By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
It’s a problem a vast majority of Decatur residents have experienced – some, in fact, experience it several times daily.
Deteriorating railroad crossings in this fair city are a pain in the … axle and wheels and many anatomical places on the human body for people who cross them daily.
The worst are in the northwest portion of the city, in the area of the Bunge North American operation.
The worst of the worst is the Chicago, Fort Wayne & Eastern (CF&E) Railroad’s crossing on Washington St.
Not far behind is the one on Dayton Ave. which the CF&E made some repairs on last summer. It was said at the time to be a temporary solution … and that has since been proven.
Rapidly catching up is the CF&E crossing on Nuttman Ave.
The tracks on Second St. at Bunge are far from favorable, but probably the best of the four.
The crossing on Washington St. was noted at the recent meeting of Decatur City Council by member Jenny Bowers-Shultz, who said she had received a complaint from a local resident.
“I’m not sure we can do anything about it,” she said. That is unquestionably true.
Mayor Dan Rickord, though, offered some hope. “We are working with Bunge, but that’s all I can say about it for now,” he said.
“It’s a railroad problem, not a Bunge problem,” an unknown voice offered.
Trains run nearly 24/7 in that area of the city – ask the residents of the area about the all-night train whistles – and it’s Bunge traffic. But the crossing are owned by CF&E.
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