CSX Transportation train R410 passed through Harborcreek, Pa., with traffic that was originally handled through the Baltimore Tunnel. Flooding from a water main break and reports by Baltimore officials of derailed cars prompted its closure and rerouting of traffic via other lines.
Stephan M. Koenig
ERIE, Pa. — Flooding combined with a water main break and reports of a minor derailment inside the Baltimore Tunnel near Howard Street in Baltimore caused the railroad to shut down operations there through Monday prompting several trains to be rerouted around the system into Wednesday. Among the trains affected were Q032, which handles the westbound Tropicana car movements through the area.
This train handles the Florida to New Jersey loaded cars to the juice factory in Kearny, N.J. The rerouted train operated through the former New York Central Chicago main via Buffalo and Selkirk, N.Y., and down the River Line. The counterpart empties were handled on a reroute from Selkirk in the morning. In all 5 trains were rerouted through Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York due to the closure.
Operations returned to normal on July 11 as city officials stepped in to fix the break. The flooding also closed the nearby MARC line in Baltimore.
If we are to subsidize Highways, Airports and Canals, why don’t we subsidize railroads to the extent that we provide an alternative means of transportation between major metropolitan areas, on supposedly defunct rail lines?
Ridiculous!
For that matter I’m surprised they didn’t re-route through Chicago.
Whyn on earth would such expensive, time wasting re-routes be used? Does someone at FRA have to bash heads together to get reasonable emergency routings? Why wasn’t a Washington, Hagerstown, Allentown, Bound Brook detour considered? Shortest possible foreign detours were commonplace years ago. May have required a pilot but so? For that matter, why monkey with Howard St at all. Isn’t there enough space on the NEC to accommodate at least a single track CSX by-pass of Howard st? That would have to be less expensive than the planned re-work of Howard st.and avoid future issues of clearance, flooding and derailment.
“The routings to get to Buffalo were interesting. Some went via Cumberland-Pittsburgh-New Castle. Some went via Manchester-Bham-Nashville-Cleveland. I think I read one took an NS detour.”
Looking at the system map on CSX’s website, I assume the Cumberland/Pgh/New Castle routing then followed trackage rights from Youngstown to Ashtabula (bypassing Cleveland) unless there was a(n unmapped by CSX) direct route available from New Castle to Erie.
The routings to get to Buffalo were interesting. Some went via Cumberland-Pittsburgh-New Castle. Some went via Manchester-Bham-Nashville-Cleveland. I think I read one took an NS detour.
So true, Mr. Rice. Too bad many managers can’t see it that simply.
You’re so right Mr. Rice. I believe that they’ve pulled up too much.
The very reason why Class 1’s should not abandon too much ROW. Keep enough to maintain fluidity during a unplanned event.