(The following appeared on the Tennessean website on May 7, 2010.)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The main railroad between Memphis and Nashville has been knocked out of service, as the flood damaged five bridges along the route.
The Memphis line has been shut down since Sunday, according to the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency and CSX Corp., the line’s owner. Workers were assessing damage Thursday, but the flood appears to have washed out two bridges over the Harpeth River and rendered three others unusable.
Shipments that ordinarily come to Nashville from Memphis are being rerouted, but customers have been told to expect a delay of 72 hours or more, according to CSX.
The Memphis line is the longest of several railroads that were damaged by the storm. A CSX spur that runs from Nashville to Spring Hill also was knocked out of commission, and several short-line routes in West Tennessee have been shut, according to TEMA.