Residents, officials cross paths to talk parked trains

JUNCTION CITY – With a flurry of hands, people gathered in Junction City responded enthusiastically when asked a series of questions about how long they’ve been stuck behind stopped trains.

Around 100 residents of communities across central Wisconsin met Thursday night for a listening session organized by Gannett Wisconsin Media to share their experiences and perspectives on blocked train crossings with the journalists as well as local and state officials at a town hall-style meeting at St. Michael’s Church Hall in Junction City.

After judges in Portage and Wood counties dismissed citations given to the dominant railroad in the state, Canadian National, for blocking crossings for extended periods of time, Gannett Wisconsin Media began to investigate the impact of blocked crossings, the reasons for the blocked crossings and who should be responsible for regulating the trains.

The results of the months-long investigation were published this month in print and online.

Lori Butts, an Auburndale resident, talked about resorting to climbing with her children over or under trains that have blocked access to their home.

“It’s ridiculous. It needs to stop,” she said. “It’s dangerous for us to climb over the train, but what choice do we have?”

Jonathan Lanctin, a spokesman for U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy, attended the meeting and spoke about a piece of legislation introduced by Duffy that would fine railroad companies — not the employees — $10,000 for each hour their trains block a crossing.

“My hope is that when faced with potential fines, railroad companies will use their technology and common sense to better plan their trips,” Duffy said in a news release.

The problems with blocked crossings became more common as train traffic increased as a result of growing amounts of industrial sand and crude oil being transported by rail across the country. The increase in train traffic has caused gridlock on the railroads in Wisconsin, sometimes leaving trains stalled on the tracks for hours or, in some cases, days.

While many local governments in Wisconsin have regulations in place limiting how long trains can block crossings, the judges’ decisions to dismiss citations against Canadian National has left other public officials, law enforcement and residents feeling powerless.

Junction City Village President Peter Mallek said he was upset officials at the federal level have not been able to work together to find a solution to the problem.

“I don’t begrudge the railroad making huge profits, just not on our backs,” he said.

A representative of Canadian National, Patrick Waldron, also attended and spoke mostly individually with residents following the listening session.

Portage County District Attorney Louis Molepske said he was frustrated by the choice Canadian National made to fight in court against the citations issued to the company for blocked crossings.

“Don’t fight us in court,” he said. “Work with us.”

Chris Mueller can be reached at 715-345-2251 and cmueller@stevenspointjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter as @AtChrisMueller .