LUMBERTON, Miss. — More than two dozen cars of a Norfolk Southern train derailed Saturday morning, an incident believed to have caused by flooding in the area.
The Associated Press reports that a Norfolk Southern spokeswoman said in an email that the train, en route from Birmingham, Ala., to New Orleans, derailed about 7:15 a.m. Three of the cars that derailed were carrying steel and the other 25 were empty. A WLOX-TV video of the derailment also shows at least one locomotive on its side. The TV station reports that roads in the area were closed by flooding.
Amtrak’s Crescent was annulled in both directions between Birmingham and New Orleans on Saturday, but as of 11 a.m. Sunday, the Amtrak website shows Sunday’s Crescents operating through the affected area in both directions.
Isn’t anyone inspecting the ROW or has PSR eliminated those positions? There ought to be a situational awareness of the ROW in bad weather conditions.
#19 was turned in Birmingham, and the passengers and crews were carried by bus to Meridian (operating crews) and New Orleans (on board service crew). And, buses brought passengers and crews up from New Orleans and Meridian. This on board crew had to clean the cars before passengers could board (I was one waiting to board). #20 left Birmingham about six hours late, and arrived in New York just over six hours late. I do not know what took place in Atlanta, for I was asleep then..
Was there a pilot car? If not, a pilot car might have saved some money.