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There Could Finally An End In Sight To Stopped Trains Blocking Cottage Hill Neighborhoods
May 8, 2019
By next week, there could finally be a real solution to trains blocking local roads for extended periods of time and cutting off a Cantonment neighborhood, according to an Escambia County commissioner.
Tuesday was an important state testing day for students, but several elementary students didn’t make it to school on time due to a CSX train.
As has been an ongoing issue, the students and their families were isolated due to train blocking a Cottage Hill neighborhood and blocked Quintette Road.
Escambia County School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas said schools are working with students that were late for testing, and Escambia County Commissioner Steven Barry says that CSX has a new solution that might finally solve problems.
“When students can’t get to school on time for a reason like this, we don’t penalize the students,” Thomas said. The students, most from Jim Allen and Kingsfield elementaries, took the test in an afternoon session or will be allowed to test in an upcoming session…We could not have them arrive late and push them into something like that,” Thomas said. “That would be bad for the students and for the schools.”
Commissioner Steven Barry said he reached out to CSX Tuesday and learned a big change is coming after Friday. He said the trains will be shorter, likely leaving a way in and out of Cantonment neighborhoods east of Highway 29.
“Based on conversations with multiple company personnel over the last couple of days, I do have great news. The overall volume of rail traffic will be greatly reduced by next week. Only the local customers who are being served by the north-south rail will continue to be served, as the non local rail cars are going to be diverted to a different route,” Barry said. “The removal of the non local rail cars will also result in much shorter lengths of the trains that do continue to run.”
“Even with this very good news, I am still working diligently with multiple businesses and property owners to increase the connectivity of the entire affected area. Unfortunately, the first dozen ideas have not been successful for a myriad of different reasons, but I promise that we will arrive at solutions in the near future for our neighbors and businesses in the area. I want to personally thank Senator Doug Broxson, FDOT, and CSX for all their help and cooperation addressing this very important issue,” Barry continued.
The blocked neighborhoods have created no only an inconvenience and delay for students and adults alike, but also a public safety issue by delaying the response of emergency services, Barry has said on numerous occasions.
Pictured top: Traffic was backed up Tuesday morning on Quintette Road due to a train stopped across Quintette Road. Below: A blocked crossed in Cottage Hill. NorthEscambia.com photo by Kristi Barbour and file photo.
Comments
19 Responses to “There Could Finally An End In Sight To Stopped Trains Blocking Cottage Hill Neighborhoods”
It’ll be better Huh? I will believe it when I see it.
Small fraction of the community?
Shut down rail service to IP, Ascend, Exxon, GE?
How many people work there?
Re: Answers,
How many people actually work at CSX locally? My guess is it’s maybe 100 people, tops? At any rate, it’s a extremely small fraction of the entire workforce, and I don’t see why this small group gets the right to interrupt other’s lives daily like this. Seems very selfish
..Thanks Steven Barry for all the time you have worked in this..U realize much of it is out if your jurisdiction, but thanks for doing what you can…
Csx makes it sound as though they really trying to help but bottom line is they just shut down the pcola freight lines. This means tons of your local residents without jobs or have to kiss their family’s goodbye and work at another terminal if they can even hold a job elsewhere. As for “a train only should stop at terminals”. The short local trains have to deliver to the plants and companies that requires rail usage in order to run the business Probably while all these business built near the rail road many many years ago As to the problem in cantonment These are distributed power trains. (Engines on front and in middle, double the length or normal trains) to cut crews or course. The trains are not stopping on purpose. They are breaking knuckles pulling the long trains across the hump back hills from mcdavid to Gonzales Train lingo but when they break in half the front has to go back and get the rest of train. Takes a while to get done
Unfortunately, ANSERS is right. Now due to csx’s Corporate greed the days of trains through Pensacola is gone. But 100 years of Pensacola growing with the railroad now starts the decline. But the crossings will be clear. Good luck dealing with class 3 or 4 railroads that aren’t beholding to federal regulations!!
