Railroad apologizes for train blocking traffic

Train blocks roads in San Marco, main route to hospital for over an hour

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Florida East Coast Railway issued an apology Wednesday night regarding a train that blocked traffic for over an hour that morning.

A northbound Norfolk Southern train initially stopped on the tracks in San Marco because another train was in the CSX rail yard, where it was heading. The train blocked several crossing streets, including the intersection at Prudential Drive and San Marco Boulevard and all areas under Interstate 95 near Baptist.

Because pedestrians were seen trying to climb between the cars while the train was stopped, CSX police along with officers with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office had to walk the length of the train to make sure no one was on the tracks before the train could start moving again.

The search took more than an hour, and the train, which was stopped before 9 a.m. didn't move start moving again until 10:16 a.m.

The Florida East Coast Railway said most of the time, three railroads (FEC, Norfolk Southern and CSX) move between 10-12 trains a day between several points without delay or incident.  FEC said it apologizes for Wednesday's train being stopped for an extended period of time.

"The trains can operate between these points up to 45 miles an hour, but once they get to each rail yard respectively, trains must slow down to 10 miles an hour entering into and going through the rail yards.  The average speed of trains is approximately 25-30 mph in each direction," said Debra Phillips with FEC.

While the train was stopped, the Jacksonville Fire-Rescue communications center told all units transporting patients to Baptist downtown to divert off the Fuller Warren Bridge exit, so they could reach the hospital.

The I-95 exit to Main Street was also closed and traffic was diverted to continue on I-95, police said.

Traffic to and from San Marco was at a standstill for well over an hour.

One driver told News4Jax that traffic was backed up on every road through San Marco into downtown, including Kings Avenue, San Marco Boulevard, I-95, Atlantic Boulevard and Beach Boulevard. She said it took about an hour to go 4 miles in the area.

Another driver said traffic was so bad she had to make a pit stop.

"I had to get out of line and go use the restroom. I went and got breakfast, and literally got back in line in the same place," Noel Burney said. "(I've been) reading my emails, looking online. What would we do if we didn't have our iPhones to keep us occupied?"

A bicyclist who couldn't get around the train said he thought the traffic was for One Spark.

"I think it's funny that I've been here for about 50 minutes, but I think it's funnier that I originally drove," Casey Burns said. "I was going to drive to work, then I saw there was a lot of traffic. I assumed it was for One Spark, so I decided to turn around and go back home to get my bike. And I passed by the car that I was behind and I got to the train that was stopped, and I've been here ever since."