Folks in an East Texas town are calling it “a potential disaster.” Union Pacific Railroad has just gotten federal permission to nearly double its speed limit through Gladewater, raising it to 70 m.p.h. instead of 40 m.p.h. limit in place now. Union Pacific officials say track improvements have allowed for this to happen but residents don’t want the faster trains running near their homes.
“They have the training but do they have enough equipment and enough personnel to handle a chemical derailment,” said Robert Stanley Sr., who’s concerned about the increase in speed. Stanley Sr. and his son are regular customers of Paradise Pizza, a restaurant that sits about 150 feet away from the railroad tracks that run through Gladewater.
“Derailments have no problem increasing 200 feet away from the tracks. So, we can have cars sitting in the middle of this restaurant where we’re sitting,” said Robert Stanley Jr.
There are seven railroad crossings that go through the city. “There’s only one with a blockade,” said Paradise Pizza owner Karla Byrd. “This one doesn’t and the other one down there doesn’t have one.”
If the trains were to go off the tracks, City of Gladewater Fire Chief Wayne Smith says there’s no telling how long it would take to clean it up. “We have mass chemicals, railroad tank cars that are being transporting chlorine and other chemicals right through downtown Gladewater,” said Smith.
Another concern is that the fire department is one this side of the tracks so if something were to happen firefighters would have to go around their loop in order to get to the other side.
Union Pacific says increasing the speed limit to 70 m.p.h. for freight trains and 79 m.p.h. for passenger trains will not pose a safety issue. "The speed limit does not affect the way we transport materials across the country. Again, the statistics show that railroads are the safest way of transporting all sorts of materials across the country and we certain
I dont know what the fuss is all about. Personally, a Pizza Shop 150 feet away from the tracks with 70 MPH trains sounds like a perfect spot to be! That would rock.
Don’t cross in front of an on-coming train and you won’t get hit. Don’t walk on the tracks and you won’t get hit. Its not a safety issue, its common sense… Duh. Derailments can happen and spread all over at 40mph too – but they are few and far between.
Why don’t they worry about the soccer mom’s in their mini-vans doing 60 in a 35 zone before they worry about the trains…
Virtually all there concerns about safety in there town are the same whether at either 70 or 45 MPH. I wonder what study the town is using to justify their concerns. This sounds like a knee jerk reaction to a percieved but undocumented problem. I remember that in the begining people said trains were dangerous because they traveled at the unheard of speeds of 15 MPH. Has anyone considered that the fire trucks will be able to get to fires on the other side of the tracks quicker with 70 mph train speeds. [?] The town may actually be safer than before. [2c] As always ENJOY
Unfortunately you can’t legislate common sense. If some moron thinks they can beat the train you are going to have a mess at 40mph or at 70 mph either way. Chemical spills can occur at either speed. If they feel that the citizens of the town are not to be trusted with making descisions for themselves then why don’t they pay to put up the speeding-vehicle proof gates?
The 70-mph speed will apply to very few trains, mostly intermodal.
The hazardous materials that they’re so worried about will probably most often be moved in 50-m.p.h. key trains.
P.S. Do you get the feeling that they figure that the “blockades” are intended to keep the trains on the tracks instead of keeping crossing violators off?
Not only that but the track conditions are probably much better now that passenger is up to 79 mph. You can not get a 79 mph Amtrak rating with bad track. I would say that a track related derailment is even more unlikely than before. Can you say " THE SKY IS FALLING, THE SKY IS FALLING" ? [?] As always ENJOY
I would say there aint much difference between 40 mph and 70 mph in the case of sitting in the restaurant and that train derails…Id say your toast either way. ( Toast, thats a joke boy…toast)[(-D]
If a train accident is going to happen, especially due to negligence on somebody’s part, it will happen at40 mph or 70 mph. This town is used to trains it seems but still seem to be scared of the whole thing. I can see their point sort of, 70 is fast for a freight train in close proximity to anything, but most won’t be going that fast I’m sure. As someone else pointed out, it will probably be just for intermodals.