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Stalled train disrupts traffic

City awaits federal grant application decision

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Traffic grounded to a halt Thursday afternoon when a train broke down blocking Market Street and Main Street.

CSX Transportation reported that its train had stopped because it was unable to maintain air pressure.

The train remained stalled on the tracks for about three hours, causing traffic congestion for the entirety of the standstill.

Stalled trains are not uncommon in Crawfordsville.

Mayor Todd Barton said the city continues to look for a solution and submitted a grant application to the federal government in hopes of securing a planning grant.

“Unfortunately, everything on the federal level has ground to a halt during the change in administrations,” Barton said. “ So, we don’t know a clear timeline for receiving a notification.”

The mayor also addressed why the city isn’t able to act independently when it comes to trains blocking traffic.

“Unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done to reduce the occurrence of these blockages,” he said. “The Indiana Supreme Court overturned the law that regulated blocked crossings on the grounds that local government cannot interfere with interstate commerce.”

In 2018, the Indiana Supreme Court overturned the Blocked Crossing Statute, a state law that allowed local governments to fine railroad companies for blocking street crossings for more than 10 minutes.

The court listed two laws that prohibited the regulation of railroad business: the Interstate Commerce Commission Termination Act and the Federal Railroad Safety Act.

These laws were used to argue that states should not be able to interfere with the safe operation of trains and the court disagreed that the ICCTA only applied to economic regulations.

Barton advised that motorists continue to seek alternate routes and avoid the blocked areas whenever the issue arises.


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