(The Coastal Courier posted the following article by Patrick Donahue on its website on September 3. Brother Edenfield was a member of BLE Division 35 in Jacksonville, Fla.)
HINESVILLE, Ga. — The Federal Railroad Administration has asked the Liberty County Commission to consider closing the railroad crossing where a fatal accident occurred May 6.
In a letter to Chairman John McIver, FRA Regional Administrator L.F. Dennin II said because of the low vehicle count for the County Road 45 crossing, it is not a good candidate for gates and lights.
“There are many unfortunate statistics that have come from the investigation of this collision,” Dennin wrote, “but two seem to speak the loudest.”
James Boyd VanHorn, the driver of the delivery truck that collided with an Amtrak train, died at the scene. Train engineer Larry Edenfield died the next day.
The letter pointed to the US 84 overpass over the CSX tracks just a quarter-mile north of the crossing
“This is a far safer way to cross the railroad tracks,” Dennin wrote.
The FRA counted an average of 32 trains per day going through the crossing, but only 80 vehicles. The accident in May was the fourth and most serious at the crossing since 1988, according to Dennin.
“They can’t close it,” County Administrator Joey Brown told the commission. “It is totally up to you.”
Commissioner Sampie Smith said he was called by former Liberty County Sheriff R.V. “Bobby” Sikes, who operates a business on the east side of the crossing, to oppose the closing.
Chairman John McIver put together a committee including himself, Brown and commissioners Marion Stevens Sr. and Kenny Fussell to talk to property owners who would be affected by crossing closing. In effect, one side of the track is in Stevens’ district and the other side is in Fussell’s district.
The four-man committee may go door-to-door to sound out the property owners around the crossing.
The letter from the FRA said there are financial incentives and assistance available for voluntary crossing closings. CSX Railroad and the Georgia Department of Transportation would provide the help, according to the letter.