Update, Friday, Nov. 1: A “mechanical issue” caused a Union Pacific train to make an emergency stop in Berkeley late Thursday afternoon, Union Pacific told Berkeleyside. Tim McMahan, UP spokesman, said the train stopped Thursday just after 4:45 p.m. at Gilman Street near Third Street. The train didn’t move again until 8:30 p.m.
Original story: Berkeleyside readers are reporting that a non-passenger train stopped on the railroad tracks at Gilman Street is backing up rush-hour traffic in Berkeley on Thursday.
Berkeleyside has asked Union Pacific for information but there has been no response.
“The non passenger train is broken down on the tracks over Gilman – no traffic can get through,” wrote one reader, who shared a photograph of the train with Berkeleyside. “Was on the H bus – stuck for about 15 minutes before the supervisor came and gave the driver permission to turn around and go to the Buchanan Street exit as a detour.”
The first reader report came into Berkeleyside at 5:15 p.m.
“It’s a mess, no one is getting through,” it said.
H Bus gave up on the Gilman crossing and headed back to university.
— Patrick Tescher (@pat2man) November 1, 2019
Berkeleyside will update this post if additional information becomes available.
