By Thomas Bryan
January 17th marked the 35th anniversary of an unusual caboose hop on the L&N between Henderson, KY and Nashville, TN. On the afternoon of Tuesday January 17th, 1978 L&N GP7 430 and Caboose 6442 transported David Keith Proctor, a 17 year old Owensboro, KY resident suffering from a congenital heart defect, to Vanderbilt for emergency treatment. The move became necessary after a record foot and a half snowfall on the 16th made most Kentucky highways impassible and grounded commercial aircraft. A neighbor of the Proctor’s L&N engineer John C. Davis suggested that the railroad might be able to help. Dr. Donald Cantley, Proctor’s doctor called L&N headquarters in Louisville and conferred with A. C. Jones Jr., general manager. Within a matter of minutes, the special movement was OK’d. Engineer Davis volunteered to run the special, joining Proctor in the caboose were Mr. & Mrs. Proctor, Dr. Cantley, and Trainmaster J. H. Cowling. Roadmaster Johnny Wiles drove a Hi-rail truck ahead of the special to ensure a safe run over the road. After being driven from Owensboro to Henderson, Proctor was placed aboard Caboose 6442 and at 3:25 pm, the special was rolling. All opposing trains were tucked away in the sidings for the special. Just after 7 pm, the special was brought to a halt at 3rd Ave. in Nashville where Proctor was transferred to an ambulance for the short trip to Vanderbilt. Proctor went on to make a full recovery.
