CSX: Train speeds going up beginning Saturday
By Staff Reports
Published in News on August 20, 2010 1:46 PM
Beginning Sunday CSX Corp. will increase the speed of its trains traveling north and south of the city. The increase was announced at Monday night's City Council meeting.
On the northern end, the increase will begin between Belfast Road and A Street and on the south end between Arrington Bride Road and Genoa Road.
The speed will remain as is between A Street and Arrington Bridge Road.
The first increase will be from 25 to 35 miles per hour.
The second increase on Aug. 29 will be from 35 to 40 miles per hour.
CSX officials had not responded to a request for more information prior to presstime.
In a press release, CSX officials noted that it takes a train up to one mile to come to a complete stop after activating its emergency brake depending on the weight and speed of the train.
According to the release, a train hitting a car is proportionate to a car driving over a soda can.
The release offered the following safety tips:
* Never go around lowers crossing gates or through flashing lights. Law enforcement officers may ticket motorists for failure to yield to crossing warning devices. Flashing lights and lowered gates mean a train is only seconds away.
* Always expect a train since they operate around the clock every day of the year.
* Always look for a second train from either direction. There sometimes are two or more tracks at a crossing and more than one train in the area.