First, East Palestine, Ohio, next it was Detroit, Michigan, then Haverstraw yesterday became the latest to see a freight train accident bring things to a halt. While it appears that no one was hurt in Thursday morning’s incident, and no leaks of hazardous materials were reported, it could have been much worse. Haverstraw Police say a tractor-trailer that had bottomed out while crossing the tracks on New Main Street around 9:20am was struck by a CSX train near the intersection of Route 9W. Captain John Gould of the Haverstraw Police told DailyVoice.com that a passerby had seen that the tractor-trailer got stuck, and notified Sergeant Christian Mendez who was on patrol in the area at the time. Sergeant Mendez was able to get the driver out of the tractor-trailer before it was hit. Rockland County Executive Ed Day said there was minimal damage to the tracks…
Rockland County Legislature Chairman, Jay Hood, whose district covers Haverstraw, yesterday said the incident could have been a horrific tragedy, and while the driver of the truck and the driver of the train were “shook up” he’s hopeful both will be OK. The intersection remained closed much of the day yesterday as the mess was cleaned up. WRCR market analyst Ken Mahoney of Mahoney Asset Management in Chestnut Ridge, says safety can be improved on the nation’s railways…
New Main Street has since been re-opened as of this morning. In a bit of coincidence, just about an hour before yesterday’s accident, New York Governor Kathy Hochul put out a statement urging the freight rail industry, Congress, and federal regulators to beef up rules and prevent freight rail hazmat disasters, including requiring advanced braking systems and phasing in safer tank cars.