ND Town vesus CP

[atrainguy60]

http://news.yahoo.com/why-small-north-d ... 03008.html

Enderlin, ND is getting tired of trains blocking crossings for a while.

[Bulby]

Further reading:

http://www.bakkentoday.com/event/article/id/37606/

I find it interesting that the solution to the issue, in the eyes of the city, is to mandate a minimum jail sentence of two days to the conductor. Perfect way to make sure the train moves, by locking up the crew.

Last time I checked, FRA rules trump city rules about blocking crossings, and the FRA is not likely to take a city ordinance as an excuse for a violation of the CFR.

(I'm somewhat sympathetic to the emergency personnel claim, but at the same time, the city is using them for this)

[M.D.Bentley]

Most railroads will pay employees that are locked up while on the clock. Local police have NO authority over railroad crews for blocking crossings or accidents. This could benefit the conductor $$$$. The town will have to go after the corporation and not the minions .

[Gadfly]

Back when I was working for NS, a story circulated around that a certain northern railroad began to have the same trouble with a small pi$$-ant town. Due to the yard and a medium-sized plant, there was no way the railroad could help blocking crossings. But the little town got the big head and began to hassle the railroad, going so far as to arrest a conductor and engineer. The acrimony continued for several years.

Quietly, the railroad began to buy up land about 40 miles distant from the town. It negotiated rights of way and trackage rights on other roads, and bought land for an industrial park. All of which was done so as to not raise suspicion from the town, and it didn't since the new ROW was so far away, they didn't imagine or suspect that anything was up. Secretly, it entered negotiations with the plant(s) that existed within or near the little smart-aleck town and made the plant(s) offers of service and concessions they couldn't refuse. When this was done, and the railroad was sure that all was in place, the Track Department was seen by the town manager as they built a fence and a barrier at both ends of the old Main line and spiked down the switch to old yard. Simultaneously, the big plant, the main source of employment and tax revenue for the town, announced it was moving to a new facility 40 miles away. The railroad then applied for abandonment of the old segment of line!

The town manager yelled at the Division Superintendent, "You can't DO that!!"

The Division Super replied, "You just watch me, you little Sum*****!!!!!"

One by one, the industries once vital to the small town and its survival moved away. The people and store owners likewise slowly packed up and went elsewhere. The main avenue became a ghost town of abandoned storefronts and once proud small businesses! That's what they got for "freaking" with the railroad!!!
Towns sometimes forget that the only reason they exist is because of the railroad to start with!!!!!!!

I can't verify the story. I can't say its really true. But, knowing the mentality of the railroad (especially the one *I* worked for), it wouldn't surprise me one bit if it were true! They don't like to be "f''ed" with! it was told enough around the yard office everytime we heard someone complaining about blocking crossings!

Gadfly

retired, NS RR

[CharlieX90]

We payed for the overpass in Enderlin so they need to get over it. The town recently withdrew its lawsuit against CP.