[RP TownTalk] CSX and Riverdale Park Police coordination?

[Vernon Archer]

Don and neighbors,

Clearly the common sense requirement (I'm not certain if an actual legal
requirement) for an effective flag system was not at work here.  CSX in
notorious for not informing local govt of their activities (ours or any
others) so we are left to try to react with limited or sometimes no
information.

This description might help us get a little better response as this clearly
could lead to deaths of motorists.  We will try.

Several important facts to keep in mind as we interact with CSX 1) Railroads
are regulated by the federal gov't and even the state has very little legal
leverage over them; 2) CSX (and probably all railroad companies) do not want
to have any vehicle crossings and would be all to happy to simply see our
crossing eliminated entirely. Thus, demanding safe practices invariable have
them suggest a closing as the safest alternative--clearly an unacceptable
alternative

Best wishes,

Vern

On Thu, May 28, 2009 at 9:54 PM, Don Lynch <dlynch at garretroomstudios.com>wrote:

> Today I witnessed the most outrageous event that I have seen in a long
> time.
>
> CSX replaced the RR ties across the Queensbury crossing.
>
> No, that's not the event.
>
> During this operation they disabled the RR crossing gate and cars tried to
> figure out if it was OK to cross after the specialized maintenance cars
> crossed over Queensbury Rd.
>
> Then it gets worse.
>
> When they were done, CSX forgot to enable the crossing gate!
>
> I did not notice this until I was working at the Farmers Market and saw a
> MARC train speed past the crossing without the gates down.
>
> We called the police department and they said they would contact CSX, but
> it took more time than I would have considered reasonable before a police
> car arrived at the crossing. The car parked next to the crossing but the
> officer didn't get out of his car and left before this situation was
> resolved.
>
> What I mean by that is CSX showed up and enabled the gates but shortly
> thereafter cars were actually stuck in between the gates and on the
> tracks!
>
> So the basic question is: Did the police department know that CSX was going
> to disable the crossing gate today?
>
> It is shocking that trains were traveling at a high rate of speed through
> that crossing without anyone in authority knowing about it.
>
> I made a comment when the bus was hit that the train didn't seem to have
> the ability to see the bus and stop in time and no one one this list made a
> comment.
>
> Well, I think CSX should not be allowed to travel through our town at a
> rate faster than the speed limit on Queensbury Rd.
>
> Its only a matter of time...
>
> Don
>
>
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-- 
Vernon Archer, Mayor
Town of Riverdale Park, Maryland
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