Pratt among Kansas communities where stopped trains bring frustration, safety concerns

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – A FactFinder investigation continues into the issue surrounding trains stopping at crossings for extended times and the frustration and safety concerns that come with it.

On Thursday, 12 News reported from north Wichita and one problem area where drivers report being stuck, sometimes for hours due to stopped trains. Wichita isn’t alone. FactFinder investigator Branden Stitt traveled to Pratt where they, too, battle with a blocked crossing.

Pratt Mayor Zach Deeds sees a lot of traffic rolling over the railroad crossing on US-281 (Main Street) on the north side of town.

“I just had the latest numbers ran for vehicles through our town and it’s close to 10,000 a day,” he said.

All too frequently, that traffic comes to a stop for a stopped train, a situation Deeds said is inconvenient and a safety issue.

“It doesn’t take a wild imagination to know that that creates a tremendous issue if we have a train stopped at the intersection of a highway,” Deeds said.

It’s a scenario the mayor said he’s been caught in himself.

“I’ve participated in a 45-minute wait. I’ve heard up to an hour, hour and 15 minutes,” Deeds said.

When the crossing at Main and Maple in Pratt is blocked by a train, it leaves police officers and other first responders scrambling to find a way around it.

Pratt Police Chief Nate Humble said last year, the city saw an increase in calls about stopped trains.

“There were mover 20 calls for that specific thing,” he said.

It’s an issue local, state and even the federal government can’t do anything about.

“Then the question is, ‘Who do we call?’” Deeds said.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg spoke with national reporters about this issue and said that he, too, is frustrated.

“It’s always frustrating when you see behavior by a company and you’re a regulator and you can’t just grab them by the collar and say, ‘Stop it,’” Buttigieg said.

Last year, a Senate Bill called the Railway Safety Act of 2023 was introduced that would give the transportation department more power when it comes to blocked crossings. That bill hasn’t been passed.

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