Norfolk Southern replaces rails through downtown
Some might say Norfolk Southern Corporation has been working on the railroad all the livelong day.
“On Saturday they had the entire city blocked – Main Street completely blocked and Calhoun Street completely blocked – with equipment,” said Henry Foy, owner of Emporium Wine.
According to Susan Terpay, director of public relations for Norfolk, the company is replacing the rail along certain sections of the railroad between Birmingham and Columbus, Ga. – about 135 miles.
It’s a job that caused a stir in Alexander City as track crews blocked worked on the crossing from Main Street to Broad Street, creating problems for some downtown business owners.
“It has to be done,” said Daniel Champion, owner of Carlisle Drugs.
The drugstore was visibly emptier midday Tuesday than the norm. “We shut down early Saturday … but it has to be done,” Champion said. “I understand their side of things.
“At the same time … it would have been nice to know because we wouldn’t have fully staffed today. It cost a lot of money to have everybody in here and then have everybody looking at each other. I’m going to have to send some people home.”
Main Street was closed Tuesday morning but reopened Tuesday afternoon as crews moved down the tracks to the crossing where Lee and Washington streets veer in different directions.
“This is a major capital improvement program that we only undertake every 30–40 years to ensure that our rail line is in top condition for moving the coal, computers, toys, food products, lumber, chemicals, automobiles and much more through Alabama and the other 21 states in which we operate,” Terpay said.
Mayor Charles Shaw said while there was some initial conflict with the railroad company not providing advance notice of the work they would be doing, the company is now contacting 911 prior to projects.
“We have no control over when the railroad works and when they don’t,” Shaw said. “We cannot speed them up or slow them down. They work at their own pace. They work when they want to work.”
Although there was some question of whether or not the Alabama Department of Transportation was involved in the project, division engineer DeJarvis Leonard said the state has not part in railroad construction or maintenance.
Terpay said the next step in this phase of railroad maintenance is to “timber and surface.”
“After the rails are replaced, we will timber and surface, which means we will replace the crossties that anchor the rails in place, and we will repave the highway/rail crossings – intersections where the railroad and highway meet,” Terpay said. “This work is part of the railroad’s regular maintenance program across its 20,000-mile rail system … Tracks must be retimbered and resurfaced on a regular cycle, about every five years, to ensure trains can run safely at optimum track speed, which is vital to the railroad’s ability to meet customers’ service needs.
“Resurfacing includes leveling and dressing of the track to provide a smooth and safe ride for trains and motorists. The timber and surfacing work will take place in about two weeks.”
A source on site of the construction said the bulk of the railroad work in downtown would be finished Tuesday and traffic should no longer be impeded.
“It does hurt retail downtown, so hopefully tomorrow it will be opened,” Shaw said. “Hopefully tomorrow will a better day for our retail people in town.”
