Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Jim Gotto Vs. CSX = David Vs. Goliath
Posted by PJ Tobia on Tue, Feb 10, 2009 at 10:00 AM
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Metro Council member Jim Gotto is trying to force the CSX railroad company to repaint a decrepit looking railroad bridge over the Cumberland near downtown Nashville. He's introduced legislation that would fine railroads $50 a day for not maintaining their property. CSX of course is balking at this, but that's just what they do.
In 2007 we ran a couple of stories about how CSX's use of a railroad crossing effectively trapped residents of Sadler Avenue, near the fairgrounds, inside their neighborhood. In one instance an ambulance couldn't get to an elderly man in the neighborhood because a miles-long chain of boxcars was parked there for hours. And children who didn't want to miss the school bus often had to crawl under and on top of the cars just to get to the bus stop.
In order to even get CSX to spruce up the crossing--which was littered with boxcar detritus--neighbors had to form a community association, write endless letters, and generally make a fuss. Even then, CSX refused to reroute trains. CSX is an enormous company with endless legal resources. Good luck getting that bridge painted, Mr. Gotto.
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