(The following story by Joseph Ax appeared on The Record website on December 27.)
TEANECK, N.J. — Mayor Elie Katz, township officials and residents will meet today with state Sen. Loretta Weinberg, D-Teaneck, to discuss how to pressure a railroad to limit noise and fumes from idling locomotives.
Local officials went through the same process less than three years ago, eventually calling a CSX Corp. community-relations official to testify before the state Assembly Transportation Committee in Teaneck.
The official, William Goetz, promised that CSX would take steps to reduce the noise and fumes that emanate from idling diesel locomotives, such as shutting off engines after two hours of idling during warmer months.
Katz said virtually nothing has changed since early 2005. He added that he is not only concerned about quality-of-life issues but about the potential for terrorism with freight trains sitting only miles from New York City.
“I want them to stop making Teaneck a rail yard,” said Katz, whose office is near the tracks. “These cars are carrying chemicals, they’re carrying waste, they’re carrying who knows what.”
A CSX representative did not return a call Wednesday.
Anne Castelluccio, who has lived on Kipp Street, next to the tracks, for 55 years, said the problem is persistent.
“Those trains are unreal,” she said. “They are non-stop, 24 hours a day. I feel like I’m at Grand Central Station over here.”
She said she and her late husband considered selling their home a few years ago and put it on the market briefly, but the constant noise of idling and passing trains scared away buyers.
The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Weinberg’s office at 545 Cedar Lane, and the senator said residents are welcome to express their views, provided there is enough room.
CSX says the trains often must wait for track space at ports and other destinations, and Teaneck has long been a favorite idling spot because the township has no road crossings. The trains — some of which are a mile long — can stop without disrupting street traffic.
Katz pointed out that the tracks run past Benjamin Franklin Middle School, the community center, the ambulance corps headquarters and a fire station, along with residences and private schools.
Township Manager Helene Fall said the number of resident complaints regarding the trains has dropped significantly in recent years. Katz, however, said he thinks many residents have simply decided that efforts to curb idling are futile.
Weinberg acknowledged it will be difficult to force a change, because the trains are protected by federal regulations, but she suggested possible Assembly and Senate hearings. She also said she thinks the state can tax certain railroad rights of way and could pressure CSX that way.
She pointed to a successful strategy employed by Bogota 10 years ago, under which CSX was issued citations for disturbing the peace and its officials were forced to appear in Municipal Court.
That effort, which drew national attention, resulted in a settlement between the borough and CSX that banned idling trains from Bogota. The agreement, however, resulted in more trains idling in Teaneck.
“Bad press is bad press, even when the federal law is on their side,” Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan said.