1978 Waverly Train Disaster Caboose Museum and Memorial Site

04/08/2026

Someone recently recently asked me how they could acquire an autographed copy of “Walk Through Fire” by bestselling author, (and wonderful human being), Yasmine S Ali, MD.

I reached out to Dr Ali about this request and she said the original book will soon go out of print by the original publisher, and the publisher has no plans to print more. Supplies are extremely limited though Amazon. Yasmine has taken over printing her own copies, and you can get one here.

I just wanted to share this info in case anyone else would like to purchase an autographed copy of this wonderful book!

Get your personalized, autographed copy of the bestselling first book by Yasmine S. Ali, MD! Loretta Lynn said: "This amazing story ... has important lessons for us all." -Loretta Lynn, Country Music Legend. Walk through Fire: The Train Disaster that Changed America is the seminal and complete histo...

03/27/2026

I was able to share about Dr Yasmine Ali’s book “Walk Through Fire” and other parts of the Waverly Train Disaster story. I hope (and pray) that I represented Waverly and Humphreys County well. You can click the link on the Instagram post to watch and listen to my interview with Jake Turner, if you like. And please “Like” it or subscribe to his podcast to help Jake out if you don’t mind!

https://www.instagram.com/p/DWRiHqTjcKl/?igsh=MThvY2R4N2twYmprcw==

03/16/2026

Several weeks ago, podcaster Jake Turner reached out to me after he spoke with best-selling author (and cardiologist), Dr Yasmine Ali. He invited me to be on his podcast, where I was able to share about Dr Ali’s wonderful book, “Walk Through Fire” and about some of the people featured in it. I was also able to brag on our community regarding the restoration of the 1978 Waverly Train Disaster Caboose Museum.

The podcast will be aired soon and I hope (and pray) that I represented our community well. Upon seeing before and after photos of the Caboose, Jake was immensely impressed! Thank you again, to everyone who donated towards the cause of the restoration - $20,500 - with no business or industry sponsorships, just the grassroots generosity of those who call Waverly “home”.

03/10/2026

Thank you to Daryl Mosley for unearthing this bit of history which pertains to the train disaster and explosion.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kOHix1-XdUg&pp=iggCQAE%3D&fbclid=IwVERDUAQcZ9NleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeYXqoWUqhmHqVtvB7dJfMNuo95eISPt_LAsUWB-QIRtYNP177OjZ_wCeymPU_aem_68G_2xttaClWQLsrYbw1FQ

This is the 2022 TN Radio Hall of Fame Induction Video for WPHC - Wavery, TNProduced by Pamela Furr & David Colon/Motion Poet ProductionsVoiced by Pamela Furr

02/25/2026

The first help Waverly received after the explosion came from our neighbors — emergency crews from New Johnsonville, McEwen, Dickson, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, TBI, multiple law‑enforcement agencies, ambulances, and fire & rescue teams. Their swift action steadied our community when we needed it most.

Among those who responded was a young Nashville firefighter, Rick Armstrong. I emailed Rick yesterday to send him the link to his interview. Last night I learned from his wife that Rick passed away in October.

To honor his memory and the service of everyone who answered the call, I am sharing Rick’s interview here. Please take a few minutes to watch it, remember him, and join me in giving thanks to all the helpers who stood with Waverly. ~ Pam

Thanks to Steve, Patti and Michael K. Hewitt for the interviews.

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

02/24/2026

Thank you to Daryl Mosley for making this special video of his song “The Waverly Train Disaster” and for performing it directly from the 1978 Waverly Train Disaster Caboose Museum and Memorial Site. This moving ballad was written and sung Daryl Mosley - singer/songwriter to commemorate the train derailment and subsequent explosion on February 24, 1978, and to honor the victims and survivors of that tragic event.

We dedicate this video to our beloved Toad Smith and Robert Franklin Craver, who were survivors of the disaster and inspired us all with their fortitude and outstanding positive attitudes until they both recently passed away. Sixteen lives were lost due to the explosion but Toad and Frank lived forty-eight plus years longer, and blessed everyone they knew.


Pamela Nowlin Gunn Donna Frazier Bobby Hooper Jackie Dillingham Robert Franklin Craver Susan Sormanea Craver Patti Hoehn Damesworth

02/23/2026

Forty-eight years ago yesterday, on February 22, 1978, a train derailed in Waverly, Tennessee. 49 years ago tomorrow, a tanker car exploded, killing 16 people and forever changing this small Tennessee town. Thank you to the Waverly Public Safety team for compiling this information on their website.

In almost every critical aspect of our daily lives, there can usually be found a “watershed” moment, or a moment that defines a critical problem or situation that is found in society or the world. An example would be the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger in 1986, which resulted in a top-...

02/21/2026

Today (Saturday February 21, 2026), the life and times of Robert Franklin Craver will be celebrated. It was truly a remarkable life. Thank you, Frank, for showing us how to have fortitude, resilience and determination, and mix those “hard” things with kindness, compassion and humor. You set the bar awfully high. We’re sure gonna miss you, but we’ll keep the light burning in the space you left behind. No doubt Jesus welcomed you home with a big hug and a “WELL DONE, my good and faithful servant!”

02/18/2026

It has been my honor and privilege, and a lot of fun, to have been able to get to know Robert Franklin Craver better over the past several years. With the publication of Yasmine Ali, MD’s wonderful book, “Walk Through Fire” came a lot of opportunities to help our community through the repair and restoration of the Train Museum Caboose. And Frank NEVER hesitated to be present and active in that mission. His funeral visitation will be this Friday, February 20 from 4:00 - 7:00 pm at the Humphreys County Funeral Home, and his funeral will be Saturday morning at 11:00 am at the United Methodist Church in Waverly.

I wanted to share a few of my favorite Frank photos, with more to come. He was a special man who could have easily been bitter and angry due to the severity of the wounds he sustained during the explosion , but the Frank I knew loved people and lived life to the fullest. What a great friend and blessing he was to so many! And a great example to us all!

02/14/2026

With heavy hearts we announce the passing of Frank Craver, who died Monday, February 9. Frank’s one-of-a-kind spirit and personality meant he truly never met a stranger — he could light up any room and will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

At the time of his passing Frank was the oldest living survivor of the Waverly train explosion. He is survived by his daughter Susan, who is also a survivor of that same tragedy, remembered this month 48 years later.

We are sharing Frank's obituary in this post and will be posting more pictures of Frank in a separate one.

View Robert Franklin "Frank" Craver's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

10/23/2025

Thank you to Chris Davis NewsChannel 5 for sending me the link to this video piece he put together with Robert Franklin Craver earlier this week. We don’t need to forget

Frank Craver shares his story of the 1978 Waverly train disaster that killed 16 people. His story may be more important that ever, now that Humphreys County is dealing with yet another tragedy.