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Last updated on Monday, December 12, 2011
(DUGGER) - Dugger Town Council members warned residents to be wary at railroad crossings.
Railroad crossing upgrades are slated to being in January, but the work won't be completed until March.
Trains running along the Indiana Rail Road's east-and-west route doubled their speeds this fall, raising the maximum authorized speed on the tracks from between 20 to 25 mph up to 40 mph.
Linton is also upgrading their Indiana 54 crossing and received signs warning drivers about faster trains. City officials have been working with Indiana Railroad officials to get signs for nine crossings inside the city limits.
The increased speeds are due to a massive $65 million overhaul on Indiana Rail Road's nearly 500 miles of tracks throughout the state and east Illinois.
Presently, the Indiana Rail Road hauls the equivalent of 800,000 truckloads of freight off highways each year.
That route, through Greene County, stretches from Switz City in the east to Dugger in the west. The trains reached their top speeds Nov. 1.
Meanwhile, Dugger has worked with the Indiana Department of Transportation to attain grant money for upgrade at crossings on Section Street, Main Street and Monroe Street, which turns into County Road 50S.
Flashing lights will also be installed on Batman Street where it intersects with Monroe Street. CSX routes are also being affected.At the time, he suggested overgrowth and brush on property owned by the railroad and coal mine pose part of the problem. Another concern is the high speed at which trains often travel through town.
When the work's completed, only three crossings in the town will be without lights or crossing arms. Third Street could see its crossing eliminated by INDOT or the railroad could extend a road from the home of the one resident who lives there.
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