BNSF delays in Fresno - broken water main under the tracks!
Author: Tom
Date: 01-27-2007 - 23:07
At about 5:30PM today, I drove up to a favorite train watching spot at the south end of BNSF Fig Garden siding in northwest Fresno, right behind the Tahoe Joe restaurant. A long southbound TOFC train with four Dash-9 44CWs on the point was in the siding holding for a red signal. A few minutes later, a southbound Amtrak pulled up right next to the BNSF freight's lead engine and stopped, also for a red signal. I asked the Amtrak engineer what the situation was, and he said that a water main had broken underneath the mainline just north of downtown Fresno. Trains would eventually be cleared, but would proceed at 1 to 2 MPH max! The engineer added, "we see all sorts of crazy stuff on this job!"