Since no one else has yet posted this news here it is:
Heads up all Tehachapi and I 5 Corridor fans, I just found this news item
on the Trainorders website about a big derailment near Tunnel 7 - Cliff.
The railroad will likely need a hazmat clean up which should close the line for some 36 Hours at a minimum.
This means that ALL rail traffic will either go on the Coast Line (Santa Barbara) OR the very LONG way via Donner Pass--Salt Lake--Vegas--Barstow.
A Bakersfield TV station reported the time of derailment as 2PM saturday Nov 17, 2007 :
[
www.trainorders.com]
[
www.trainorders.com]
--- Daniel
===================================================
Date: November 17, 2007 18:28
Re: Hart's Flat - Location Please??
Author: cajon
Train went into emergency coming out of tunnel 7. Train has about 10 stack sets on the ground. Crew was instructed to leave cab account haz leak. Railroad will be shut down at least 36 hours. Fire department will not let any work crews in the derailment site till hazmat is cleared. Patch crew can not board train due to hazmat. Cars are on both sides of tunnel 7 including inside the tunnel.
Crew is okay but in shock. Engineer said he felt three jolts, looked into his side mirror and watched as everything from his rear unit into tunnel 7 went over. Train then went into emergency.
UP/BNSF now trying to find a way to get equipment into site for clean up when released by fire
Dennis