Why do trains sometimes block crossings, particularly during rush hour?
We try to limit the amount of time any crossing is blocked. Several factors can contribute to blockage, including a mechanical problem with the train, how close the crossing is to a rail-served local business or to a rail yard, whether the crossing is through a siding where trains are temporarily held to get past one another, the length of the train, weather conditions, other rail traffic in the area and the complexities of a national rail schedule. Like everyone, we also drive on streets and roads in the communities in which we operate and work hard to avoid blocking crossings if it is practical to do so. The best long term solution, however, is for communities to work with their state Departments of Transportation and the railroads involved to put in more overpasses or underpasses where possible and to close the nearby at-grade rail crossings. This would enable trains and vehicles to permanently avoid conflict at all hours of the day.
