Trains stopped at railroad crossings are a big issue in metro Detroit, and when firefighters took 14 minutes to respond to a New Boston house fire,, neighbors started thinking it must have been the train.
According to the fire chief, that wasn't the case though. He still says trains stopped at railroad crossings are still a major concern.
The chief said the reason it took so long to respond is because they have one person on duty all the time, and he was on the other end of the township doing inspections when the fire started.
There is a way to contact train companies if you are still worried about stopped trains.
CSX says if you have concerns about blocked crossings or any of their railroad operations, they want to hear from you. Call them at 877-835-5297.
If it’s a different railroad train company you see blocking intersections, or you have additional concerns, you can also contact the Federal Railroad Association.
Complete Federal Railroad Association statement:
When crossings are frequently blocked for an unreasonable amount of time, we encourage citizens to contact our regional safety offices to let us know. FRA works with communities and the railroads to find a solution, especially when emergency access is a concern.
Our complaint form is on the main page of our website, www.fra.dot.gov, middle of the page on the right, under the “How Do I…?” Heading. Or, direct link here. Or, phone numbers for our regional offices can be located by selecting “contact us” at the top of the main page, and select “regional offices” on the right side. Direct link here.
