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City and county officials, firefighters and sheriffs told the Unicameral's Transportation Committee in Grand Island Wednesday to get tough on railroads that block crossings too long.
Former State Senator Elaine Stuhr of Bradshaw was among those urging a crackdown on the railroads, saying she continually received complaints from constituents about railroads blocking roads for long periods of time while she was still in the legislature.
Stuhr said the railroads would promise that conditions would improve, then fall back into their old patterns after just a few weeks.
49th District Sen. LeRoy Louden of Ellsworth, who is a member of the Transportation Committee, echoed the complaints. He said blocked railroad crossings are especially serious in the Sand Hills where crossings are few and far between.
Louden said it might as well be "the Royal Gorge" sitting in front of you when the only crossing for miles is blocked by a train.
York County Sheriff Dale Radcliff said he's received 205 complaints in the past two years about crossings blocked by BNSF Railway trains, with some of the blockages lasting three hours or more.
Jerry Stilmock, lobbyist for the Nebraska Volunteer Firefighters Association, said lives are decided in a matter of minutes in emergencies, and he called for stiff fines anytime a railroad blocks a crossing for more than 10 minutes.
Nebraska law currently allows up to a $100 fine, and State Sen. Annette Dubas of Fullerton has proposed increasing the fine to $5,000, although she has said she's willing to consider alternatives.
Committee chairman Deb Fischer of Valentine questioned whether stiffer fines would solve the matter. She said the federal courts in some states have overturned state laws because they conflicted with federal regulations governing the railroads.
Representatives of the BNSF and Union Pacific were on hand to defend their industry, telling the lawmakers they're working to resolve the matter.
U-P director of public safety Dale Bray said the U-P is "absolutely committed to public safety" and takes it seriously when local emergency officials call because a train is blocking their way. Bray said the U-P will immediately move such trains if it can.
Others questioned that committment, pointing out that crews can't move a train unless cleared to do so by the dispatcher.
They also said engineers and conductors are reluctant to undertake the time-consuming job of breaking apart a train to clear a crossing -- especially if they have to walk a mile or so in rough terrain to get from the engine to the crossing.
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