MASON CITY – Several rail crossings on Mason City streets were blocked for extended periods of time Wednesday, causing long waits and frustration from drivers.
Mason City police confirmed that there were blockages across the southeast side of the city after citizens reported to NIT their frustration over the situation. As described to NIT, traffic lines were backed up for blocks, starting on South Federal Avenue and extending to crossings at 15th Street SW, 19th Street SW, Pierce Avenue, Taft Avenue and possibly others.
As the wait for the trains to move lingered on and on, cars were seen trying to turn around and get out of the traffic lines.
“Yes, traffic was impacted on the SE side,” a Mason City police spokesman said Thursday. NIT was told “hundreds and hundreds of vehicles” were involved in the backups across the city.
“Iowa Code gives a time limit of 10 minutes to block crossings with four exceptions that pretty much give the RR unlimited time based on mechanical or safety reasons.” (These regulations are spelled out on Iowa Code section 327G.32)
No one knows why the trains were blocking the crossings for so long. Multiple calls to the Union Pacific railroad to numbers they have listed were either not picked up or were disconnected.
“The public needs to understand that we have no certified diesel train mechanics that we can call out on short-notice at the city’s expense to verify if the issue is mechanical,” police said.
“Second, if push came to shove, we may need permission or a search warrant to inspect the train for mechanical issues. The other exceptions involving safety regulations are vague and may be interpreted several ways – which may not match the opinions of a frustrated motorist.”
When a train complaint is made to Mason City police, “dispatchers do try and contact railroad companies if issues are brought forward. Again, if they are told there is a mechanical or safety issue, we are somewhat limited what we can verify,” police explained. “Officers will try to contact RR employees on scene but sometimes depending on the length of trains, it may be difficult to locate an employee quickly. We will then usually ask Dispatch to try and contact someone.”
The IA DOT website has a page dedicated to rail road crossing complaints, that include recommendations.
Why would the railroad not notify the police if there was a safety or mechanical issue as this would be normal procedures for railroad if crossings are going to be blocked for extended periods of time. If not that is derelict of duty putting the publics safety at risk. And they very much do care about public safety. I could go on for hrs about this problem. You have to understand about how a automatic interlocking works to maybe to figure out the problem
The police answer is kind of bs they can easily find out. All communications btw the train and dispatchers are record if any thing mechanical was wrong it would be recorded because in most cases the train crew would report a problem. They would contact the dispatcher. They do not need a certified diesel mechanic that answer is bs. There are a lot of ways to find out. There could be many different problems broken rail or airl line broke coupler pulled apart to name a few. Really wouldn’t have been to hard to drive to the UP depot to get some answers. Also there are probably people that have railroad scanners in mason city that might have heard. the conversation btw rr crew and what ever was the problem.
One other thing would be what plan is there if there is a emergency in that part of town which would require immediate attention. If it would take a fire truck or police extra time to get there. Just a thought?
The railroad doesn’t get the citation it goes to the train crew I believe.
I saw what was going on and i turned around on Monroe just south of the over pass. i ‘ll give you all a lesson on the railroad. I’m not saying this is what caused it but it was partially the problem. There is a railroad diamond west of monroe when there’s a CP train switching in that area it throws red signal on the UP tracks just like a stop light and there was a CP train switching there at the time. Until the CP train clears that section of track the train on the Rockwell industrial lead that the one that runs behind sears can’t move. It is possible that the train on the track by sears was a CP train because the CP and UP both use that track. I could give you more detail on how it works but not going to type for a hour.
Could it have been moved in smaller segments?
sad but true……. sounds like you were one that VIOLATED the law and was caught. what do you think the law is for???? to PROTECT you from harm, idiot
sorry, no ticket here, and those actions I talked about are entrapment! And no, I don’t need the government to protect me. I can make my own decision when a train is parked 100 yards down the track. As with all bloated government, its strictly about $$$$$
In Sioux City the City would give a citation to the railroad and to this day I don’t think they’ve ever paid one
It doesn’t say if they tried to call Canadian Pacific, east west rails are actually theirs.
I had to pick my neice up from school on the sw side couldnt get around the train or traffic had to go way down by big blue to get around,then had to go down taft there was another train had to wait for in a long line of traffic it gets annoying at times
Trains have always been a problem in mason city.
Trains have been in Mason City since 1869, and have blocked the roads ever since.
The railroad engineers are in the pocket of the mayor. They deliberately block the roads to frustrate the readers of NIT.
You’re a special kind of stupid if you are serious, you know nothing. Even Bernie Sanders doesn’t spew as much garbage as you. SMH
Haha! Nice! The only thing Eric blocks is 1) any door he tries to enter until he’s all the way through 2) the line to the bartender to fill his frosty mug with more slathery brew 3) any turtle neck shirt he tries to put on.
not so much afraid of doing there job as they are afraid of the railroad
A cop sits in the engine of a train and writes big $$$$$ tickets to those trying to beat these trains, YET are unwilling to get their butts out of their car and walk down to the engine and tell them to move. Takes lots of guts to write tickets to honest people trying to get to work.
Yes, the train sat there for over a hour without moving. This happens several times a year, blocks 19th se, hwy 65 south.
No way the problem was mechanical. Just cops unwilling to do their job
People who go around the gates deserve the ticket, bunch of idiots. But then again if the train crew hits a car at a crossing they get 3 days off PAID, so it’s like a mini-vacation and they get paid for taking out another idiot from this world…..