On Wednesday, an Ann Arbor Railroad freight train jumped the tracks in Pittsfield Township, sending 13 rail cars off the rails near Payeur Road east of State Street, and leaving nearby residents to wake up to a startling scene of scattered grain and corn across the area. The good news: no injuries, no hazardous materials, and no other vehicles were involved. The bad news for commuters: road closures that could stretch on for days.
What We Know About the Derailment
Pittsfield Township Police and Fire were dispatched to the scene at approximately 5:06 a.m., according to The Sun Times News. A total of 13 rail cars came off the tracks on the northern portion of the Ann Arbor Railroad line, which runs roughly 82 miles between Ann Arbor and Toledo, Ohio, placing the derailment site about 5.5 miles south of downtown Ann Arbor, as noted by Trains magazine.
The derailment spilled grain and corn from the freight cars, Click On Detroit reported. Township officials confirmed there were no hazardous materials on board and WWJ Newsradio noted police declared no public safety hazard as a result of this derailment.
Road Closures and Impact on Commuters
Two road closures are in effect as cleanup crews work the site: Payeur Road between State Street and Marton Road, and Morgan Road between Venture Drive and Stone School Road. As reported by the Detroit News, officials have warned these closures could remain in place, possibly for several days. Updates are being pushed out via Everbridge notifications, Pittsfield Township’s Facebook page, and additional news releases.
Who Is Ann Arbor Railroad?
The Ann Arbor Railroad has been a fixture in the region for well over a century, tracing its roots back to the Toledo, Ann Arbor & North Michigan Railway in the 1880s. Today, it’s owned by Watco, a large short-line railroad operator that acquired the line in 2013. According to CBS News Detroit, the line handles more than 30,000 rail cars per year, moving primarily auto parts and finished vehicles alongside bulk commodities like grain, flour, sugar, plastics, cement, and lumber.
In a statement emailed to the Ann Arbor News, a railroad representative said the company is currently investigating the incident and actively working to clear the scene and return the railroad to normal operations, Trains reported. The cause of the derailment remains under investigation…