This photo taken Sunday, Jan. 30, shows a close-up of the deteriorated railroad crossing along SR 25 in Mentone. InkFreeNews photo by Leah Sander.

By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

MENTONE — Mentone leaders are concerned that the condition of railroad tracks in town may eventually cause an accident.

The concern has to do with the crossings at SR 25 and SR 19 in Mentone, Town Utilities Superintendent Josh Shepherd told InkFreeNews.

“There are huge chunks of material missing from alongside the tracks which creates big holes in the driving path on both roadways,” he said. “This has been an ongoing issue for several years and only seems to be getting worse over time.”

The tracks belong to Norfolk Southern.

“My concern is the condition of the roadway has gotten to the point where it is going to cause an accident or damage someone’s vehicle,” said Shepherd. “Not only is this an issue for vehicles, but I worry about someone on a motorcycle or horse and buggy having an accident.”

Town Marshal Jim Eads said he’s not aware of any accidents that have occurred in the area, but shared Shepherd’s concern that one could happen there.

“There have been no accidents from the tracks, but the worry is something with a narrow tire getting caught in the gaps, such as a motorcycle or horse-drawn buggy,” he said.

Town Council Member Tim Croy also shared his thoughts.

“The railroad crossings in Mentone have been in terrible shape for well over a year, and during that time the railroad has come and looked at the tracks but no repairs have been made,” he said. “You can see the railroad ties have deteriorated, which has caused the bolts to become exposed.”

He said he’s seen several vehicles sustain flat tires from going over the tracks.

“We will soon be in motorcycle season, and I hate to imagine the problems that this will cause,” he added. “The railroad has said in the past that the track isn’t used, but that’s not the case: the main track is used several times a day. The spur that is there is used all the time during warm weather as the railroad parks maintenance cars on the tracks.”

Last summer, some asphalt was placed in holes along the tracks, but the repairs did not remain intact long, he said.

“I would encourage everyone that is tired of the condition of these crossings to call the 800 number listed at the crossings (1-800-946-4744),” he said.