You Can Help With Galion's Blocked RailRoad Problem

We're still seeing a LOT of blocked train crossings in Galion, and that isn't actually going to change any time soon - but here's the thing - (there's always a thing, right?)

Random trainlocking crossing  image

Federal Railroad Administration Railroad Crossing Study

The Federal Railroad Administration is looking into it and ASKING people to submit an impact statement form through the PUCO website whenever a crossing is blocked and to share how it affected each person's life.

They're ASKING because this is a nationwide problem (not just in Galion) - and they're trying to determine which crossings (in the whole country) need attention the most...

The communities where the people pay attention and fill out the forms are going to be the ones to see some help from the government.

Basically, there's only a certain amount of money that's going to be thrown at the problem, and they're (the FRA) trying to determine which crossings - out of ALL the crossings in the United States - are going to get those funds for upgrades... like another overpass or...

You Know the Saying About the Squeaky Wheel Getting the Grease?

Make some noise!

The squeaky wheel is, quite literally, going to be the one that gets the grease (squeaky wheel means the most deeply impacted communities with the most people who fill out the FRA form.

Whatever they do isn't going to happen fast, but they are planning to do something - somewhere - and the only way it'll be HERE is if enough people fill out the form, enough times.

It isn't just a one time and you're done form, either, they WANT to know every time someone is stopped by a train and their lives are impacted.

You could literally fill out the form more than once per day in Galion the way the trains have been lately, and it would be an example of you supplying the information a government agency needs to validate funding a second overpass in Galion.

Complain About Block Railroad Crossings So it Counts!

Will it work? Maybe - Maybe not - it is government, after all so who can guess... but I can guarantee if people don't start submitting the forms, nothing is going to change in our community in regards to the trains blocking the roads for hours on end some days.

Doing things like complaining on Facebook or griping about it to the workers at Dollar Tree may let you blow off some steam, I do those things myself, but you can actually do something real to SOLVE the problem by filling out the form... Maybe you could even do it from your cell phone while you're waiting on a train...

They (the people at the FRA)  WANT to know things like - if it made you late for work - for your child getting to school - getting to the hospital for an emergency - even if it was just annoying because it sat for two hours and you couldn't easily get to the store because the single overpass in Galion was already blocked with people trying to get around.

I posted an earlier piece on this blocked railroad crossing study here, and it explains a bit more about how to fill out the form if you get stuck.

Here's a direct link to the FRA form on the PUCO website.