Laserfiche WebLink
N 0 V 14 1984 <br />BOOK 5 oGf. <br />Your letter also deals with the blocking of railroad crossings in Gifford. <br />Gifford has four (4) public crossings, namely, 49th Street; 45th Street; <br />43rd Street and South Gifford Road. These crossings.are located between <br />MP -224+2199' and MP -225+2418'. The Railway's passing track is located <br />between MP -223+4752' and MP -226+4224'. In other words, each of the four <br />crossings in Gifford is located within the confines of our passing track. <br />These are the tracks on which trains must be held awaiting arrival of <br />trains on single track and while I am issuing instructions to our Opera- <br />ting personnel to do everything possible to keep at least one of the <br />crossings open, I am certain that there may be an occasional instance in <br />which all the crossings are blocked because of the length of the trains <br />involved and need to hold trains at -this location until the opposing train <br />passes. <br />As previously stated, we will do everything possible to minimize the block- <br />ing of crossings in the Gifford area. <br />Yours very truly, <br />R. W. Wyc <br />President <br />The Chairman noted that the FEC does not wish to assume any <br />further liability and they must comply with the law of the land. <br />He believed in the Board's previous discussion, it was felt that <br />at best it would be very difficult to enforce any ordinance <br />relating to the blowing of train whistles. <br />Commissioner Bowman felt that certainly if the railroad is <br />not willing to assume additional liability, the County is not <br />either. <br />Commissioner Bird agreed that his main concern was placing <br />the County in a position of greater liability. <br />Attorney Brandenburg stated that any time a matter of this <br />nature is undertaken, you automatically assume the duty of doing <br />it in a proper way, and should any of the signs fall down that <br />the County would be required to post, we would have a certain <br />liability. The day to day operation of making sure all the signs <br />are posted and remain posted would cause some additional <br />liability. <br />Chairman Scurlock stressed the problem of enforcement and <br />stated that in checking with other counties, he could not find <br />where this actually has been enforced. <br />Commissioner Bowman expressed concern about the length of <br />some of the freight trains possibly blocking all crossings in <br />WIJ <br />M <br />