Several historical records exist describing a train fatality on the Chenango Branch involving a runaway ice train. According to a report from the New York Times March 2, 1898 edition an ice train with 36 cars derailed north of Fayetteville at approximately 8:00PM. All but two cars of the train were derailed. Apparently the brakes failed on this train as it left the tunnel between Cazenovia and Oran then proceeded to build up speed on the continuous downhill reaching 60 mph as it passed through Fayetteville. Four men were aboard the train as it raced toward Syracuse. The derailment took place on a relatively straight section of track and was believed to have been caused by trailing cars hitting something that fell off the speeding locomotive. The locomotive remained on the track stopping some 500 yards past the pileup.

The derailment killed two of the men, the engineer and one of the two brakemen. The engineer had apparently left the train's locomotive to either set hand brakes or to dis-couple the train from the locomotive when the train left the tracks.