Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Derailed


A CSX coal train derailed in Ellicott City late last night dumping coal from twenty one rail cars along a the tracks stretching fromParking Lot B to just past the B&O railroad museum. At least two people are known dead. The Washington Post has identified the victims as Elizabeth Conway Nass and Rose Louese Mayr. As of 10 AM rescue workers were still digging out cars in the parking lot buried under derailed cars and coal. The CSX tracks run the length of the small parking lot along the river.
By the time I arrived on the scene this morning it had become a full blown media event. Camera trucks were stationed in the parking lot of St. Pauls church, on the sidewalk in front of the old post office and all along Main Street. Main Steet was closed closed off from Old Columbia Pike down to the river. Matthew Milani, the owner of the Rumor Mill restaurant, said he had been told the street would be closed until Thursday.

It will likely take longer than that to clean up all the coal. 

I overheard one local telling a reporter that "nothing bad ever happens in Ellicott City, except floods."

And then there's that...

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