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

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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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