Railroad maintenance crews have been a thorn in the side of Pittsburg, Kan., drivers for about a month, blocking some streets for up to a week at a time, The Morning Sun reports. And those drivers could have to wait a few more days before the repair crews have finished their job.



Since Aug. 31, the Kansas City Southern has been working on a crosstie, track-surfacing and crossing-renewal program, according to spokesperson Doniele Kane, who could not be reached by phone but answered queries in an e-mail. Kane said the work in the Pittsburg area is expected to be completed Sept. 23, and did not say how much it will cost.



"We hoped to be done in two weeks," said Pittsburg Public Works Director Bill Beasley. "There's probably another week's worth of work to do."



Beasley said the recent spate of wet weather has affected the crew's work schedules significantly because they need the ground to be as dry as possible.



Once the work is completed - the crossing on South Rouse near the Kansas Technology Center is the last of the scheduled crossing repair projects - the 125-person "maintenance-of-way" crew from Louisiana will continue working south into Missouri.



The repair program, Kane continued, includes the replacement of crossties and road crossing surfaces, as well as ballast renewal. Kane said KCS routinely maintains its tracks, but that renewal programs of this extent take place every five to seven years. The work is time consuming, she said, and can't be avoided. Some crossings must be temporarily closed, she continued, while crews replace the wooden crossties and asphalt, as well as timber or concrete panels - the crossing surface.



The crossings, Beasley added, need to be addressed every five years.



"They sink a little bit and give way," he said.



Train schedules are also adjusted to allow work windows for this maintenance to be performed.


Just because the work is necessary doesn't mean it isn't a hassle. Beasley said the city must coordinate with the railroad to set detour routes, which can change daily.



"It's been an effort on our part to have to do that," Beasley said.



Beasley said he's not indicting KCSR, and he acknowledged the crossings were becoming rough.



"One of the things we're pleased about is that they're completing the crossings, but the other stuff we weren't aware they were going to do," he said, adding that he understands the railroad has to close the roads while crews tear up tracks and add new planking and asphalt.

The work is further delayed when trains are running. The railroad, Kane said, tries to alter its train schedules as much as it can. But if there's a lot of rail traffic, the crews will have to wait.



"It's a big project on their part," Beasley said. "We're very pleased they're doing it, but it's just taking a long time."