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News Wire: SC mayor lashes out at NS over grade-crossing blockage; legislator proposes stiff penalties

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Posted by BaltACD on Wednesday, February 6, 2019 9:40 PM

Brian Schmidt
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. — North Charleston’s mayor has taken to social media to lash out at Norfolk Southern, posting a video complaining about maintenance work that blocked a key grade crossing, while a state legislator from the community... http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2019/02/04-south-carolina-mayor-lashes-out-at-ns-over-grade-crossing-blockage-legislator-proposes-stiff-penalties

When CSX Tie and Surfacing gangs work along a line normally all the road crossings are ripped up and ultimately replaced as the work progresses - notice is Normally given a week or so in advance.  Individual crossings may be out of road user service for two or three days.  The renewed crossing will generally have a better riding quality than what existed previous to the T&S Gang.

Road crossing will also get ripped up when rail gangs work through them.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by Enzoamps on Wednesday, February 6, 2019 8:03 PM

Here in mid-Michigan, if a town wants to add a left turn signal, it instantly escalates into a partisan battle.  I have no problem believing it happens elsewhere over something like grade crossing repair.

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Posted by tree68 on Wednesday, February 6, 2019 7:57 PM

zugmann
Most smaller road projects are daylight.

A road project that is done at night is usually touted as a special event, and comes with a requisite price tag vs daytime work.

LarryWhistling
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
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There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

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Posted by zugmann on Wednesday, February 6, 2019 7:00 PM

So the crux of the matter is that this mayor is mad because the RR rebuilt a crossing wihout telling them (or not giving 6 months notice), and he's mad they did it during daylight hours.

Can you really blame a railroad?  I live in a small town, and the only things they can do quickly are raise taxes and spend money.  Everything else is at a snail's pace.

And mad because they are workign during the daylight?  Most smaller road projects are daylight.  Kind of when the contractors and suppliers are open.

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any

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Posted by diningcar on Wednesday, February 6, 2019 9:03 AM

The attorneys are waiting and are expensive. I suggest the Mayor will decide that he has made his point verbally and then get on with the City's real issues.

 

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Posted by Convicted One on Tuesday, February 5, 2019 7:13 PM

As the article correctly points out, Indiana was just down that path, and failed.I don't have a lot of faith that this mayor is going to do any better.

Still, there are past instances where the railroads were forced to yield to state authority.     Banning coal burners inside NYC comes to mind. As well as several ocassions where the railroads were forced to pay a lion's share of grade seperation projects.

So, it is doable, if they play their cards right.

Then, there's always property tax "incentives"..... or "disincentives", such as the case may be.Mischief

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Posted by Murphy Siding on Monday, February 4, 2019 5:27 PM

"North Charleston’s mayor has taken to social media to lash out.."  'Stopped reading right there. 

Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.

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Posted by BaltACD on Monday, February 4, 2019 4:47 PM

Grandstanding by all parties.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by Brian Schmidt on Monday, February 4, 2019 10:45 AM

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. — North Charleston’s mayor has taken to social media to lash out at Norfolk Southern, posting a video complaining about maintenance work that blocked a key grade crossing, while a state legislator from the community...

http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2019/02/04-south-carolina-mayor-lashes-out-at-ns-over-grade-crossing-blockage-legislator-proposes-stiff-penalties

Brian Schmidt, Editor, Classic Trains magazine

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