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CSX road crossings in Plymouth

Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2021 2:13 pm
by Sean N
From an email sent out by the city of Plymouth today:

The City has been receiving a number of complaints related to the poor condition of some CSX Railroad Crossings. Please be advised that those crossings are in the CSX Railroad Right of Way and the City has no control or authority over how CSX maintains their crossings. The railroads are Federally Regulated and the City does not have authority on train issues.

To report a rough railroad crossing in the City of Plymouth, call 1-800-232-0144. You will be asked to provide a crossing number and they are as follows in the City of Plymouth:

* Main Street - 232216W
* Ann Arbor Trail - 232214H
* Lilley Rd. (South - near Fair St. & the K of C) - 232213B
* Starkweather - 234308R
* Mill Street (North - Old Village) - 234307J
* N. Holbrook - 234306C
* Farmer St. - 232217D

Drivers should feel free to contact CSX Railroad to report rough crossings or other issues with the railroad crossing, including blocked crossings by calling 1-800-232-0144. You can also contact CSX Railroad through their website at www.csx.com.

Re: CSX road crossings in Plymouth

Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2021 3:25 pm
by TSS
We all know CSX will do whatever CSX wants to do, but it might just work.

Lincoln Charter Township made a similar posting to Facebook a few months ago, with the crossing ID numbers and the complaint link to CSX. Starting next week, three of the worst crossings are being replaced.

Probably just a coincidence. But maybe the complaints had an effect.

Re: CSX road crossings in Plymouth

Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2021 4:19 pm
by Chip
It's not just Plymouth theyโ€™re awful, there's a bunch in the area that are terrible. There's one on Northline just west of Wayne Road that I'm better off driving over the tracks themselves than use the actual road it's so bad. No signs of them being fixed any time soon. I've never had a high opinion of CSX but lately it's been getting worse and worse.

Re: CSX road crossings in Plymouth

Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2021 5:36 pm
by Sean N
Channel 4 at main st crossing with film crew

Re: CSX road crossings in Plymouth

Posted: Sun Sep 26, 2021 9:07 pm
by CSXBOY
I was told it was on MDOT. Just a waste of time and stupidity by the city of Plymouth to contact CSX. CSX can only fix bells, gates, lights and etc. And my god it's not just Plymouth that is suffering. Try going to New Boston, Romulus and Westland most if not are all bad. I live in the area and they are so bad. Downriver is also pretty horrible on the CN as well. Funny thing I go down the line towards the Stateline in Monroe County and most of them are smooth. It is the Wayne County official's that have blown it off for years and years and this is why we have the situation.

Re: CSX road crossings in Plymouth

Posted: Sun Sep 26, 2021 10:49 pm
by Saturnalia
CSXBOY wrote: โ†‘
Sun Sep 26, 2021 9:07 pm
I was told it was on MDOT. Just a waste of time and stupidity by the city of Plymouth to contact CSX. CSX can only fix bells, gates, lights and etc. And my god it's not just Plymouth that is suffering. Try going to New Boston, Romulus and Westland most if not are all bad. I live in the area and they are so bad. Downriver is also pretty horrible on the CN as well. Funny thing I go down the line towards the Stateline in Monroe County and most of them are smooth. It is the Wayne County official's that have blown it off for years and years and this is why we have the situation.
The railroads are responsible for the surface at crossings in Michigan, and most other states. Michigan statue is everything within 1 foot of the ends of the ties is the railroad's responsibility. (see link: https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,4616,7- ... --,00.html) Typically, if the local agency thinks ahead and works with the railroad on their own repaving projects, it can all be paved at once, but when the railroad goes it alone, they typically make their saw cut, remove the old asphalt and timber/concrete/rubber, maybe tamp through it, and then repave and install new surface materials.

Every so often the railroads will also replace their track under the crossing by installing a brand new panel. This must be done fairly frequently because the road salt absolutely destroys the rail, tie plates and fasteners. I've seen panels come out after about 10 years of service wherein the spikes have lost over half of their cross-section. Similarly, the rail base and web will degrade, increasing the chance that an ultrasconic inspection will yield defects. Ultimately what you end up with is a pile of stuff that generally holds itself together and keeps gauge, but if you try to move it or uncover it, it might just fall apart. It is quite common for ties to just straight up fall off the old panel when being removed. The ties, on the other hand, are typically in great shape, as the salt doesn't really attack them.

At NICTD, crossings are typically blessed with a new panel and repaved every 8-12 years, depending on how they're looking. A survey is taken each fall to determine the projects for the next year, so that materials can be ordered and there is some idea of the schedule when all of the season's projects are being planned. Inspection includes a visual look at the surface, riding over it on the roadway and on the train, and sometimes watching trains go over it to see how badly the track is pumping. Keep in mind that as a passenger railroad, track surface matters more, so this is on the more aggressive side of replacement timelines.

Re: CSX road crossings in Plymouth

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2021 5:47 am
by Chip
I like the idea of blaming it on Wayne county better ๐Ÿ˜‚. Wayne County Road Commission is god awful.

Re: CSX road crossings in Plymouth

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2021 7:27 am
by DaveO
Saturnalia wrote: โ†‘
Sun Sep 26, 2021 10:49 pm
Typically, if the local agency thinks ahead and works with the railroad on their own repaving projects, it can all be paved at once, but when the railroad goes it alone, they typically make their saw cut, remove the old asphalt and timber/concrete/rubber, maybe tamp through it, and then repave and install new surface materials.
Here in Oakland County, local road agencies used to get very little or no warning that the railroad is going to do crossing work and shut down the roadway.
The notification interval the railroads give road agencies has improved.
Coordinating with road projects has to be done way in advance, something that doesn't work with the railroads schedule.

Re: CSX road crossings in Plymouth

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2021 4:56 pm
by CSXBOY
Okay that is great. But I want to know how is Monroe County and other counties in the state of Michigan do not see it as a big problem but Wayne county is suffering? The CSX Saginaw sub goes all the way into Toledo and once you hit the county line crossings are alot more smoother than those in Plymouth.

Re: CSX road crossings in Plymouth

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2021 5:04 pm
by SD80MAC
CSXBOY wrote: โ†‘
Mon Sep 27, 2021 4:56 pm
Okay that is great. But I want to know how is Monroe County and other counties in the state of Michigan do not see it as a big problem but Wayne county is suffering? The CSX Saginaw sub goes all the way into Toledo and once you hit the county line crossings are alot more smoother than those in Plymouth.
The Saginaw Sub ends in Carleton.

Re: CSX road crossings in Plymouth

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2021 7:33 pm
by CSXBOY
Ahh I did not know that minus that error. I thought it was the Saginaw sub to the Stateline.