On May 7th, 1908 this west bound Northern Pacific train derailed when a switch failed sending the engine and coal tender down one set of tracks and the cars down the other. The wreck was located one half block east of Hwy 169/Minnesota Ave. in downtown Aitkin. Only the mail clerk was seriously injured. The clerk, George Westcott, was a resident of this community living in the Cedar Lake area. Mr. Westcott never returned to duty and died about a year later as a result of his injuries. This was the only serious passenger train wreck of record within the village.
