WESTFIELD, N.Y. (WBKW) — In Ripley on Klondike Road and in Westfield on Forest Avenue, Norfolk Southern trains continue to stop on the tracks and sit there for hours on end blocking dead-end communities.
Sara Stoll of Westfield and Bobbie White of Ripley have been voicing their concerns about this problem for nearly one year.
"You park in a fire lane in front of Walmart they always make you move your car it’s— why are they not moving their trains," Stoll said.
In Ripley, White said the issue has been happening more often. She said the last time the train stopped on these tracks was on Friday and over the weekend.
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"If we had medical issues, we wouldn't be able to get medical care if somebody in our family our loved one was in the hospital we wouldn't be able to get out," White said.
Now Steve Mooney, another neighbor in Ripley, said this problem dates back to the mid-50s when his father moved to Klondike Road.
"It's been quite frustrating at times. I have a company business that it interfered with flight drastically back in the 80s," Mooney said.
7 News' Kristen Mirand reached out to Norfolk Southern's director of government relation and was told this solution falls on the county to build a road for the dead-end neighborhoods.
Mirand met with County Executive PJ Wendel and Congressman Nick Langworthy after an announcement Monday afternoon. Wendel and Langworthy have been working to address this issue and said they will stay on top of this.
"We've stayed on this issue since you brought it to our attention," Langworthy told Mirand.
Langworthy said he informed Governor Kathy Hochul's office about this and is also asking the office to look into the problem.
"But it's something that we ultimately should have better corporate citizenship out of Norfolk Southern. Very, very disappointed in the way they've handled this," Langworthy said.
Wendel and Langworthy said Norfolk Southern needs to meet them halfway when solving this issue.
"Our concern is when is it going to cost somebody their home or somebody their life and then they’re gonna realize it’s their problem," Wendel said
Meantime, the neighbors in Ripley and Westfield are hoping for a solution.
"We're not asking for anything big. Just so that we always know we can get out just like everybody else can get out," White said.
