Getting stuck behind a train can put a damper on your day, especially if you have somewhere to be.
One community in the City of Oak Ridge only has two entry points, both facing railroad tracks.
Residents say the trains always come at the most inconvenient times causing miles of backups and a lot of headaches. But they say it’s not just the trains. The growth in the area is unprecedented and the infrastructure hasn’t caught up yet.
Jacob Gadewoltz was born and raised in this area in Montgomery County and now has a business in Chateau Woods.
“It stops life for everyone on this side of the tracks,” Gadewoltz said.
He had no idea the train would put a damper on his business. “We’ve ordered 4-6 thousand dollars worth of plastic to our business, and it will be 7-8 days late because on multiple occasions the delivery trucks got held up by a train and there’s nothing we can do about it.”
“It was very frustrating, very frustrating,” noted Gadewoltz.
In their community Facebook group, residents post constantly about their battles with the train, the exhausting traffic, and overall concerns.
Olymphia Jackson has documented some of the instances where she was stuck in traffic because of a stopped or slow-moving train, showing cars on the side of the road, wrecks, and miles of cars waiting to cross.
“I’m sure people have kids in the car crying. It’s just an inconvenience,” explained Jackson. “We’re complaining, and it’s not going anywhere.”
Assistance Chief Adam Moore with the South Montgomery County Fire Department says so far, there have been no issues with emergency crews getting in or out but there is a possibility it could happen.
They have partnered with another fire department on the opposite side of the tracks to ensure if there is an emergency and they can’t get through, someone will be able to assist although that station is not manned 24/7.
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office also said they see multiple complaints on their social media about these train concerns but say there isn’t much they can do at a local level.
States lost the ability to enforce how long a railroad company can block a crossing back in 2001.
There are small white signs at each crossing with a number you can call to make a complaint. You can also visit the Federal Administrations Blocked Crossing Website and report an intersection with an issue. And you can also report any ongoing railroad issues to Union Pacific.
Drivers and pedestrians can report blocked crossings on Union Pacific tracks by calling our 24/7 Response Management Communications Center at 1 (888) 877-7267.