UPCOMING: Scheduled crossing closures set for 1 p.m. to 5 a.m. May 17 into May 18 as part of UP crosstie upgrades
Gladewater railroad crossings were blocked for hours Saturday morning after a train was forced to stop on the Union Pacific lines following an apparent electrical issue, affecting traffic upstream.
Multiple stoppages were reported down the line beyond Gladewater’s crossings, the incident putting a spotlight on a common occurrence in the Red Rock community.
Union Pacific Railroad officials had not responded to requests for comment by press time Tuesday.
According to locals, the train in Gladewater stopped on the tracks as early as 5:30 a.m. Throughout the morning, North/South traffic, especially on Hwy. 271, re-routed via the loop’s railroad overpass.
Gladewater City Manager Charlie Smith and other officials were soon reaching out to UP for updates on the repairs. Rail traffic steadily backed up in the midst of the stoppage, with Big Sandy residents noting crossings there were blocked, too.
There are scheduled closures ahead for the downtown crossings Sunday as UP crews upgrade nearby crossties. The project will begin at 1 p.m. May 18 and continue until 5 a.m. May 19.
Commenters to @GladewaterMirror noted there’s a similar safety issue in the Red Rock Community, one that’s persisted for years.
“Imagine how the folks in Red Rock feel every time that intersection is blocked by the train,” Facebook user Stephanie Childress said.
“This happens several times a week,” Haydee Dodd confirmed.