DEPEW, NY - In response to a story aired on WGRZ-TV, CSX Corp. has offered a statement addressing the concerns of residents near Walden Avenue over garbage trains,
As reported by 2 On Your Side on Thursday evening, residents in the area are frustrated by the parking of trains near a residential neighborhood, where cars of rotting trash can sit for hours, producing an overpowering stench.
The problem has attracted the attention of U.S. Senator Charles Schumer who has reached out to CSX on behalf of residents.
CSX Spokesman Rob Doolittle sent Channel 2 the following statement this afternoon:
"First, we appreciate that there are times when railroad operations impact neighbors who live near our tracks and facilities, and we do our best to minimize those effects.
Currently, due to substantial growth in demand for freight-rail services, we are experiencing unusually heavy congestion on our network that requires us to stage trains on sidings in areas where we may not have done so in the past, or for longer than we might have done so. We are committed to moving all freight on our system as quickly and efficiently as we can, and we are devoting significant time and resources to resolving these issues.
As much as possible, we try to avoid holding trains carrying solid waste. Unfortunately, given the current level of congestion, we are not always able to avoid holding those trains at certain times.
Our crews follow specific guidelines with regard to idling trains, and the process of safely securing and shutting down a train, then restarting it and completing inspections prior to moving, is a lengthy one that is governed by federal regulations and company rules. By leaving a train at idle we are able to be more flexible with train movements, ultimately reducing the time that a train may spend on a siding. That flexibility is key in resolving the congestion that we are experiencing.
We have communicated with local and state government representatives and Sen. Schumer's office on these issues, and will continue to keep them apprised of changes to this situation."
Depew Mayor Steven P. Hoffman claims dealing with CSX has been difficult at best, expressing his frustration by stating, "getting them on the phone is like trying to speak to Santa Claus."
