‘This is absurd.’ West Ga. city expresses frustrations over stalled trains blocking roads for days

Courtney Francisco
·2 min read

Trains are frustrating neighbors in Troup County. In Hogansville, City Council Member Mandy Neese said a train blocked intersections for six days straight earlier this year.

“When it hit six days, I was like this is absurd!” Neese told Channel 2′s Courtney Francisco.

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She said not only do trains block intersections for days, but they are also left with engines running for just as long. People who live next to the tracks said the rumble keeps them awake at night.

The railroad tracks split Hogansville in half and run through three intersections.

People who live there said the train often blocks them all at once. You’d have to drive two miles out of town to go around it.

Neese said in 2021 it blocked voters on election day, and the town had to open a second polling location.

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It’s more than an inconvenience, Neese said it’s a safety issue.

“We know we’ve had numerous occasions where our public safety has to go around,” Neese said.

Francisco reported the same issue happening in Atlanta’s Hunter Hills neighborhood earlier this month.

The tracks in both cases belong to CSX.

A spokesperson sent a statement saying:

“At CSX, we make every reasonable effort to ensure that our trains occupy grade crossings for the shortest time possible. Trains transport vital commerce across the state of Georgia and between busy rail terminals. Each crossing is different and blocked crossings can occur when there are shifts in customer needs, meet ups with other trains, or as a result of the dynamic demands of the supply chain at ports or other modes of transportation. There are also times when mechanical and operational issues could result in blocked crossings, as well as when trains may stop for mandatory safety inspections or federally-regulated crew changes. We work to serve our customers and communities throughout Georgia as safely and efficiently as possible and our operations team is committed to reducing occurrences that impact drivers or normal traffic flow.”

Neighbors and city leaders in Hogansville said they are reaching out to Senators for help.

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“Just trying to get help and trying to get someone to understand that it really is a valid concern,” Neese said.

The U.S. Department of Transportation provides a website where you can report and track blocked crossings.

To visit that website, click here: https://www.fra.dot.gov/blockedcrossings/incidents

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