Here’s my 2 cents worth………suppose the crossing was blocked & emergency personal had to get across to save a life ?????
A comment for everyone else. The real reason the train traffic is changed starting Saturday: they sold the line from Pensacola to Jacksonville. That means jobs are gone. That means lives disrupted. That means I have to commute to Mobile to work or Montgomery. That means more time away from my family. Nobody here had anything to do with that so I’m not ranting at y’all. Just know next time you’re waiting on a train that’s someone’s lively hood. The same way that your job is important to you and the people that depend on you mine is important too. I don’t want to be in your way and I’m always doing what I can to move. Please be patient
Iris slack:
Answer for you. The train that has been blocking cottage hill stops to deliver rock to Conrad yelvington’s yard on the other side of roads inc. Recently the train has been arriving in cottage hill later in the morning 6-10. This is a result of the original terminal departure moving from 10am to 4pm. Under the previous 10 am scheduled departure it arrived in cottage hill about 2 am. This was much less of a problem for the public. Don’t know why that got changed.
well, just like many who have come up with comments to simplify solutions to complex problems…why don’t these same people follow their own advise of “if you dont like the way things are, move!” problem solved right!
Everyone seems to forget the train tracks have been there longer than the neighborhood. Yes the train should not be stopping during the hours when buses are running. However the bigger question should be why the county plan and review department allows neighborhoods to be built everywhere and not take into account all the activities around the proposed area of the neighborhoods. Let’s get our heads on straight and start making the county be more responsible. Don’t over build if you don’t have the infrastructure in that area.
The only thing that will fix this is that the train keeps moving on down the track. Why does it stop. Why does it have to be here? I would like the CSX to explain why the train has to sit at this particular place? A short train can still block the road. I just don’t understand WHY the train has to stop.
Maybe somebody needs to “teach” CSX that they have gotten too damn self-important. They have this attitude that they can do whatever they want, and to hell with the “common Folks”. Wait….OMG, they have become Liberal Politicians!!!
IT’s called COMMUNICATION AND PLANNING!!!!!
CSX should be able to communicate and plan when a train will have to stop. Shortening the train only means there will be more train traffic. Why can’t they figure out when they need the trains to stop in the train yard or other places?
Don’t they have computers to figure this stuff out?
I moved from Molino after living in my home for 30 years because of this stupid train stopping and blocking traffic. It has gotten ridiculous and is totally uncalled for!
I sure hope they fix this. It has gotten out of control. I’m all for growth but when you completely shut down an entire community because of the train something needs to be done. Unfortunately businesses are not as forgiving when their employees are late to work multiple days because of the train. Just when you think you have the timing down and figure you have to leave for work 2 hours early just because of train may potentially be blocking roads CSX comes another hour earlier. They block at the worst possible times both in the morning and evening. All during rush traffic for people leaving to go to work and head home for normal business hours. It’s just gotten ridiculous. I’m happy the schools board has finally gotten involved as well. All of us in this area have adjusted our schedules to make sure we are leaving earlier to make sure we get to work on time and then not expecting to arrive home till much later, this puts a huge strain on the individual and family, especially if you have children. There is no family time left and it’s a rush for dinner, homework, and then bed time. Let’s just hope they finally have a plan that will fix the issue. Time will tell.
My daughter lives in Molino, I never go down Hwy 29 anymore due to the train blocking the road. I go the back way.
Interesting article, but time will tell. I’m glad to see that solutions are being found and hopefully implemented.
Changes are always coming with respect to this issue, meanwhile, two weeks ago this train blocked 3 of the exits 4 out of 7days of the week. The county should also put up signs within the Cottage Hill neighborhood directing citizens to McKenzie Rd on the days it’s not blocked. Some do not know how to get there and they sit for 40 minutes to 2 hours in line waiting to get out. We have jobs and our kids have school and someone or some department needs to get off their tail and resolve this now.