John Willoughby: Greene Publishing, Inc.
Freight trains, operated by CSX, have been blocking crossings throughout Madison County. Specifically in one area, where there is only one way in and one way out. Madison County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) Sheriff Ben Stewart says, “I'm not through with it. There's no excuse for this.”
On Tuesday, Jan. 30, a train was stopped on the tracks, with no one aboard, due to a hazmat situation in Gadsden County. The cars were moved from the roadway of the Madison Golf and Country Club, but not to the residential area of SE Country Club Rd. The blockage lasted 10 hours. “It is a safety issue,” said Sheriff Stewart, in reference to the roadway being blocked.
Residents who live on SE Country Club Rd. have voiced their concern over the inconvenience that the stopped train causes to residents who live in the subdivision. Beside the inconvenience of having to drive 10 to 15 miles out of the way to get to where residents need to go, it makes sense to believe that a stopped train, that can be more than a mile long, can produce a significant safety hazard and prevent emergency medical crews and/or first responders from attending to an emergency situation immediately.
Trains perform an integral function in the economy of the United States, moving large quantities of freight over great distances. Companies such as CSX, headquartered in Jacksonville, own railroads that spider across the country, connecting major supply and distribution hubs. However, according to residents and officials in Madison County, the railroad's logistics are not more important than the safety of local residents. It was expressed that “we don't have authority over that train,” according to Sheriff Stewart. The CSX locomotive and railroads are federally-owned.
This instance isn't the first time Madison County has had trouble with trains being stopped, blocking roadways. In the past, trains frequently blocked SE Corinth Church Road, in Lee, which leads to Kellie's Kindergarten Prep Daycare. The owner of Kellie's Kindergarten Prep Daycare reported recently that CSX “[has] gotten better,” about not blocking their driveway. Several parents of children who attend the Daycare have emailed CSX with only a few emails getting through. The owner of the Daycare reported that a neighbor of the business had reported the incident to CSX and “there was basically nothing [CSX] could do.”
In July of 2015, a train more than 8,000 feet long blocked the Country Club Estates for over two-and-a-half hours, preventing access to residential homes for residents and emergency personnel. Exactly one year later, in July of 2016, Under Sheriff Epp Richardson attempted to make contact with CSX regarding blockages on roads accessing neighborhoods on the west side of Madison. Richardson called 1-800-TELLCSX, which produced an automatic generated generic response. The response mis-categorized the nature of his complaint. Further attempts to contact via email were ignored by CSX.
Greene Publishing, Inc. also attempted to contact CSX to ask the company why they refused to engage and cooperate with local agencies. Kristen Seay, with CSX Corporate Communications, replied, stating, “Madison is located on a primary freight corridor on CSX's rail network where trains frequently meet and pass one another. CSX will continue working to identify whether any operational adjustments can be made to reduce crossing blockages in the area.”
More recently, The Madison Golf and Country Club (MGCC) reports that their driveway has been blocked “Two to three times this month,” said Kayla Meador, manager at MGCC. “We've called numerous times. We joked about building a bridge over [the train]. It's getting out of hand.”
“We can't hook a tow truck to it,” said Sheriff Stewart. He explained that he plans to take the issue to the Madison County Board of County Commissioners as well as to the Governor's office and the State emergency management team. “We're not done,” said Sheriff Stewart.