(The following article by Natalie Pompilio was posted on the Philadelphia Inquirer website on January 10.)
The quickest way for Andrew Au to get from his Center City home to most anywhere – school, work or other points west – is over the CSX railroad tracks along the Schuylkill River Park.
A quick hop across the two sets of tracks yesterday and Au, 24, was strolling along the river en route to 30th Street Station, trailing a suitcase and carrying a suitbag.
“The logical thing to do is get out of the building and cut right across here,” said Au, a University of Pennsylvania doctoral student.
Logical, perhaps, but railroad officials say it’s not safe. That’s why CSX, which operates on a right-of-way along the edge of the park, wants to install fences at the Locust Street and Race Street crossings. The Florida-based transit company filed a lawsuit Oct. 26 to try to force the city to block street-level entrances to the park at those crossings. CSX attorney Craig Staudenmaier recommended a barricade, noting that “safety trumps everything.”
After a five-hour hearing last week, U.S. District Judge Bruce Kauffman said CSX was seeking an “extreme” solution to a safety issue and asked city officials to present him with alternatives this week.
Civic groups such as the Center City Residents Association and park users such as Richard Huffman say the railroad is being unreasonable.
“I can understand they’re worried that someone might get hurt on the racks when trains are parked there, but there’s got to be a system worked out,” said Huffman, of Center City, who has done consulting work for the railroad. “The rail line runs next to a public amenity. You can’t limit access.”
Trains do use the tracks, but “generally they come through pretty slow. They probably go 15, 20 miles per hour,” said Courtney Colton, 25, of West Philadelphia. She said she had seen people climb over stopped railcars or walk around them.
“I would think a cross bar or lights would work,” she said. “I’d put more signs, something to let people know the train is coming.”
If access to the park is blocked at the crossings, visitors will have to use other park entries, such as the one on Walnut Street that has a bridge over the tracks. But some park users say the steps are awkward for bikers, dog walkers and skaters.
“It would certainly be an inconvenience,” Au said. “I’d probably run on the path a lot less than I do.