Broken Track Blamed For Michigan Freight-Train Derailment

HOWELL TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WWJ/AP) - An official says a broken section of track is responsible for a freight-train derailment in southeastern Michigan that forced about two dozen empty grain cars off the tracks.

No one was injured when the train derailed Sunday morning in Livingston County's Howell Township.

According to Fire Chief Andy Pless, who spoke with WWJ on Sunday, the cleanup is going to take a while.

"It's out in the middle of farmland … they've got to bring in some crews from Ohio and upright the cars and get them back on the tracks and repair the tracks," said Pless. "It's going to be quite some time before they get it cleaned up."

A property owner who alerted sheriff's officials says the derailed cars took down several trees.

The locomotive remained upright and on the tracks.

Chris Bagwell, general manager of Great Lakes Central Railroad, says a 3-foot piece of railroad track broke, causing the derailment.

Brent Earl, whose family farm is nearby, tells the Livingston Daily Press & Argus of Howell that the impact "shook the ground so much" it was startling.

WHMI-FM reports cleanup continues on Monday. The train was on its way to an Owosso rail yard.

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