ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, July 23, 1996 TAG: 9607230062
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-5 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: ALEXANDRIA
SOURCE: Associated Press
Commuters scrambled for a ride to work Monday after a freight train derailment and collision shut down passenger service and left some riders stranded in the rain.
Nine cars on a southbound train derailed about noon Sunday in an industrial area of Alexandria. Some of the derailed cars careened into a northbound train on parallel tracks, knocking 18 of that train's cars off the tracks and shutting down all train traffic through the busy Northern Virginia corridor for about 24 hours.
A day later, twisted and battered rail cars were pushed to the side of the track bed. Firefighters worked to right a tanker car carrying industrial acid, which was the thorniest problem cleanup crews faced, Alexandria Fire Department Battalion Chief Terrence Kisner said.
``It's still a mess, but it's a lot better than it was [Sunday],'' Kisner said, surveying the muddy, smelly crash site.
The cause of the mishap was under investigation, CSX Transportation Inc. spokeswoman Kathy Burns said. CSX owns the tracks and both freight trains, but has not tallied the cost of the accident.
The Virginia Railway Express suspended train service Monday and told riders to make their own arrangements.
``That was really the only way to do it on such short notice,'' VRE spokesman Corey Hill said.
Many Amtrak and VRE riders heard about the train accident, but others arrived at train stations in a drizzle Monday morning to find long waits for sporadic buses.
Hill said the VRE has never before suspended service because of a mechanical problem, and most riders were understanding.
``Relatively few people showed up at the stations not knowing,'' Hill said.
Amtrak canceled one train and diverted a second Sunday and Monday, spokesman Greg Bany said. Passengers on four other trains were loaded onto buses and taken beyond the crash site.
``We used dozens of buses. Whatever we can get our hands on,'' Bany said.
One track reopened by midday Monday, and CSX expected to have a second operating by the end of the day today, Burns said.
A few freight and Amtrak trains resumed operations Monday. Commuter trains are to resume today, Hill said.
LENGTH: Medium: 52 linesby CNB