(The Post and Courier published the following story by James Scott on its website on August 26.)
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Officials from Norfolk Southern and CSX railroads told more than 100 Park Circle area residents Monday night that they are committed to finding an answer to the North Charleston community’s mounting concerns about trains that routinely block area intersections.
The 7 p.m. meeting at the Park Circle Community Center gave railroads officials a chance to talk to residents about some of the reasons the trains are stopped and about efforts under way to remedy the situation.
Officials from both companies said that since learning of the community’s concern through newspaper stories in the past month, they have begun investigating ways to help solve the dilemma without hurting their clients’ needs.
Norfolk Southern officials said they already had bumped up the departure schedule of one train from 5 a.m. to 4 a.m. so that it would beat the morning rush-hour commute.
“Unfortunately, tonight we can’t give you one answer that will resolve all the problems,” CSX spokeswoman Misty Skipper told the audience, which included some local and state elected officials. “I can tell you that we are looking into a number of things,” she said.
At issue are three intersections around Park Circle where residents say trains routinely block traffic, not by traveling slowly, but basically by stopping for as long as 30 minutes. The intersections cited were North Rhett Avenue near Interstate 526; Montague Avenue near Gaynor Avenue; and Braddock and Durant avenues near Pittman Street, where one train often blocks both streets.
Norfolk Southern owns the line crossing North Rhett Avenue, and CSX owns the other two lines.
Mayor Keith Summey, who lives in Park Circle, said his biggest concern is making sure emergency crews are not hindered by trains blocking intersections. He asked railroad officials to look into technology that would alert emergency dispatchers when streets are blocked so police and medical crews can plan routes around them.
“It might only mean a difference in two or three minutes, but two or three minutes can mean the difference between life and death,” Summey said. “It is a major public safety issue.”
Residents also related their frustration to railroad officials, telling stories of waiting up to half an hour for trains, not to mention the rattling china cabinets and windows each time a massive train rolls by.
Park Circle resident Tom Botchie said the state law that allows cities to fine conductors up to $20 for blocking traffic is insignificant. He said he wasn’t sure state Sen. John Kuhn’s idea of increasing the fine to $200 would change things drastically either.
“They are not good neighbors,” Botchie said. “Fining the engineer is not necessarily the answer. He is just doing what he is told.”