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29-596: Saraland City Schools ( SCS ) is a school district serving and operated by Saraland , Alabama , United States . The district consists of four schools, Saraland Early Education Center, Saraland Elementary School, Saraland (formerly Adams) Middle School, and Saraland High School . The high school students feed into Saraland Middle School; the students were rezoned to Saraland High School in January 2010. As of 2013 non-residents wishing to send their children to Saraland schools must pay $ 1,500 every year per child. In June 2006,

58-781: A Superfund site which was at risk from climate change , due to high wildfire hazard potential, flood hazard, or potential for damage in Category 4 or 5 hurricanes. As of September 2, 2014, Redwing Carriers, Inc. in Saraland was removed from the National Priorities List (NPL) because no hazardous waste remains on site. Saraland is served by the Saraland Board of Education . Residents are zoned to Saraland Early Education Center, Saraland Elementary School, Saraland (formerly Adams) Middle School, and Saraland High School . In June 2006,

87-482: A massive fuel spill and a fire. Forty-seven people, including the train’s three engineers, two crew members, and 42 passengers were killed – many by drowning , others by fire/smoke inhalation. Another 103 were injured. The towboat's four crew members were not injured. Odom helped save 17 people after the crash using the same towboat that had been pushing the barge that hit the bridge. The National Geographic documentary program Seconds From Disaster also examined

116-449: A median income of $ 44,201 versus $ 31,235 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 22,192. About 8.8% of families and 14.9% of the population were below the poverty line , including 28.3% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 16,171 people, 5,171 households, and 3,615 families residing in the city. Redwing Carriers, Inc. in Saraland had been identified as having

145-684: A result of its investigation of this derailment, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) made a comprehensive series of recommendations, on September 19, 1994, to the U.S. Department of Transportation , the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers , the U.S. Coast Guard , the Federal Emergency Management Agency , Amtrak, the American Waterways Operators, Inc., the Warrior & Gulf Navigation Company,

174-642: The 1940s and 50s brought about the incorporation of Saraland in 1957. At the time of incorporation, the city reported only 125 residents. By the 1960 U.S. Census, annexations had swelled the population to 4,595. In 1980, census figures cited 9,844 Saraland residents. As of the 2020 census, Saraland's population had grown to 16,171. The worst rail disaster in the history of Amtrak occurred just east of Saraland on Big Bayou Canot on September 22, 1993. At approximately 2:53 AM, Amtrak's Sunset Limited train, powered by three locomotives, and en route from Los Angeles to Miami with 220 passengers and crew aboard, crossed

203-479: The Bayou Canot bridge at high speed and derailed at a kink in the track caused by a barge captain who rammed the bridge by making a wrong turn in the waterway and failed to report the accident. 47 people, of whom 42 were passengers, were killed, many by drowning, others by fire. Much of the rescue efforts were average citizens of the community who journeyed out in the early morning hours in small fishing boats to help at

232-464: The Big Bayou Canot, a channel of water closed to commercial boat traffic and crossed by a CSX Transportation rail bridge. The towboat's pilot, Willie Odom, was not properly trained on how to read his radar and so, due to very poor visibility in heavy fog and his lack of experience, did not realize he was off course. The boat also lacked a compass and a chart of the waters. Odom believed that he

261-522: The City of Saraland voted to break away from the Mobile County Public School System and form its own school system. The school district came into effect in autumn 2008; at the time Saraland Elementary and Adams Middle were a part of the city district, but high schoolers had to attend county schools because Saraland High School was not yet open. Prior to the split of the City of Saraland from

290-524: The Saraland Yeshiva right outside of the city limits. 30°49′31″N 88°05′31″W  /  30.825186°N 88.091932°W  / 30.825186; -88.091932 Big Bayou Canot rail accident Prior to the derailment, a barge pushed by the towboat Mauvilla (owned and operated by Warrior and Gulf Navigation of Chickasaw, Alabama ) made a wrong turn on the Mobile River and entered

319-536: The Saraland residents voted in favor (70%) to break away from the Mobile County Public Schools . The district requires its students to wear school uniforms . This Alabama school-related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Saraland, Alabama Saraland is a city in Mobile County , Alabama , United States, and a suburb of Mobile . As of the 2020 census ,

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348-441: The accident's severity. At 2:53 a.m., Amtrak's Sunset Limited train, powered by three locomotives (one GE Genesis P40DC number 819 in the front and two EMD F40PHs , numbers 262 and 312) en route from Los Angeles , California , to Miami, Florida , with 220 passengers and crew aboard, crossed the bridge at around 70 miles per hour (110 km/h) and derailed at the kink. The first of its three locomotives slammed into

377-471: The city was $ 19,470. About 7.4% of families and 9.0% of the population were below the poverty line , including 12.2% of those under age 18 and 8.9% of those age 65 or over. At the 2010 census there were 13,405 people in 5,208 households, including 3,757 families, in the city. The population density was 558.5 inhabitants per square mile (215.6/km ). There were 5,828 housing units at an average density of 266.1 per square mile (102.7/km ). The racial makeup of

