WKYT Investigates: Trains breaking state law, stopped on roads, frustrating drivers

 

Norfolk Southern Rail Road (and others too I assume) seems to have a habit of blocking crossings for way beyond the State (5 minutes) or Federal (20 Minutes) that is allowed. In doing so they are not only inconveniencing residents they are putting lives in danger as EMS, Fire and LE can't respond to calls when a train is sitting till for (in some cases) hours at a time blocking roads.

 

State Law only allows for a very small fine to be levied in cases where it happens.

 

Is this a Big Deal or no Deal?

Nobody messes with the railroad. They've been SO deeply embedded into the US government for SO long...they're virtually untouchable.

WKYT Investigates: Trains breaking state law, stopped on roads, frustrating drivers

 

Norfolk Southern Rail Road (and others too I assume) seems to have a habit of blocking crossings for way beyond the State (5 minutes) or Federal (20 Minutes) that is allowed. In doing so they are not only inconveniencing residents they are putting lives in danger as EMS, Fire and LE can't respond to calls when a train is sitting till for (in some cases) hours at a time blocking roads.

 

State Law only allows for a very small fine to be levied in cases where it happens.

 

Is this a Big Deal or no Deal?

 

This is incorrect. There is no federal law setting a time limit on blocked crossings. Because of this the state laws are often unenforceable. Regardless, a 5 minute limit is ridiculous. I regularly have trains that are over 13,000 feet and 15,000 tons. I can tell you that if you are at a crossing between the Somerset depot and Science Hill that one of these trains can be running full speed up that grade and will block the crossing more than 5 minutes. It would be different if all of the railroad had multiple tracks but there are lots of places that have double track joined by sections of single track. When that happens one of the trains has to wait. Crews do what they can to avoid the crossings but it can't always be helped.

 

Here's a website that gives some more insight on the situation: Those Dang Blocked Crossings

Didn't Cincinnati have this problem around 45 years ago?

What did they do to solve the problem?

I remember it happening and they came to a solution, but do not remember the details.

Didn't Cincinnati have this problem around 45 years ago?

What did they do to solve the problem?

I remember it happening and they came to a solution, but do not remember the details.

 

Probably not much given that they own the NS (the Southern Railway) track between Cincinnati and Chattanooga.

This is incorrect. There is no federal law setting a time limit on blocked crossings. Because of this the state laws are often unenforceable. Regardless, a 5 minute limit is ridiculous. I regularly have trains that are over 13,000 feet and 15,000 tons. I can tell you that if you are at a crossing between the Somerset depot and Science Hill that one of these trains can be running full speed up that grade and will block the crossing more than 5 minutes. It would be different if all of the railroad had multiple tracks but there are lots of places that have double track joined by sections of single track. When that happens one of the trains has to wait. Crews do what they can to avoid the crossings but it can't always be helped.

 

Here's a website that gives some more insight on the situation: Those Dang Blocked Crossings

 

I don't think the issue is with "moving trains" blocking the crossings because of their length, I think most people understand that...it's them parking for hours and blocking the only road into and out of an area of the county. That seems to be the complaint in other counties as well.

Planes, trains....:lol2: Can't no one get it right. :lol2:

I literally live on the "other side of the tracks" in my home town of Lawrenceburg. Train tracks run essentially down the middle of town and cross two very busy traffic crossings. Trains are constantly coming to a stop and blocking traffic, and if a train is long enough it can (and has) severely hinder emergency vehicles from responding to certain parts of town, not to mention back up regular traffic like crazy. I have sit at an intersection WAY longer than 5 minutes with either a completely stopped train or a train moving at literally a casual walking speed.

I literally live on the "other side of the tracks" in my home town of Lawrenceburg. Train tracks run essentially down the middle of town and cross two very busy traffic crossings. Trains are constantly coming to a stop and blocking traffic, and if a train is long enough it can (and has) severely hinder emergency vehicles from responding to certain parts of town, not to mention back up regular traffic like crazy. I have sit at an intersection WAY longer than 5 minutes with either a completely stopped train or a train moving at literally a casual walking speed.

 

I'm assuming you'd rather that train maintain that casual walking speed that they have to observe when the signals governing their movement requires it rather than derailing and spiking coal, or grain, or chlorine or any number of hazardous materials in the middle of town, right?

I literally live on the "other side of the tracks" in my home town of Lawrenceburg. Train tracks run essentially down the middle of town and cross two very busy traffic crossings. Trains are constantly coming to a stop and blocking traffic, and if a train is long enough it can (and has) severely hinder emergency vehicles from responding to certain parts of town, not to mention back up regular traffic like crazy. I have sit at an intersection WAY longer than 5 minutes with either a completely stopped train or a train moving at literally a casual walking speed.

 

Same thing in Harrodsburg. Very frustrating.

 

I've been in an ambulance with a critical patient waiting at a crossing for much more than five minutes before. It is a problem.

I'm assuming you'd rather that train maintain that casual walking speed that they have to observe when the signals governing their movement requires it rather than derailing and spiking coal, or grain, or chlorine or any number of hazardous materials in the middle of town, right?

 

They run wide open with those same items in tow too so that's not what is making the difference.

If its such an issue build a bridge to cross the tracks.

I'm assuming you'd rather that train maintain that casual walking speed that they have to observe when the signals governing their movement requires it rather than derailing and spiking coal, or grain, or chlorine or any number of hazardous materials in the middle of town, right?

 

They run wide open with those same items in tow too so yes it's very frustrating when stopped or going a snail's pace. What I would prefer is that there is a crossing that goes over or under the tracks, which has been discussed by the city council because it is such a problem.

They run wide open with those same items in tow too so yes it's very frustrating when stopped or going a snail's pace. What I would prefer is that there is a crossing that goes over or under the tracks, which has been discussed by the city council because it is such a problem.

 

I'm trying to explain to you how the signal system works. They aren't running slow through there for fun or to make you late. They can't run wide open whenever they want to.

I did some googling last night. It seems that there are several factors at play in train speeds through towns. Those include, as I understand it, they rating of the track, type of train, Federal regulations and local (city or town) regulations negotiated with the railroad.