Apparently ex-New Haven FL9 2019 picked a switch during a photo charter at the Naugatuck RR today:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsVP0Sonj3c

The charter was for Railfan Day to "raise funds for the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad historic wooden bridge rehabilitation that was tragically lost due to an arson fire." The RR Museum of New England was to split total gross revenue 50/50 with the non profit Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad.

UPDATE:
Previously linked video got set to "private"; here's another one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRKYlhWPXfQ

Yikes. And they just got the 2019 running again this spring after it was OoS for a couple years.

No one was injured. The incident is being investigated, and everything involved will be inspected. It occured during a low-speed photo runby.

Howard P.

Hi
Just wondering how many people were still on the train( in the coaches) when it derailed???

Or were the coaches empty,, during the photo runby??

Also was the trip sold out,, hopefully everyone was safe during the derailment , those that were in the coaches, that did not do the low speed photo runby... Pat.

Well that really sucks especially considering this was being done to help another Railroad. Remember hearing something about FL9's being hard on tracks because of their elongated three axle rear truck. Anyways that was fast acting on the crews part getting the train stop so fast after it went on the ground.

While it wasn't an ideal situation, everyone handled it well, and the rest of the day was overall a success. Things happen on every railroad.

Someone claimed that LIRR had similar issues with their Fairbanks-Morse CPA-24-5s.

It could happen to anybody. I hope the damage isn't as bad as they think.

In the real world of railroading - doo doo happens. Rerail, rinse and go on!

Just a bit of information. There were comments about the rear truck wheelbase on the FL-9 and that the LIRR had trouble with the F-M C-liners. That EMD truck has a 163 inch wheelbase, and is a normal 3 motor Flexicoil truck, minus the center motor, of course.

The A-1-A truck used by Alco, BLW and F-M on their passenger units had a wheelbase of 186 inches, almost two feet longer. I've never heard or read anything bad about how the PAs tracked or that they were rough on track.

Just a bit of information. There were comments about the rear truck wheelbase on the FL-9 and that the LIRR had trouble with the F-M C-liners. That EMD truck has a 163 inch wheelbase, and is a normal 3 motor Flexicoil truck, minus the center motor, of course.

The A-1-A truck used by Alco, BLW and F-M on their passenger units had a wheelbase of 186 inches, almost two feet longer. I've never heard or read anything bad about how the PAs tracked or that they were rough on track.

Fellow did a walkaround video, provides much better detail of the aftermath:

https://youtu.be/TGTKP8Zg1PM?si=nz0e6zituIgHfH3f

Note the horn and numberboards are absent; removed for safekeeping or liberated by some lower element of the hobby?

I was on that trip and have been in touch with some of the Naugatuck people this week. The Hancock air whistle was removed by the shop manager Sunday afternoon. I'm not sure about the number boards, but I would assume they went into safekeeping as well, maybe on Monday or Tuesday. The locomotive was rerailed midweek, using a crane, and is back in the shop for evaluation and repairs. Some of the siding was removed to allow access for the crane.

I don't normally comment on things I see on YouTube, but I have to address the suggestion that the East Litchfield siding is unused and should be taken up. It is frequently used for storage of maintenance of way equipment; three pieces of MofW equipment were on that siding Sunday, in fact. It has also been used as a team track, for receiving oversized loads like transformers. I understand that the siding will be restored.