CSX train derails in Halifax County; some Amtrak routes canceled
AND FAILURE TO REDUCE SPEED
LIVE IN RALEIGH, KIRSTEN CLARK,
WRAL NEWS. KIRSTEN, THANK YOU.
ALSO THIS HOUR, PEOPLE UP AND
DOWN THE EAST COAST ARE HAVING
TO CHANGE THEIR TRAVEL PLANS.
>> AFTER THIS, A CSX TRAIN
DERAILING IN HALIFAX COUNTY SKY
5 ABOVE HERE AS CREWS WERE
WORKING TO CLEAN UP ALL OF THE
COLD THAT THIS TRAIN WAS
CARRYING WRAL'S. HEIDI KIRK
STARTED HER DAY IN HALIFAX
COUNTY JOINS US NOW LIVE FROM
THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN. AMTRAK
STATION. SO, HEIDI, YOU'RE
SEEING IMPACTS IN REAL TIME
THERE.
>> WELL, IN A NORMALLY AT THIS
TIME, THE ROCKY MOUNT AMTRAK
STATION IS FILLED WITH PEOPLE
THAT YOU'LL NOTICE RIGHT NOW
IT'S COMPLETELY EMPTY. AND LET
ME SHOW YOU WHY. TAKE A LOOK AT
THE BIG BOARD OVER HERE.
YOU'RE GOING TO NOTICE SEVERAL
CANCELLATIONS. ALL OF THEM HAVE
TO DO WITH THAT DERAILMENT UP
THE ROAD IN HALIFAX COUNTY.
NOW, GO AHEAD AND TAKE A LOOK
AT YOUR SCREEN. THIS IS SKY
5 FLYING ABOVE THE SCENE THIS
MORNING. YOU'LL NOTICE THOSE
COLD CAR STILL COVERING THE
TRACKS AND WORKERS WORKING TO
CLEAN UP THAT MESS. NOW,
ACCORDING TO A CSX
SPOKESPERSON, NO ONE WAS HURT
AND THE DERAILMENT DID NOT
IMPACTING THE WATERWAYS OR
RELEASED ANY HARMFUL TOXINS.
NOW, ACCORDING TO AMTRAK'S
WEBSITE, ALL ROUTES FROM DC
TO RALEIGH ARE CANCELED AS WELL
AS OTHER ONES FROM NEW YORK
TO MIAMI. SO EVEN THOUGH NO ONE
WAS HURT, THIS IS DEFINITELY
CHANGING TRAVEL PLANS. IN FACT,
WE SPOKE WITH ONE WOMAN JUST
WITHIN THE LAST 30 MINUTES OR
SO WHO SAYS SHE COULD MISS HER
DAUGHTER'S WEDDING BECAUSE OF
THIS?
>> IT HURTS ME BECAUSE I'M IN
THE WEDDING AND I WON'T BE ABLE
TO ATTEND IF OUT AND FIND A
WAY TO GREENSBORO.
>> NOW, OF COURSE, THE BIG
QUESTION HERE IS HOW LONG ARE
THESE ISSUES GOING TO PERSIST?
THAT IS A QUESTION WE'VE ASKED
CSX FOR NOW. THEY SAY THEY'RE
WORKING TO OPEN THE TRACK AS
QUICKLY AS THEY CAN. THEY'RE
ALSO WORKING TO FIND THE CAUSE
OF THAT DERAILMENT. HEIDI KIRK,