UPDATE 6:15 P.M.
The railroad crossing lights and gates were seen functioning again on Railroad Avenue following ABC 27's report on the equipment not activating earlier in the day.
An ABC 27 viewer sent us the picture below showing the functioning lights and gates while a train passed through Friday evening.
UPDATE 1:00 P.M.
A representative from Gulf & Atlantic Railways responded to ABC 27's questions about the crossing issue with the statement below:
"The crossing signal & gate system was taken out of service yesterday (Thursday) to allow our railroad track restoration crews to work in that area. This is a normal procedure and when it happens all trains must stop short of the crossing, a railroad employee must physically protect / flag the crossing until the train is fully occupying the crossing. This way vehicular traffic is protected when the signals and gates have been temporally disabled. We estimated the gates and flasher to be place back in service in the next couple days, once the track restoration work is complete."
ORIGINAL STORY:
For at least 16 hours, the railroad crossing lights and gates have been malfunctioning on Railroad Avenue in Tallahassee. An ABC 27 viewer let us know about the problem Thursday afternoon.
Friday morning, the issue was caught on camera again. A worker could be seen walking in front of the stopped train and stopping traffic. When the train began moving, the lights and gates did not activate. The train stopped to pick up that worker before continuing eastbound.
ABC 27 asked Tallahassee Police about the issue. TPD said they don't have any control over the railroad crossing arms.
AB 27 also reached out the City of Tallahassee about the issue. They said the issue lies with the railroad itself. The issue has nothing to do with the ongoing construction project along Railroad Avenue.
ABC 27 has reached out to the Florida Gulf & Atlantic Railroad multiple times since we first learned of the issue Thursday evening. We are still waiting to hear back. This story will be updated once they respond to our questions.
If you see an issue with this crossing, you may call 1-877-533-6913 to report a problem or emergency.
Not all railroad crossings have protective lights or gates. As a reminder, you should look both ways before crossing railroad tracks and listen for any horns or whistles being sounded. Learn more about railroad crossing safety with Operation Lifesaver.
