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re: Why do trains decide to stop and block intersections? It is happening more often now.

Posted on 6/20/26 at 5:21 pm to
Posted by weadjust
Member since Aug 2012
15825 posts
Posted on 6/20/26 at 5:21 pm to
quote:

Why do you feel the need to take a break blocking major intersections?


An incident occurred when a freight train stopped blocking the Crosstown intersection on Main Street in Tupelo MS so the engineer could run into Burger King and grab a snack. The rail company officially apologized to the city of Tupelo for this unscheduled fast-food detour.
Posted by nuwaydawg
Member since Nov 2007
2485 posts
Posted on 6/20/26 at 5:34 pm to
Wife: "Why did they have to put a railroad track that near to where we live".
Me: " That track/right of way, has been there before the Civil War".
Posted by UKWildcats
Lexington, KY
Member since Mar 2015
20764 posts
Posted on 6/20/26 at 6:57 pm to
Posted by kywildcatfanone
Wildcat Country!
Member since Oct 2012
141769 posts
Posted on 6/20/26 at 6:57 pm to
To unload hobos
Posted by Everyday Is Saturday
Member since Dec 2025
2766 posts
Posted on 6/20/26 at 7:02 pm to
Some trains now identify as donkeys. Social media pressure to be jack arse.
Posted by jasonbr1975
Lafayette, LA
Member since Sep 2024
2737 posts
Posted on 6/20/26 at 7:06 pm to
Just take them engineers to the train station!
Posted by Buck_Rogers
Member since Jul 2013
2160 posts
Posted on 6/20/26 at 8:06 pm to
Little known rule. They are only allowed to block an intersection for a certain amount of time (something like 10-15 minutes). See that blue sign with a phone number at the crossing? Call it and report it.
This post was edited on 6/20/26 at 8:07 pm
Posted by Obtuse1
Westside Bodymore Yo
Member since Sep 2016
31360 posts
Posted on 6/20/26 at 8:17 pm to
quote:


Most of them have to stop on spurs to allow another train to pass.


They avoid using a spur for another train to pass like the plague; they will instead try to use a passing siding designed for that. Use of a spur requires them to reverse the train back out onto the mainline, and is very inefficient.
Posted by Dirk Dawgler
Georgia
Member since Nov 2011
4561 posts
Posted on 6/20/26 at 9:05 pm to
You are right. That’s what I was thinking about but called it a spur.
Posted by BrewDrees95
Member since Jan 2021
498 posts
Posted on 6/20/26 at 10:17 pm to
The one in Metairie stops about once a day now. Completely out of control
Posted by otso672
Member since Aug 2014
4 posts
Posted on 6/20/26 at 10:41 pm to
I am a train engineer. One other guy on here is too.
Posted by casualobserver
Baton Rouge
Member since Oct 2011
245 posts
Posted on 6/20/26 at 11:04 pm to
quote:

My bad. I should have known. Thanks to the person that sent this to me


And thank you for sharing! It was highly informative.

Now for those who downvoted this, are you: a) excited about safety being fourth as a priority for railway companies, b) major stockholders in those companies, or c) solidly comfortable that anything John Oliver says is never to be believed?
Posted by Grievous Angel
Tuscaloosa, AL
Member since Dec 2008
11012 posts
Posted on 6/20/26 at 11:13 pm to
downvote for sheer stupidity.

Posted by Tarps99
Lafourche Parish
Member since Apr 2017
13548 posts
Posted on 6/21/26 at 1:03 am to
Some of them are long trains and if the track is blocked then the end may block an intersection or two, but where would be without love…

This post was edited on 6/21/26 at 6:02 am
Posted by AgCoug
Houston
Member since Jan 2014
6817 posts
Posted on 6/21/26 at 4:17 am to
quote:

Why do trains decide to stop and block intersections? It is happening more often now.


quote:

trains have become self aware and decided to be assholes. Also because you touch yourself at night


Posted by Knight of Old
New Hampshire
Member since Jul 2007
13223 posts
Posted on 6/21/26 at 4:32 am to
Let this train keep on riding, riding on through…
Posted by liz18lsu
Member since Feb 2009
18152 posts
Posted on 6/21/26 at 5:19 am to
The only train track down here is being converted to a pedestrian path. "Rails to Trails"
Posted by BottomlandBrew
Member since Aug 2010
30289 posts
Posted on 6/21/26 at 5:37 am to
Don't know if it's true, but I've been told it's a staffing issue in the industry and tight-wad execs who won't do anything about it. When the crew runs out of hours, they stop and have to wait on another crew to take over.
Posted by Lonnie Utah
Utah!
Member since Jul 2012
35688 posts
Posted on 6/21/26 at 5:42 am to
On a serious note, most Class 1 railroads ( Norfolk Southern, BNSF, Union Pacific) have reduced the amount of engineers while the tonnage of freight moved has increased. This is resulting in longer and longer trains on their main lines. Train in excess of 1 mile and 100+ cars (the standard rail car is 54' or longer) are common now.
Posted by Night Vision
33rd Level REC Member
Member since Feb 2018
25317 posts
Posted on 6/21/26 at 6:45 am to
The ones in my area are not stopping on spurs. They are blocking the main track.
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