DATE: Friday, October 24, 1997              TAG: 9710240982

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

SOURCE: STAFF REPORT 

DATELINE: ELIZABETH CITY                    LENGTH:   28 lines

TRAIN DERAILS, BLOCKS TRAFFIC

A train hauling corn derailed on U.S. 17 Thursday at the north edge of town, blocking traffic for at least 10 hours but causing no injuries.

Eight cars on a Chesapeake and Albemarle Railroad train left the tracks around noon but did not overturn, said Elizabeth City Police Chief Michael Lloyd.

Four of the cars were placed back on undamaged tracks east of U.S. 17 Thursday night. The other four will be moved today, Lloyd said.

``There were no hazardous materials or anything like that,'' Lloyd said at 8 p.m. Thursday while he helped redirect traffic. He was not sure how long it would take to clear the road.

``We're going to stay until we get it done,'' he said.

Fire departments, Pasquotank County Sheriff Department and the N.C. Highway Patrol helped redirect traffic down Main Street Extended. That road makes about a 10-mile loop from U.S. 17 south of the accident to U.S. 17 north of the accident.

The train blocked only one lane of traffic, but officers had to block the other lane to get equipment in to move the derailed cars. The tracks were badly damaged, Lloyd said. KEYWORDS: ACCIDENT TRAIN DERAILMENT

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu