CSX tracks were closed yesterday through Martinsville IL due to flooding from the North Fork of the Embarras river, after 9.1 inches of rain fell in a short time. Along with the RR most county roads were closed and some had major damage. I-70, old US-40 [Cumberland road] New Us-40 was also closed in two counties. Two counties Clark and Crawford declared a state of emergency and Cumberland county was declared a disaster due to floodingof the CSX tracks were closed through Martinsville IL due to flooding from the North Fork of the Embarras river, after 9.1 inches of rain fell in a short time. Along with the RR most county roads were closed and some had major damage. I-70, old US-40 [Cumberland road], New Us-40 was also closed in two counties. Two counties Clark and Crawford declared a state of emergency and Cumberland county was declared a disaster due to flooding of the Embarras river. I posted mostly links of the pics from yesterday [for those with dialup] that are not RR related; keep in mind these were taken when the water levels were already dropping. First is of little Creek just below us. http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g214/inch53/floodof2008005.jpg Part of the road bank slid on us. This one’s from yesterday, it’s even larger today http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g214/inch53/floodof2008008.jpg We then headed up to the first road [1500 rd] north of us, close to where Little Creek starts and found this http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g214/inch53/floodof2008010.jpg We headed back down to US-40 then and there was a coal drag headed west, waiting at Cline Orchard crossing waiting for clearance and he was still there waiting this morning http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g214/inch53/floodof2008011.jpg We found this at the CSX viaduct over US-40 http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g214/inch53/floodof2008013.jpg You can see a car that an hour before it was completely under water, the driver’s ok There are 3 main streets into town on the north side from 40.This of one is Mill ST http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g214/inch53/floodof2008017.jpg Next over is York st, no problems there. After that is Washington [oldest boy lives on it]. http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g214/inch53/floodof2008022.jpg After the water was down, they found the blacktop had been lifted off one side and piled up along the other. Then we headed for old 40 [by the high school] to check out the North Fork grade. There’s suppose to be a about a 15 ft grade and if ya look close you can almost see the bridge. http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g214/inch53/floodof2008025.jpg Next is uptown looking at one of the streets out to the south http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g214/inch53/floodof2008027.jpg These two are of the other road [York st] http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g214/inch53/floodof2008028-1.jpg http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g214/inch53/floodof2008029-1.jpg Going back west to where tracks are damaged Here one of the first blowout Here you can see the water boiling through it. The building in the back round is the pump house for the city water. Water is now being hauled in from another town. While we were there, we heard a banging and seen a 55 gal drum shoot out from under the tracks. This one is just another one from there http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g214/inch53/floodof2008038.jpg You could see water leaching thru the ballast all along there http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g214/inch53/floodof2008032.jpg About two hours before these pics, an eastbound inter-mobile and a westbound mixed freight had been across there. Repair crews were there and working by 4pm, trying to repair some of the grade. We heard the line might be going Monday. I wanted to get back in there today, but our county fairs starting and the wife [she runs the computer for it] got called over early. The last time flood was this bad here was in 1957. That same year a flood took out the Big Creek bridge and one abutment over by Marshall IL [6 mile east]. Story goes they had to push hoppers loaded with rock to fill the hole for the new bridge inch
Saw some of these posted over on RailImages. I was wondering if this was a current event. Wild weather lately, in many places. They're forecasting a possibility of snow for us in a couple of days! Boxcab E50
I was wondering why there are so many reroutes coming through here. Best of luck to those involved in the flooding.
Since I posted about this I’ve learned of two other washouts on CSX. There was another washout on this line at Greencastle IN, and one on the old B&O tracks at Camargo IL. Repairs are going ok on the tracks here and should return to service today or tomorrow. Repairs at the Greencastle washout are going on, but were delayed when the work that was done, was washed out again from Monday nights rains. Don’t know anyhing on the Camargo repairs. I heard that INRR was also hit hard and found this on their web page. The Indiana Rail Road Company :: Press Release inch
