Sinkhole in Tennessee Affecting Passenger Train Service

A sinkhole that first appeared about the size of a basketball has grown to an 8-foot-wide, $1 million dollar problem that’s interfering with passenger rail service to Memphis, Tennessee.

Officials of the city and Canadian National Railway said July 8 they’ve agreed to share the cost of repairing the sinkhole, which was caused by a century-old collapsed storm sewer line about 50 feet underground.

Amtrak threatened to discontinue passenger service to Memphis because overtime for train crews and the cost of chartering buses to carry passengers around the affected area is costing up to $5,000 per day.

City Attorney Elbert Jefferson said the city and the railroad are still deciding how to split the repair cost, but the materials are on site and the contractor is ready to begin.
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Information from: The Commercial Appeal,
http://www.commercialappeal.com