On
Saturday, April 18, 2009, Interstate 40 near Brinkley, Arkansas was
closed in both directions due to multiple accidents, funneling all that
interstate traffic onto US 70, which crosses the Union Pacific’s
Jonesboro Sub at MP 199 in Brinkley. (This sub runs from St Louis to
Jonesboro, Pine Bluff. Texarkana AR and handles UP’s southbound
freights). I-40 is a major east-west interstate, running from
Wilmington, North Carolina to Barstow, California, 2,559 miles.
The
Brinkley Depot Museum, where I volunteer, sits near this crossing and I
could see the thousands of semi’s and cars slowly going across the
tracks. I called UP’s 800 number and told them that this crossing may
at times be blocked, and apparently the state police also called UP. UP
normally runs southbound trains through here at track speed (58 mph),
but they got the message and had a slow order for all trains going over
this crossing (I’d estimate 10-15 mph). The engineers really blew their
horns constantly and the day went by without any crossing accidents,
although I could see some truck trailers stopped on the crossing at
times due to the heavy traffic. The trains sped up right after the head end crossed the
highway and were going track speed again before the end of the train
reached the crossing. So, I’d imagine this was by far
the busiest highway-railroad crossing on the UP this day. The detoured
interstate traffic started about 4 a.m. and lasted until 3 p.m. that
afternoon. I’m sure the city streets in Brinkley got a workout as well.
From news sources on the causes of the I-40 closure: "Police
say several people are dead and many injured in three separate crashes
along I-40 this Saturday. Bill Sadler with the Arkansas State Police
tells KARK the accidents happened early Saturday morning on I-40
between Brinkley and Wheatley. The first accident happened around 3
a.m. when a car driven by 52-year-old Albert Barnes of
Brinkley....crashed into the back of a big rig. Barnes died at
the scene.. The next -- at around 5 a.m. In that
crash -- two were killed after an explosion caused by the
accident. Two people were also sent to the hospital on that
scene. And the third -- at around 7:30 a.m. Thankfully, no injuries or
death happened then. So the reason for the
accidents? Police believe construction on the interstate -- could
be a factor. Also, traffic backed up from the first accident
could be a contributing factor to the second accident." I
heard that they were working on a bridge at the time. Both east and
westbound lanes of I-40 were closed most of the morning, due to the
debris and cleanup, but the eastbound lane opened by noon. The
westbound lane opened by 3 p.m. - KZ
LEFT-This must have seemed like a nightmare scenario for the train crews. RIGHT-The
traffic was stopped due to the thousands of cars and trucks being
detoured from the closed Interstate 40. They couldn't go forward or
backward.
LEFT-NS
9927 slowly moving toward the busy crossing at 10:13 a.m. I had called
UP about the congestion at this crossing, as had the Arkansas State
Police, so all the trains slowed to 10-15 mph. Normal speed though
here is 58 mph. The trains sped up right after the head end cross the
highway and were going track speed again before the end of the train
reached the crossing. RIGHT-UP 3984 at 10:30 a.m.
Looking
to the east along US 70 toward Memphis. This detour lasted 11 hours,
from 4 a.m. until 3 p.m. April 18. I-40 is one of the busiest
interstates for trucks in the nation, running from Wilmington, North
Carolina all the way to Barstow, California, 2,559.25 miles, so I
imagine this was UP's busiest grade crossings on this date.
RIGHT-CSX 4521, 12:47 p.m.
Killdeer
bird at the tracks. This bird's family lives in some ground shrubs
close to here and they get perturbed when I photograph them and
actually fake an injury so that I'll 'attack' them instead of their
babies.
LEFT-Killdeer have no respect for UP's private property!! RIGHT-Wild cabbage, also near the tracks at Brinkley.
LEFT-Wide load crossing the tracks at 2:27 p.m. RIGHT-UP 4968, 2:28 p.m.
LEFT-A
wrecker is hauling one of the semi's that caught fire in the I-40
accidents. Three people were killed in three separate wrecks before
dawn. RIGHT-Storm clouds moved in about 3 p.m. By this time the interstate was reopened.
LEFT-Heavy
rain on my way home from Brinkley. This was taken at Dagmar Wildlife
Management area, where the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker was supposedly
spotted by Cornell University people back in 2004. RIGHT-Yellow and green fields.
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