Lordstown has concerns over train that stops on tracks

In Lordstown, they are still trying to fix a decade's old problem.

A train runs through the center of town and stops cold on the tracks for sometimes up to an hour. It's causing safety concerns, and  It's a pain for the schools when it delays students.  

Lordstown's mayor tells us he hopes to put a plan in motion to get the train moving and keep safety forces and children on their way to school from being delayed.

There is a video that's circulating on social media, and it shows the railroad crossing gates down, flashing lights and a train that is initially moving and appears to stop on the train tracks in Lordstown.

After speaking with numerous residents on Salt Springs Road, safety forces, the school superintendent and Lordstown's mayor we learned that the train that travels on the tracks at Salt Springs Road and Muth comes to a complete stop for a substantial amount of time, at least three times a week during the day.

One major issue is that school buses and parents dropping off their children at school end up delayed by the train.

Rich Zigarovich, the principal at Gordon D. James Elementary School, said, "Sometimes we get a little bit of a delay. We're not made aware of it unless the bus driver contacts us. If that happens, we send out an all-call message to our parents to say the bus has been delayed by a train, the kids are safe."

Those who live on Salt Springs Road tell 21 News that sometimes the train blocks the track for 40 minutes to an hour at a time forcing emergency crews to take a long way around, and in one case it was during a house fire.

Captain Chris Bordonaro, with the Lordstown Police Department, said, "Sometimes with them jockeying to offload incoming vehicles from other manufacturers, it blocks Salt Springs for a significant time sometimes, and we do our best to work around the problem, but it is a problem at times."

Lordstown police were citing the railroad up until 2006 when it was determined that the federal government regulates the rail system.

Mayor Hill says that Lordstown superintendent Terry Armstrong contacted him and asked that a meeting be set up with CSX to see if they are willing to adjust their schedule.

CSX in a statement issued to 21 News says:

“CSX strives to be a good neighbor to communities where we operate, and we work hard to minimize the impact of our operations.  CSX operates trains 24 hours a day, and there are times when operational and mechanical issues can result in blocked crossings. A train may also stop for a mandatory safety inspection or for a federally-regulated crew change. CSX is reviewing our operations in the area.”