Comments on: What Can Be Done About Trains Blocking Roads In Cantonment?

By: Susan Boone

Susan Boone — Thu, 01 Jul 2021 01:54:27 +0000

An overpass might be costly, but the papermill makes how much a year in profits? How about they absorb some of that cost? Especially since they are the reason traffic backs up. One day its gonna be the reason a life is lost and when they get hit with a lawsuit they might wish they had helped contribute to the safety and well-being of local residents. Just saying.

By: Dale Simpson

Dale Simpson — Fri, 13 Dec 2019 01:03:37 +0000

The simple solution to this is have train operator leave 2 cars is the main line and that frees up the road. Most of the time the engines are blocking the road and that tells me its intentional.. 2 less cars will resolve the issue..

By: g

Sun, 16 Dec 2018 11:07:47 +0000

The simplest solution would be an overpass, unfortunately it would be the most expensive and based on past experience we all know the Escambia County BOCC won’t use money where it’s needed

By: Chris

Chris — Sat, 15 Dec 2018 23:04:23 +0000

Build a overpass

By: BG

BG — Sat, 15 Dec 2018 02:26:25 +0000

They should truck stuff into the plant….there for no need for a train………..

By: Jdub

Jdub — Fri, 14 Dec 2018 18:24:16 +0000

I have thought about this many times when stuck by the train either in Hwy 29 or trying to get home or to town since I live in Cottage Hill area and get stopped often by the train. I don’t mind it when the train is moving and doing what needs to be done. By when they block us from coming/going into our community or sit blocking traffic on Hwy 29 for prolonged periods of time…then I’m bothered by the trains.

My thoughts of a partial solution is perhaps some type of signage prior to getting to the blocked tracks of Hwy 29 both north and south of the tracks (especially when north bound since your options are limited after Kingsfield) that would give motorists a message that delays are ahead and give us the option to take an alternate route (such as Kingsfield Rd to 297 to hit Muscogee and get around the stopped train). They put these same type of signs on the interstates to inform motorists. There are a few routes that one can take to get around and even bypass the traffic waiting if you know the back roads. It will still be an inconvenience but I would rather keep moving around the long way versus just sitting and waiting for prolonged periods of time. This signage would need to let us know before we get to Kingsfield so we can make our turn so we don’t have to double back. I have pulled many U-turns on 29 to go around.

As for getting blocked from our community in Cottage Hill, there really needs to be an access road to allow us in out of the community and even the Becks Lake rd folks as well. Yeah, it probably would be crowded during train stopping time but at least it would be something. This blocking of our community’s is unsafe in the event of a major medical emergency.

We all have our opinions and thoughts. An overpass would be great but we all know that will never happen…so we have to come up with some other type of feasible solution to at least give the motorists a choice before heading that direction.

By: Donna

Donna — Fri, 14 Dec 2018 05:27:15 +0000

Maybe a train to take loaded box cars to other side of track when loaded ready for pick up
Then we would have to sit there while they’ve backed up unloaded then back up again to reload isn’t there already two tracks on other side

By: Al Buchanan

Al Buchanan — Fri, 14 Dec 2018 01:58:44 +0000

Ur right Cantonment resident only a small portion of the switches have anything to do with IP. Overpass would b the solution but that’s not gonna happen so we can quit talking about this. But they dont have to do the switches in peak traffic hours which would help tremendously.

By: Al Buchanan

Al Buchanan — Fri, 14 Dec 2018 01:40:13 +0000

Speaking to Cantonment resident comment saying IP has nothing to do with the train. Both machines at the mill p4 and p5 make rolls every day of the year to go on those railcars. So they do have everything to do with the trains going in there. For u to say these comments are ignorant is hilarious.

By: Sharon Bennett

Sharon Bennett — Fri, 14 Dec 2018 01:11:39 +0000

I agree with those that think the timing of the switches is the main issue. I work between Cantonment and Molino, and live downtown, so this is my daily route. I don’t know how many times I’ve been stopped by that train when I’m heading home after a long day. It’s very frustrating to say the least. I’ve sat there waiting more than 30 minutes several times. I believe the overpass would be the solution, but those two gas station convenience stores would be the losers. It would cost a lot of money considering all this is at an intersection. Too bad the paper mill is not on the east side of 29… this would solve the problem for 29 traffic. A specific schedule would help me, but not most travelers in the area. Good luck on a solution .. I doubt there is one coming anytime too soon. I know railroads have schedules, but in this case a schedule change makes sense. Don’t do the switches during peak traffic time. I’ve gone through that intersection once the train is finally finished with its dance back and forth and traffic is backed up almost to Winn Dixie to the south. It’s not good!! I’m glad it’s being looked at.