Some Streets That Cross Railroad Crossings to Close...

[yfdgricker]

It looks like some movement is finally being done on this railroad crossing closings. A couple of weeks ago, several concrete barriers were dropped off and currently sit off to the side of the road at each of these intersections. It is not known when they plan on moving them into place.

On a side note, the operation of the railroad has once again changed hands. The line is owned by the Columbiana County Port Authority and is leased to it's 3 operator since being returned to active service. The first operator was the Columbiana and Pennsylvania Railroad (CQPA), they filed for bankruptcy and the Ohio Central Railroad serviced the customers on the line operating as the Ohio and Pennsylvania Railroad (OHPA). Since Ohio Central has operated the line, all but one of the customers have either closed or dropped rail service. Ohio Central opted not to renew its contract with the Port Authority since they weren't bringing in the $$ like they had hoped. The line was recently leased back to the original operators but under yet another name, the Youngstown & Southeastern Railroad (Y&S).

Confused? Yeah me too.

For more information on the CQPA...errrr....OHPA.....errrrr....Y&S... check out this post at railfan.net...
http://forums.railfan.net/forums.cgi?board=OhioRails;action=display;num=1018980397;start=440

[yfdgricker]

Published in the Youngstown Vindicator on Friday, December 2, 2005...

Railroad project approved

Four railroad crossings will be permanently closed to vehicular traffic.

By DAVID SKOLNICK
CITY HALL REPORTER

YOUNGSTOWN — Some railroad crossings in the city will get a makeover while others will be closed to vehicular traffic under a project that will cost about $400,000 to $500,000.

The Ohio Rail Development Commission announced Thursday that it approved the projects on the Ohio & Pennsylvania Railroad lines in Youngstown.

About 80 percent of the project's cost is coming from federal funds, with the rest split between the state and city, said Stu Nicholson, ORDC spokesman.

The work begins in about a month and will take up to a year to complete, he said.

Closings

Four railroad crossings will be permanently closed to vehicular traffic. Those crossings are at Ravenwood, Brooklyn, Judson and Philadelphia avenues. Roadblocks and barriers will be placed at those crossings so vehicles can no longer cross them, Nicholson said.

The closings will help the flow of rail traffic, he said. Also, vehicles can cross the train tracks at nearby streets, he said.
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"We discuss with city officials what crossings should be closed for safety reasons," Nicholson said.

Also, crossing gates and lights will be installed at Powersdale and Lucius avenues. Those streets have only railroad crossing signs.

Powersdale, along with Indianola Avenue, will get new crossing surfaces, making it easier to cross the railroad tracks, Nicholson said. Auburndale Avenue will get a new pedestrian sidewalk crossing, he said.

The crossings with the new surfaces will be closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic when the work is being done, Nicholson said. Work on new surfaces typically takes up to a week, he said.

The ORDC is a state agency that is responsible for economic development through the improvement and expansion of rail service, railroad crossing safety and rail travel.

skolnick@vindy.com