Last week, a house burned in Anniston. Firefighters could not get to the home quickly because Norfolk Southern had a train parked and blocking a crossing, for days! No, this is not only for an hour or two because another train is coming. The train stays parked for days, often for entire weekends, until the next Monday before new train crews move the train. This is a problem at a couple of crossings in Anniston. Usually at the F Street crossing and the Glenaddie Avenue crossings. These crossings have trains blocking them for days at a time. What if an fire was burning or an emergency happens at the Calhoun County Jail and people can’t get there because trains are stopped blocking the crossings?
Here is the problem, there are limited areas to enter this area of town if an emergency happens. With the 4th Street crossing closed at times because Norfolk Southern crews are redoing the crossing, it means residents are mostly cut off. The City of Anniston sent a letter to Norfolk Southern telling them to quit blocking the crossings. And then Norfolk Southern said they would stop blocking the crossings and break the trains up to unblock the crossings when they have to be parked.
Well, over the last weekend Norfolk Southern is not following their word. Both crossings at F Street and Glenaddie Avenue had trains blocking them. The crazy thing is the Glenaddie Avenue was unblocked until about 4 pm when a train came and stopped, then the crew left. The F Street crossing was blocked for most of the day already. And both crossings were blocked for days before the trains moved again. Basically, Norfolk Southern is ignoring the City of Anniston. And I wonder what it will take now to make sure trains are not blocking any crossings. Someone getting killed because emergency responders could not get there in time? Norfork Southern getting sued by the city? Who knows, but this is unacceptable!
So below, are a video and photos of me documenting the trains blocking the railroad crossings, after Norfolk Southern gave their word to the City of Anniston that they would no longer block any railroad crossings.
