HELENA, Ala. (WBRC) - Trains have blocked railroad tracks near the Helena Sports Complex twice in one week -- canceling some Little League games and frustrating families trying to get their kids to the ballpark.
Helena Police say the tracks were blocked for an hour and a half on Wednesday and for about two and a half hours on Thursday before drivers could get through.
Both crossings are on Highway 261 -- one of the main roads in and out of Helena.
Patrick Martin has two daughters who play softball and a son who plays baseball. After waiting in his car for an hour, his daughter's game was canceled.
"They were pretty upset," Martin said. "My youngest daughter was really looking forward to playing."
Martin says the repeated blockages are more than an inconvenience.
"It's a pain in the rear end," Martin shared. "You're interrupting lives, like people are trying to go do things. I don't know, to me it just happens too often."
Josh Price, whose 9-year-old son plays baseball, says his son's game wasn't cancelled, but it was delayed about an hour.
"We actually played last night and about half of our team was at the park when the train got stopped and the other half was stuck in the traffic trying to get there," Price said.
Train company CSX told Helena Police the most recent blockage was the result of "mechanical problems."
In a statement to WBRC, a CSX spokesperson said:
"CSX strives to be a good neighbor to communities where we operate, and we work hard to minimize the impact of railroad operations. We understand that it can be frustrating when trains block road crossings and we make every effort to prevent that from happening, whenever possible. Every crossing is different, and there are times when mechanical and operational issues could result in blocked crossings, as well as when trains stop for mandatory safety inspections, federally-regulated crew changes or to allow another train to safely pass.
CSX maintains communication with local officials, and our operations team is actively working to reduce these occurrences that affect drivers or normal traffic flow.
Our goal is to safely and efficiently transport America's freight and we appreciate the patience of motorists and pedestrians waiting for our trains to pass safely through the area. CSX maintains open lines of communication to identify and determine how best to manage crossings where challenges exist, including providing 24/7 access to crossing information through our Public Safety Coordination Center (PSCC) that first responder agencies can leverage to aid in response planning. In fact, all railroads are required to post a blue Emergency Notification Sign at each crossing with a phone number that the public can call when there is a crossing issue or emergency."
Helena Police posted multiple updates this week to keep drivers informed.
"Both of the crossings are on 261 which is the main artery into and out of Helena, and anytime a train crossing is blocked it creates a massive backup," said Officer Jeff Murphy with the Helena Police Department.
Murphy is urging residents not to call 911 when a train is blocking the tracks and there is no immediate threat. Those calls tie up phone lines needed for real emergencies.
Instead, he said to report blockages to:
Murphy says mutual aid agreements with neighboring agencies mean first responders can still reach you even when tracks are blocked.
"Whether it's a Helena address, or Pelham, or Alabaster," he said. "We all work together in situations anytime a railroad crossing is blocked."
Mayor Billy Rosener said that game cancellations due to train problems are very rare, but he understands why residents are frustrated.
He says he is working to get in contact with CSX to schedule a meeting.
"I would welcome the opportunity to sit down and discuss how these railroad blockages affect our community and what if anything can be done to limit these events," Rosener said.