1974 Clinchfield RR Derailment

NO ONE WAS INJURED —  The derailment shown in the pictures included with this article took place on November 18, 1974.  The following story describing the incident appeared in the Thursday, November 21, 1974 edition of the Clinch Valley Times:

33 CARS DERAIL AT CARFAX

Thirty-three railroad cars and three diesel units left the tracks at Carfax early Monday morning.  The derailment occurred between 5:30 and 6:00 a.m. as the Clinchfield train was heading in an easterly direction toward St. Paul.

By 10 a.m., the Clinchfield Railroad derrick arrived and began to move the mangled cars.  A second derrick belonging to the C & O Rail System arrived at 5 p.m. and two bulldozers were summoned to move some dirt so that the cars could be moved from the tracks.

In addition to thirty-three railroad cars and three diesel units which were destroyed, approximately one-fourth of a mile of track had to be repaired or replaced.  Most of the cars were loaded; fertilizer and paper being the primary cargo, according to CRR sources.

No injuries were reported in connection with the derailment, and normal rail traffic was expected to resume by 8 or 9 p.m. Tuesday night.

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