Broken Bow residents have noticed additional noise at what are supposed to be “silent” railroad crossings this week. According to Broken Bow Deputy Clerk Jacob Holcomb, a bad part in the crossing signal at 9th Avenue is at fault.
Holcomb told KCNI/KBBN that the city of Broken Bow is responsible for maintaining the silent crossings at 5th and 1st Avenues and the wayside signals that sound instead of train horns where 9th and 10th Avenues cross the BNSF tracks.
While the city maintains a number of spare parts on hand, the piece that failed in this case was not immediately available. The part is on order, and should be installed within the next few days.
In the meantime, when one silent crossing fails, a signal is sent to locomotives as they approach the town, indicating to the drivers that they will need to use their horns to ensure safety at the crossings.
Once the replacement part arrives and is installed, the crossing will be repaired, and the quiet zones will return to normal operation.
The City of Broken Bow notes their appreciation of the public’s patience and understanding while they work to resolve this issue as quickly as possible. The safety of the community remains the top priority for the City.