406-552: The city was 83.7% White, 12.0% Black or African American, 0.8% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.5% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. 2.5% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 5,208 households 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.4% were married couples living together, 13.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.9% were non-families. 22.8% of households were one person and 10.0% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size

435-414: The county system in 2009, Saraland was zoned to Satsuma High School . 2011 was the final year in which Saraland residents were permitted by the county to attend county schools. Several years prior to 2009 officials of Saraland, Satsuma , and Chickasaw contemplated forming the "Delta School District." Private schools within Saraland include Evangel Christian School, North Mobile Christian School, and

464-514: The derailment. In addition to corroborating findings of the official accident report, the program revealed that the train had been delayed in New Orleans by repairs to an air conditioner unit and a toilet. This had put it a half-hour behind schedule. If not for this delay, the Sunset Limited would have passed over the Big Bayou Canot bridge 20 minutes before the bridge was hit by the barge. As

493-419: The displaced span, causing that part of the bridge to collapse into the water beneath. The lead locomotive embedded itself nose-first into the canal bank and the other two locomotives, together with the baggage car , sleeping car and two of the six passenger cars , plunged into the water. The locomotives' fuel tanks, each of which held several thousand gallons of diesel fuel, ruptured upon impact, resulting in

522-473: The east by the undeveloped northern end of Mobile, and to the northeast by Satsuma and Creola . U.S. Route 43 (Saraland Boulevard) and Interstate 65 are the main north-south routes through Saraland. U.S. 43 leads south 9 miles (14 km) to downtown Mobile and north 55 miles (89 km) to Jackson , while I-65 leads south 15 miles (24 km) to its terminus at Interstate 10 in southwestern Mobile, and northeast 157 miles (253 km) to Montgomery ,

551-470: The nearest signal continued to display a clear (green) aspect . Had one of the rails been severed by the bridge's displacement, the track circuit would have opened, causing the approach signal to display a stop (red) aspect and the preceding signal a yellow (caution) approach indication. This might have given the Amtrak engineers sufficient time to stop the train or at least reduce its speed in an effort to mitigate

580-479: The ones to give the community its first name: Alvarez Station. Later land squatters moved into the area and were able, legally, in 1800 to begin purchasing property. In 1807, a land office was opened in St. Stephens to handle all land transactions. Some of the pioneer families who seized the opportunity to buy up sections were named Alvarez, Rice, Hartley, Moore, LaCoste, Williams, Tool and Cleveland. Eventually, Alvarez Station

609-527: The population of the city was 16,171, up from 13,405 at the 2010 census. Saraland, part of the Mobile metropolitan area , is the third largest city in Mobile County. Saraland is located at 30°49′31″N 88°5′31″W  /  30.82528°N 88.09194°W  / 30.82528; -88.09194 (30.825186, -88.091932). It is bordered to the southwest by the city of Prichard , to the south by Chickasaw , to

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638-408: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 4,810 households 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.0% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.1% were non-families. 21.2% of households were one person and 8.1% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size

667-496: The scene. At the 2000 census there were 12,288 people in 4,810 households, including 3,602 families, in the city. The population density was 560.9 inhabitants per square mile (216.6/km ). There were 5,138 housing units at an average density of 234.5 per square mile (90.5/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 88.50% White, 8.97% Black or African American, 0.56% Native American, 0.46% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races, and 1.13% from two or more races. 1.17% of

696-406: The span had not been adequately secured against unintended movement. The collision forced the unsecured end of the bridge span approximately 3 feet (1 m) out of alignment and severely kinked the track. Despite the displacement of the bridge, the continuously welded rails did not break. As a result, the track circuit controlling the bridge approach block signals remained closed (intact) and

725-425: The state capital. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , Saraland has a total area of 32.4 square miles (84 km ), of which 0.32 square miles (0.83 km ), or 0.68%, are water. The city is drained by Bayou Sara, an east-flowing tributary of the Mobile River . The land area that was to become the present-day Saraland was included in a Spanish land grant to Don Diego Alvarez. Hence, descendants of Alvarez were

754-418: Was 2.57 and the average family size was 2.01. The age distribution was 22.9% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 27.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% 65 or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.9 males. The median household income was $ 48,721 and the median family income was $ 54,845. Males had

783-463: Was 2.97. The age distribution was 23.4% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% 65 or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males. The median household income was $ 38,318 and the median family income was $ 43,471. Males had a median income of $ 35,431 versus $ 22,787 for females. The per capita income for

812-556: Was called Cleveland Station. The present name of the city is reported to have been given by C.J. DeWitt, a retired minister editor who moved south in 1890 for health reasons. He opened the first post office on the Southern Railroad in 1895. The community is purported to be the namesake of his beloved wife, Sara. Saraland was sparsely populated during the first part of the 20th century, until an industrial and population boom occurred in neighboring Mobile. Northward expansion of Mobile in

841-507: Was still on the Mobile River and had identified the bridge in the radar as another tug boat. After the investigation, he was found not to be criminally liable for the incident. The bridge was struck by the Mauvilla at about 2:45 a.m. The span had been designed to rotate so it could be converted to a swing bridge by adding appropriate equipment. No such conversion had been performed but

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