by catfoodflambe
The ex L&N main between Cincinnati and Louisville is closed due to the collapse of about 100 feet of the north (Cincinnati) end of Eagle Tunnel, near Glencoe, KY. I believe this is around MP 71, about three quarters of the way from Louisville to Cincy.
Unfortunately, CSX found about the collapse by running Q231 into it, derailing about 8 loaded autoracks in the process about 3:00 AM Wednesday morning. The crew suffered minor injuries.
CSX expects the line will be closed for 2-3 weeks, and plans to daylight the collapsed section of the tunnel. The site is somewhat remote, and contractor crews are having a difficult time accessing the site. Five to six inches of rain fell this week and melted more that a foot of snow in the process - the same saturated ground conditions that caused the problem is making it tough to get the heavy equipment where it needs to be. I understand they had to cut a roadway back to the area, and will have to clear large trees from the area in order to make room to work.
Detours - for traffic that must move from Cincy or Louisville, trains are being routed north, then east over the ex= PRR/PC/CR/Now Louisville and Indiana line to Seymour, IN, then east over the ex B&O Cincy- St. Louis main. Trains are also being moved east over the former CSX Louisville-Winchester KY, line (now operated by R J Corman), then north over the Corbin Division. On a larger scale, overhead traffic will move West from Cleveland, Columbus, and Detroit over the Cleveland-St Louis line to Terre Haute, then south via Evansville to Nashville. Expect LOTS of other extra moves over the lines in the area before this is over.
Unfortunately, CSX found about the collapse by running Q231 into it, derailing about 8 loaded autoracks in the process about 3:00 AM Wednesday morning. The crew suffered minor injuries.
CSX expects the line will be closed for 2-3 weeks, and plans to daylight the collapsed section of the tunnel. The site is somewhat remote, and contractor crews are having a difficult time accessing the site. Five to six inches of rain fell this week and melted more that a foot of snow in the process - the same saturated ground conditions that caused the problem is making it tough to get the heavy equipment where it needs to be. I understand they had to cut a roadway back to the area, and will have to clear large trees from the area in order to make room to work.
Detours - for traffic that must move from Cincy or Louisville, trains are being routed north, then east over the ex= PRR/PC/CR/Now Louisville and Indiana line to Seymour, IN, then east over the ex B&O Cincy- St. Louis main. Trains are also being moved east over the former CSX Louisville-Winchester KY, line (now operated by R J Corman), then north over the Corbin Division. On a larger scale, overhead traffic will move West from Cleveland, Columbus, and Detroit over the Cleveland-St Louis line to Terre Haute, then south via Evansville to Nashville. Expect LOTS of other extra moves over the lines in the area before this is over.
