeing the GTW 4922 pop up on the computer train sheets on run-thru trains over my portion of the ATSF from CHI to Galesburg IL.

http://www.clickondetroit.com/det/news/stories/news-108012920011115-061154.html

A friend of mine who is there helping with the cleanup said the 2 trains involved are #243 auto(going north (timetable west)and #533 (stacktrain)which was in the siding.

Trains involved:

E 24361 14
GTW 5915-GTW 4931 with 89 cars

L 53361 14
GTW 4913-GTW 4922 with 94 cars

There are two confirmed fatalities. The police & fire department were on the scene shortly after the collision.

There was another accident down around Mobile earlier this morning which involved an MoW truck being struck by southbound Q 18971 14. The welder was able to evacuate the vehicle & was uninjured. Then came word of the Michigan collision........what a morning already.

Isn't Q18971 a northbound and Q18871 the southbound? CN's numbering scheme call for EB and SB to have even numbers, and WB and NB odd numbers.

JF

243 must of had the 4915 not the 5915, because the 5915 was retired last year, and rebuilt into a BNSF SD40-3 #7304

I have a few good friends who work up there for CN. So far, no luck in contacting any of them to ascertain their well being. Please keep the men who died in mind and prayers.

Investigators look over the scene in Springfield Township, Mich., Thursday, Nov. 15, 2001 where two people were killed and two others trapped in a fiery, head-on crash between two freight trains that resulted in a diesel fuel spill and forced the evacuation of nearby homes and schools, authorities said. The collision occurred early Thursday in this community about 25 miles northwest of Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/p/ap/20011115/us/1005854971train_crash_dtc101.html

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http://abclocal.go.com/wjrt/news/111501_NW_train_wreck_shaffy.html

TRAGIC ACCIDENT

It is with deep sadness that I report there was an accident this morning involving two of our trains which has resulted in fatalities and injuries among our colleagues.

Two of our colleagues have lost their lives - locomotive engineer Thomas Landris and conductor Gary Chase.

Mr. Landris, of Durand, Michigan was 49 years old, and had been with the company for 30 years.

Mr. Chase, of Owosso, Michigan was 58 years old, and had been with the
company for 32 years.

As well, two other employees were injured and taken to hospital by
helicopter - engineer Allen Yash, of Fenton, Michigan and conductor Jesse Enriquez of Detroit, Michigan. The extent of their injuries is being assessed.

The accident occurred at about 6:15 this morning, November 15 in Springfield Township, Michigan, about 25 miles northwest of Detroit. The cause of this accident is currently under investigation by CN and government authorities.

Our hearts and minds are with the families of Mr. Landris and Mr. Chase, and I know you join me in extending our sorrow and condolences to their loved ones, friends and colleagues.

We also express our best wishes for a healthy recovery to our injured
colleagues.

An event such as this leaves us all shaken, and often distracted. I urge all employees to be extra attentive going forward and stay focused on performing your duties safely.

Please don't forget that 24 hour a day confidential counselling is available through CN's various Employee or Employee and Family Assistance programs.

Paul M. Tellier
President and Chief Executive Officer

11/15/2001

http://www.wnem.com/Global/story.asp?S=550095&nav=1BNy5jFp

Also I would like to express my deapest simpathy to the families,
friends and co workers of Tom Landres and Garry Chase. I have had the pleasure of knowing "Tommy" whome I met when serving on the board of directors at the Durand Union Station with his widow, Becky.

I wish all the Railroaders on this board and in this dangerous
business the best of luck.

correction, 5915 was retired in 1999, and became BNSF 7303, the BNSF 7304 is the ex GTW 5926. Their was a 5900 series SD40 there at Andersonville, it was the 2nd unit on 243, probably the 5925 or 5916.

Yes, that was a typo on my part. It was southbound Q188.

Let's make that second unit on E243 be GTW 5919.

Is this 188 a CSX train in another incident??? because neither of the trains involved was 188 or 189 it was GTW train 533 (intermodal) and 243 (mixed auto)