CR 29 Rail Crossing

[tdl_auburn]

I know this was brought up in Auburn's Common Council, but is there any plan for the County to repair the rail crossing on CR 29 by the water treatment facility and electric department. CR 29 gets quite a bit of traffic, similar to the Wayne St. crossing (which was repaired several years ago), because of the school further south. There are chunks of asphalt missing in the intersection and due to erosion, you can watch the tracks bow as the train cars pass. The asphalt between the rails is bubbled up so the intersection is quite rough to drive over. Just curious if the County plans to do anything about this in the Spring maybe?

[michael medeski]

[tdl_auburn]

It's a shame anyone can say that about an issue concerning the county. If I'm beating a dead horse, that means others have broached this subject already...so what's the county's hold up?

[blue adept]

It's a shame anyone can say that about an issue concerning the county. If I'm beating a dead horse, that means others have broached this subject already...so what's the county's hold up?

I'd say money.

[tdl_auburn]

I'd say money.

Yet they had the money to redo CR 11-A in front of Kruzies... interesting.

[blue adept]

Yet they had the money to redo CR 11-A in front of Kruzies... interesting.

As with everything, the people with the most money and influence never suffer.

[tdl_auburn]

As with everything, the people with the most money and influence never suffer.

Suffice to say I switched gears in November and voted for several Democrats in local office; the Commish being one of them. Unfortunately, we ended up with same guy in office as last time. The only thing noteable on that stretch of CR 11A is Kruse Auction Park. It's a no brainer why they spent money on it. If that facility were being used more to benefit the community and active all the time, I could see spending some money to widen the road. But the auctions are few and far between and July 4th only comes once a year.

[armyda]

It's a shame anyone can say that about an issue concerning the county. If I'm beating a dead horse, that means others have broached this subject already...so what's the county's hold up?

They don't own the rail crossing, they don't maintain it. It belongs to the railroad.

[hairypumper]

They don't own the rail crossing, they don't maintain it. It belongs to the railroad.

I thought everyone knew that, it's called the railroad right of way. Also, the tracks are supposed to flex.

[krazetrain]

Contact the Division Engineer of Maintainance of Way on the Chicago Division, and complain. His office is located in Lansing ,Ill at the CSX Command Center. You may also contact CSX thru the following link!
http://www.csx.com/index.cfm/about-csx/contact-us/

[tdl_auburn]

They don't own the rail crossing, they don't maintain it. It belongs to the railroad.

One of the most irritating things I deal with on a daily basis with my job is everyone claiming a job is someone elses responsibility. It takes so long for things to get done while everyone argues over who has ownership of certain things. Let me rephrase the question... If the crossing is the responsibility of the rail road, has the county contact them in regard to repairing the intersection. Have they taken pictures and emailed them to the railroad? Has the railroad scheduled someone to come out and look at it or is the railroad claiming it is not their responsibility since the damage is actually to the asphalt and not the rail? I don't care who's responsibility it is. The intersection is on a county road and therefore the responsibiltiy of the county to monitor. If it needs repair, then the county is responsibile for contacting the appropriate parties to fix the problem. Regardless of who's responsibility it eventually falls to, it's still the Commissioner's job to see that it gets repaired.

The 1800 number on the website if for emergencies only. I'm not calling Jacksonville, FL at my expense. The County should take care of this.

[krazetrain]

Get used to it! Things will get worse(concerning services provided by gov.) before they get better! The number says emergency but it is used for other reasons such as problems at grade crossings. Now, you don't even have to research the number. I suppose you want someone else to call for you ,also?

[LuciusBeebe]

I don't get why people want the government to fix their problems when the government can't even get itself together and be responsible with the tasks they already have.

Government can't fix anything!

Fix my railroad, government!

[tdl_auburn]

Just as an update I did call the number. They gave me a railroad identification # 155319K Cemetary Rd.... So I need to verify that number on the rail crossing to make sure it's the right location. They do not have record of a CR29. They need the "local name" for the road... North of Auburn Drive it's called Center St. South of Auburn Dr. it's CR29... I've never heard of it being called "Cemetary Rd." Of course, I've only lived in Auburn for 6 years.

I have to ask that since this IS the number to report this type of thing... why the Auburn Common Council was talking about asking the County about the intersection to see if something could be done about it. They ARE the Common Council...they're not aware of how to report issues with rail crossings?

[tdl_auburn]

Mike Walter, here is something you can take to the council, since this was something they inquired about earlier last year. I received the following notification in the mail today. I included the reference number.

UPDATE:

This letter follows up on your recent notification that the highway-rail crossing at Cemetery Road is in disrepair.

We forwarded your complaint to the appropriate department within CSX. Addititionally, a CSX representative inspected the crossing and investigated your complaint.

This crossing will be continuously monitored and repaired as necessary until permanent repairs can be made when asphalt plants re-open.

Thank you for contacting us.

Sincerely,
Tell CSX Team
Ref: 0360v7469008

[Mike_Walter]

Mike Walter, here is something you can take to the council, since this was something they inquired about earlier last year. I received the following notification in the mail today. I included the reference number.

UPDATE:

This letter follows up on your recent notification that the highway-rail crossing at Cemetery Road is in disrepair.

We forwarded your complaint to the appropriate department within CSX. Addititionally, a CSX representative inspected the crossing and investigated your complaint.

This crossing will be continuously monitored and repaired as necessary until permanent repairs can be made when asphalt plants re-open.

Thank you for contacting us.

Sincerely,
Tell CSX Team
Ref: 0360v7469008

Council Member Dave Painter has been working on this. Although I don't think it's in the council minutes, he reported recently that he received a reply to his inquiry, too; but I think the reply misidentified the crossing. I'll forward this to him.

[Mike_Walter]

Auburn City Council Member Dave Painter has asked me to share the following with readers of The Fence Post:

11-8-10

Friends,

The CSX railroad crossing on CR 29 between Auburn & Lakewood is in very poor condition and in need of repairs. Repairs at RR crossings are the responsibility of the rail road company – not the county or city governments. If you too feel that the CR 29 railroad crossing is in need of repairs, please do the following…


Call CSX @ 877-835-5279

Crossing # 155319K

Crossing Location: BI 123.63

Concern: Crossing is hazardous – extremely rough and in need of repair. Crossing is main thoroughfare to Auburn for community and local schools.

[Mike_Walter]

If one picture is worth a thousand words, then here's the equivalent of a 4000-word essay on the problem at the CSX crossing on CR29. (I tried for the equivalent of 5000 words, but the Fence Post limits us to four images per post.) The cars passing while I snapped the pictures today took the crossing really slow.

South track looking east.


North track looking east.


Close-up.


Another close-up.

[Chiguy65]

I think you can just go up and down that line, about everyone of the crossings need some kind of maintance. CR 35 is getting bumpy, CR 427 and on up and down the train track thur DeKalb Co.

[Mike_Walter]

At the March 15 city council meeting I asked Mayor Yoder to look into posting "rough crossing" warning signs at the CR 29 crossing. This will require coordination with the county highway department because the approach from the south (yes, that's right, the south) is inside the city while the northern approach is not. The mayor said he would look into it.