As rail profits soar, blocked crossings force kids to crawl under trains to get to school

(Source: ProPublica, April 26, 2023)

The blocked crossing problem is perennial, especially in cities that are near large train yards. But in the era of precision scheduled railroading, a management philosophy that leans heavily on running longer trains, residents, first responders, rail workers and government leaders told ProPublica it is getting worse as trains stretch farther across more intersections and crossings. “The length of the long trains is 100% the cause of what’s going on across the country right now,” said Randy Fannon, a national vice president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen. “No engineer wants to block a crossing.”

Full story: ProPublica