Township Council: Send Railroad Crossing Complaints To Conrail

A sign at the Veronica Avenue railroad crossing tells drivers where they must take their crossing complaints.

The township council has a message for drivers tired of getting their vehicles rattled when they travel over the Veronica Avenue and Clyde Road railroad crossings: Call Conrail.

In fact, that message is posted on signs at each of the roads’ crossings.

Angry residents have been calling township administration for about a year, complaining of the potholes around the railroad crossings and what they’re doing to their cars, officials said.

But, as Township Councilman Phil Kramer (D-Ward 3) and Township Manager Robert Vornlocker have said, the township is not responsible for the crossings.

The rights-of-way are owned by Conrail, and Conrail is the only agency that can fix them, Vornlocker said at the April 14 council meeting.

The township has now turned to its attorney, Louis Rainone, to help in getting those crossings fixed, Vornlocker said. Rainone has written Conrail about the problem, he said.

The crossings “have been a thorn in many people’s sides for a long time,” Kramer said. “It’s a national problem, railroads own these facilities and nationally have not been keeping them up.”

“We are getting more aggressive in handling this,” he said. “Hold our feet to the fire as we are holding Conrail’s feet to the fire on this.”

In the meantime, Vornlocker said, “if your car is damaged, the repair claim is made to Conrail, not the township.”

A published report said that Conrail has said the tracks are due to be replied, but there is no timetable for the replacement.

The Franklin Reporter & Advocate needs your support! We’ve launched a crowd funding campaign for a major marketing program in the township, so that all residents will know that they once again have a source for local news. You can help sustain the township’s only source for hometown, locally owned, independent news by visiting our Indiegogo page here, watching the video, checking out the perks and contributing what you can! As always, thanks for your support!

Your Thoughts

comments