281 - Michigan Train Wreck

When the railroad came to Michigan, North Dakota, excitement, promise, and growth were evident in the community. However, the railroad also brought tragedy to Nelson County, specifically in Michigan where several horrible train wrecks have happened. One occurred in 1898, fifteen years after the railroad first rolled through town. This wreck tested the Michigan Fire Department and, despite their valiant efforts, one engine burned in the street for a week. The fire department persevered and continued to battle the flames until they were finally extinguished. The Great Northern Railroad was so appreciative of the firemen that they offered a free trip to any place they longed to visit.

Tragedy struck again on August 9, 1945 in what would become the worst train disaster in North Dakota history. On this devastating evening, two passenger trains were both traveling west with roughly ten miles between them. Due to mechanical problems, the first train, carrying 237 passengers, stopped in town. Unfortunately, the rear train, with between 600 and 700 on board, most being men and women returning from WWII, was unable to stop and slammed into the first train, causing a gruesome and catastrophic scene.

The communities surrounding Michigan rallied together in the wake of this calamity. Welders cut through steel and rubble. As night approached, community members lined the tracks with their cars, aiming their headlights on the train until alternate lighting could be rigged. People provided coffee and food, while others offered space and typewriters for reporters.

Military personnel on board assisted the crew and rescue workers and tended to the injured. One sailor, in particular, helped the local telegraph company send messages of the wreck to Fargo and St. Paul, as well as to hundreds of relatives around the nation. This deadly event took the lives of thirty-four people. Twenty were military service men, while fourteen were civilians, two of which were children. The people of Michigan and the surrounding communities courageously came together to support one another over the ensuing hours and days.