|
|
|
![[Masthead]](http://www.t-g.com/images/nameplate.png)
|
|
Fair ~ High: 78°F ~ Low: 48°F Friday, May 24, 2013 |
|
Blocked train tracks endanger livesPosted Saturday, February 18, 2012, at 2:23 PM
As I write this Saturday afternoon, Bell Buckle first responders are being delayed in reaching a man passed out in his front yard because a CSX train is blocking the tracks.
It's the second similar occurrence within a week. Earlier in the week medical personnel were delayed in reaching a girl whose hand was pinned under her overturned, wrecked car on Fairfield Pike near Bell Buckle. Wartrace first responders were being called out because their access was on (not in the usual meaning of the term) the other side of the tracks. And a co-worker told me of an incident this week where she saw a car narrowly beat a train across the tracks at Normandy -- the crossing rails were already coming down. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the only overpass over the CSX tracks in eastern Bedford County I can immediately think of is on Cortner Road. Sooner or later someone's going to lose their life because of blocked tracks. Seems to me that in such a critical situation money - and I'm not talking about the county or individual towns - could be found to build another overpass somewhere along the line. I can sure think of much less important projects money's being blown on. Comments Showing comments in chronological order [Show most recent comments first] |
David Melson is a copy editor and staff writer for the Times-Gazette.
Hot topics Picturing the Past 184: Hootenanny lineup(8 ~ 9:36 AM, May 24)
Picturing the Past 92: Stopping by Parks-Belk
"Ag-gag" bill full of problems
Picturing the Past 183: Square in 1965
Speeding drivers on the loose
|
Email link
Read comments (4)
Blog archive
![[Feed icon]](http://www.t-g.com/images/icons/feed-icon-14x14.png){kind=icon}
"""And a co-worker told me of an incident this week where she saw a car narrowly beat a train across the tracks at Normandy -- the crossing rails were already coming down.""" That is gate failure and needs reported to the FRA. The gates by Federal law are to be down 20 seconds before the train arrives.
There are crossong gates sitting idle all over Shelbyville where the train tracks have been paved over. Can those not be sold to other towns where they will be used to cover the cost of a new overpass that you are talking about?
Seems to me that in such a critical situation money - and I'm not talking about the county or individual towns - could be found to build another overpass somewhere along the line.
///////////
Why is it someone else's responsibility to pay for this?
I would gamble that the tracks have been there long before most of the residents have lived in their current houses. So, they knew the risks when they bought their property.
To me this sounds an awful lot like the folks who build a house next to a chicken barn, then try to get the barns shut down afterwards.
The need for an overpass is obvious. Fault finding and blame will not bring back a family's loved one that dies due to a delay in emergency services. How long can we afford to allow this can to be kicked down the road?