Farmers near the town of Lyn, Ont. are raising concerns over railway crossings, as brush and trees have grown surrounding the track, limiting their ability to see approaching trains.
“There’s so many of us that cross the railroad every given day,” said farmer Gary Vandermeer. “I’m afraid that if this continues, that there will be a serious accident someday on part of railroad neglect.”
Farmers like Michael Shane say the limited visibility forces him to get off his tractor entirely.
“You just can’t see anything until you’re halfway across the track,” he told CTV News. “If you have to stop and get off, there’s not enough time to get back on the tractor before there could be a train there as you go across again.”
During the summer, the crossings are used more frequently.
“It’s usually weather related,” farmer Larrin Purvis added. “If the sun’s shining and there’s something you got to do on the other side of the railroad tracks, that’s the day you got to go.”
The tracks are private property owned by CN Rail, who is also responsible for maintenance surrounding the tracks.
Since the crossings aren’t in a residential area, trains can reach speeds of 130 km/h.
CTV News Ottawa reached out to CN Rail for comment and has not received a response.