Saturday, December 04, 1999
Taft: Trains on wrong track
Congested crossings a growing problem
BY JOHN SEEWER
The Associated Press
NORTHWOOD, Ohio — Gov. Bob Taft toured congested train tracks in northern Ohio on Friday and promised to pressure the railroads to solve the problem of blocked crossings.
Train traffic in towns dissected by busy rail routes has tripled since June when CSX Corp. and Norfolk Southern Corp. began taking over Conrail's routes.
With too many trains and not enough tracks, trains are sitting on crossings and blocking people from getting to work, school and even the hospital.
“We simply cannot tolerate threats to our safety,” Mr. Taft said. “We cannot tolerate children crawling under trains to get to school.”
The governor flew by helicopter to Bellevue, Clyde, Northwood and Fostoria. Speaking alongside a railroad track in Northwood, Mr. Taft had to pause once in midsentence as a train rumbled past.
“We saw a tremendous number of blocked intersections today,” he said.
Mr. Taft said he wants the railroads to build more tracks and change their policies so that trains aren't abandoned on crossings when a crew's shift is over.
Mr. Taft said he also is working to find money to build more overpasses. Some of that money should come from the railroads, he said.
CSX and Norfolk Southern both say they are trying to get their trains moving. Norfolk Southern has hired more workers, leased additional locomotives and asked Conrail retirees to help out.
“I'm not satisfied yet with the remedial steps they've taken,” Mr. Taft said.
Messages seeking comment were left with CSX and Norfolk Southern.
Mr. Taft was blocked by an idle train for 10 minutes about a month ago when he brought his top advisers to suburban Toledo. The delay made him late for a meeting.
State lawmakers, meanwhile, are working on several measures to cut down on train tie-ups.
Rep. Rex Damschroder, R-Fremont, plans to introduce legislation next week that would create “no-stop emergency crossings.”
Trains would be prohibited from stopping on crossings that are on key emergency routes used by firetrucks and ambulances.
“It's not a solution, but it's a step in the right direction, Rep. Damschroder said.
The penalties under his proposal would be a $10,000 fine for the first violation and a $50,000 fine for the third offense within five years.
The bill, though, is not meant to punish the railroads, Rep. Damschroder said. It is simply to keep the crossings clear.
“We recognize they're a contribution to the economy,” he said. “Railroads are not new. What's new is that traffic has greatly increased.”
Gifts that can make a difference
Cop keeps job despite killing
Cop-killer lawyer wins first case
Second judge rejects Farmer
City's retail plan needs Bengals' help
Rape suspect sought to adopt toddler
Most area jails don't allow mass furloughs
Butler Co. wins largest slice of state road funds
Funds OK'd for Trenton bypass
New device fixes aortic aneurysms
Residents to seek hearing on jail site
School injects academics into arts
Teen-ager arrested in bomb threat
Great American Train Show rolls into convention center
Be in our pictures
CCM moves into Village
CSO delivers interesting program of potpourri
GET TO IT
Holiday TV schedule
Poinsettia says holiday in any color
Queen City's moments to shine reflected in book
Covington kids to get cash help for college
Economist: Rework Ky. taxes
Hamilton beats county's water lawsuit
Holiday banner spruce up Monroe streets
Inspectors to check retail scanning systems
Parties submit PVA candidates to Patton
Social Security applicants charged
Taft: Trains on wrong track
TRISTATE DIGEST
Walk to pay nursing home costs
Warren Co. group backs road projects
