Train crash brings net to a halt

A major train crash in a tunnel in Baltimore has brought the internet to a crawl for some users in the US.

The CSX goods train involved is reported to have derailed and cut important fibre optic lines. It was carrying a mixture of wood, hydrochloric acid and at least five hazardous chemicals. The resulting blaze has been fought by over 100 fire fighters for over a day.

Late yesterday in the US, major East Coast-based ISPs Genuity and PSINet were experiencing peering problems with most other backbones. Peering locations in the eastern cities of New York, Philadelphia and Washington DC have been affected.

According to statistics from internet performance company Keynote Systems, there has been a dramatic slowdown for some websites starting at 03:00(EST) Wednesday.

In such circumstances, internet traffic is rerouted through other cities, and there have been reports of performance problems as far away as Atlanta, Los Angeles and Seattle.

Newsgroup postings from UUNet/WorldCom, Abovenet/MFN and PSINet have shown to some degree the extent of the problem.

Keynote's Internet Health Report, used by a number of ISPs, is available at http://www.internethealthreport.com, and earlier screens showing backbone performance problems can be viewed at http://www.keynote.com/downloads/baltimore_train-071901.doc .

In addition to hitting the internet, the wreck and resultant blaze have cast smoke over offices in Baltimore and even shut down the city's Orioles baseball park.

It is not known when the affected lines will be able to be prepared.