Incident in Rocky Mount NC affecting Amtrak service (11/4/22)

[jis]

A truck carrying explosives has overturned causing extensive evacuations in Rocky mount and stopping service on the CSX Main Line through the town that carries Amtrak service.

https://www.wral.com/tractor-traile...rashes-closing-us-64-in-rocky-mount/20555501/
89, 92 and 80 are all currently holding short of RMT at various places. 90 will join the hold soon unless things start clearing up. At least a couple of hours if not more will be required to secure the explosives sufficiently to return things to normal

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

Ugh, more stuff going wrong!

 

[jis]

All trains are now (13:45 EDT of 11/4/22) slowly moving towards RMT but holding short outside the evacuation area pending clearing of the evacuation.

 

[jis]

14:30, all trains are moving and the blockage at RMT has been lifted.

 

[OBS]

You can't make this stuff up!

 

[alpha3]

I posted recently in an auto enthusiast forum how much the big rigs worry me lately. They never used to, the big rigs always had the safest, most courteous drivers. Now I'm very wary getting near or passing one; glad my car is turbo charged. East Tennessee doesn't have the easiest terrain to cross and I see these big trucks weaving, tailgating big time, straddling lanes, everything they never used to do. They overturn here frequently; two in just the last week on I-40. I think, like other industries, they are short-handed and hire whomever has a CDL.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I posted recently in an auto enthusiast forum how much the big rigs worry me lately. They never used to, the big rigs always had the safest, most courteous drivers. Now I'm very wary getting near or passing one; glad my car is turbo charged. East Tennessee doesn't have the easiest terrain to cross and I see these big trucks weaving, tailgating big time, straddling lanes, everything they never used to do. They overturn here frequently; two in just the last week on I-40. I think, like other industries, they are short-handed and hire whomever has a CDL.

Not saying some truck drivers are bad drivers, but how many truck accidents are caused by other drivers cutting in front of them (and disappearing before anyone knows what happened)?

The other day on I-95 a guy in a car was driving "crazy". He decided to pass a truck on the right side, just before the truck decided it wanted to move to the right lane. The truck driver didn't see the car, which had pulled up too close to the truck to be seen before it changed lanes, till it was next to his cab. Luckily he was able to maneuver his truck back to his original lane w/o tipping over.

 

[alpha3]

Not saying some truck drivers are bad drivers, but how many truck accidents are caused by other drivers cutting in front of them (and disappearing before anyone knows what happened)?

The other day on I-95 a guy in a car was driving "crazy". He decided to pass a truck on the right side, just before the truck decided it wanted to move to the right lane. The truck driver didn't see the car, which had pulled up too close to the truck to be seen before it changed lanes, till it was next to his cab. Luckily he was able to maneuver his truck back to his original lane w/o tipping over.

I understand, and I'm sure there are some of those are caused by nutty drivers AmtrakBlue; I'm only stating what I observe. I'm a road tripper, over the years I've done many of them. Now that I retired I can do many more medium and long-distance trips. In general, the driving behavior I observe of the big rigs themselves has gotten to the point where I'm very careful anytime I'm near one. They used to be the model of good driving. No longer.

 

[Steve4031]

The trucks probably have safety systems like cars do to monitor these blind spots. I have seen trucks straddling lanes and weaving to intimidate drivers from zipper merging appropriately at the point 2 lane become one for construction.

The problem with trucking is similar to railroads. They have found ways to cut driver pay so that what once use to be a professionalized industry that guaranteed a living for its drivers now barely pays minimum wage. This causes the existence of inexperienced dangerous drivers.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

The local reporters are calling it a tractor trailer, and a 18 wheeler.

It’s a straight truck. There are not 18 wheel on this vehicle, there is no trailer.

Pretty sure it a fertilizer fuel mixer type of explosives. Don’t actually think it’s premixed prior to arrival at site. So this is a over reaction to a roll over accident.

 

[Palmland]

My pet peeve on interstates is being behind two trucks. One is in the right lane and the other is in the left and trying to pass the other but is unable, effectively blocking traffic for seemingly miles.

And a related problem are drivers in autos who insist on going slower than the speed of the traffic but stay in the left lane. If you want to drive slowly, stay in the right lane! Must not teach that anymore. That lesson was burned into my brain when I had a learners permit and was carefully (slowly) driving in the left lane. A Pennsylvania state trooper pulled me over and gave me an education - but no ticket.