Huntingburg seeking railroad safety grant as train blockage complaints mount

The Huntingburg Board of Works approved applying for a railroad safety grant that would fund a train detection and public alert system aimed at reducing traffic disruptions caused by stopped trains blocking city crossings.

Street Superintendent Jason Stamm brought the proposal to the board after meeting with Mayor Neil Elkins to explore the Indiana Department of Transportation’s GRIPS grant program, which has a submission deadline of July 10. The system, developed by technology company Trainfo, would place sensors at railroad crossings and install flashing warning signs on all four major entry points to the city.

The total project cost is $83,990, with the grant covering the majority of equipment expenses. However, the city would be responsible for between $27,000 and $33,000 depending on whether the roadside signs are powered by direct electricity or solar, plus an annual software and service fee of $14,200.

“The railroad track has been a hot topic lately with trains stopping on it causing issues with traffic,” Stamm told the board before outlining the grant program and technology.

The Trainfo system works by placing sensors at crossings that detect when a train is present, then triggering flashing warning signs at the edges of town so drivers can take alternate routes before entering the city. The system also integrates with navigation apps including Waze and Google Maps, and can alert first responders through dispatch software.

Stamm initially proposed placing four sensors/beacons on the main highways entering Huntingburg. The exact locations weren’t determined yet, but one would be west of Styline Drive, one north of Veterans Parkway/14th Street, and two would be south and east of the city, with Stamm suggesting one at the Bretzville Junction.

Trainfo CTO Neil Ternowetsky, who joined the meeting remotely, said the company has a strong track record with the grant program. “We’ve been successful with that grant with the city of Peru, also with Allen County, city of New Haven,” he said.

Not all board members were immediately convinced of the system’s value. Board member Kerry Blessinger expressed skepticism about the need for the technology.

“I’ve lived within six blocks of that railroad track for 60 years … I don’t care if it’s stopped or not. The train never has bothered me. I just go around,” Blessinger said. “There’s a lot of complaining about it, but it just is what it is. It’s a part of being in Huntingburg.”

“Are we just trying to do this to stop those complaints?” he asked.

Mayor Elkins acknowledged the complaints are real, noting train blockages are near the top of the city’s complaint list. The mayor said he has spoken with Norfolk Southern after recent incidents in which trains stopped on the tracks for extended periods.

“They let us know that there are certain situations where they have to (stop),” he explained. “They do that for brake inspections, those types of things.”

He added that one time they took an hour and a half for a shift change, “which normally should take 15-20 minutes.”

Blessinger agreed that shift changes appear to be a major factor in trains stopping for extended periods. “They said about 75% of the trains that stop — that’s become the issue down here,” he said.

Mayor Elkins explained that federal law limits what municipalities can do to compel railroads to move trains, and that virtually every local ordinance passed in the last 40 years has been declared unconstitutional because railroads fall under congressional jurisdiction.

“It takes an act of Congress to change it,” Elkins said.

The mayor also explained that trains have grown significantly longer in recent years following a change in federal law, compounding the problem.

“About the time that the overpass was built, federal law changed that trains could be one third longer,” he said. “Everybody made them as long as they could because there’s more money in a longer train.”

Discussion turned to the ongoing annual cost, which board members identified as the bigger financial concern. Elkins estimated that over five years, the city could spend between $70,000 and $100,000 in service fees alone, assuming no price increases.

“The initial cost isn’t a big deal to me,” Elkins said. “But the fact that we’re going to be tied into that other 14 grand plus maintenance, plus electricity if we hardwire those — that’s where the big costs are going to be coming in.”

Ternowetsky offered a potential cost reduction, noting the proposal currently includes two sensors monitoring two crossings. He suggested that if the board is confident that activity at one crossing reliably indicates activity at the other, one sensor could be removed, reducing the annual service fee by approximately $4,000 and lowering upfront costs by $13,000 to $15,000.

“I’d probably make the argument that it’d be better at (State Road) 64 because you’re getting all those shunting movements out of the yard and those are probably the bad ones you want to get,” Ternowetsky said.

Board member Dustin Schmett raised the question of whether the board can simply apply for the grant without committing to the full project, noting the city could decline to proceed even if the application is successful.

“Wouldn’t it be silly not to go ahead and agree to at least apply for it and then we discuss it later?” Schmett said. “We may not even get it anyway.”

City Attorney Phil Schneider said that there is no financial penalty for applying for and then declining the grant, though Mayor Elkins cautioned that past grant performance is a factor in future scoring, and that accepting a grant without completing the project could affect the city’s standing with INDOT.

Ternowetsky recommended submitting the strongest possible application to maximize the chance of success, with the option to adjust the system configuration after an award is made.

The board voted to approve the grant application, with at least one member remaining unconvinced of the system’s overall benefit. “If we can find a better alternative, we can look for it,” Keith Souders said. “Right now I just don’t see — I’m not convinced there’s enough benefit to carry on.”

Mayor Elkins said the city will continue exploring other traffic management options in parallel, including ongoing discussions with INDOT about signal control improvements on U.S. 231. A planned 2028 INDOT project is set to add a dedicated turn lane from 14th Street northward through the city, which was moved up from 2030 to coincide with the 14th Street repaving..