MOORPARK : Rush-Hour Railroad Work Angers Council

After a series of incidents in which traffic in Moorpark was blocked during rush hour by railroad crossing gates dropped so that crews could work on the tracks, the Moorpark City Council is considering sending a letter asking Southern Pacific railroad to schedule its repairs at more appropriate times.

During the latest incident two weeks ago, frustrated drivers ended up lifting the crossing gate, which broke the gate’s mechanism. Then they drove across the tracks, city officials said.

The tracks used by Southern Pacific, Amtrak and Metrolink cut through the heart of Moorpark. The tracks cross two main north-south thoroughfares--Spring Road and Moorpark Avenue. When the crossing gates are dropped, cross-town traffic is stopped.

The company has been known to drop the gates when it repairs portions of the track near the intersection, and when it changes cars. This can cause long delays for motorists, who often become increasingly angry because no train is on the tracks.

City Councilman John Wozniak said his biggest concern was that emergency vehicles could be cut off from getting across town when the crossing gates are down for so long. The Fire Department and a local ambulance company have stations adjacent to the crossing gates on Moorpark Avenue.

Wozniak wants the city to send a letter to Southern Pacific railroad, which owns the tracks, to ensure that the company is more careful in lowering the crossing gates. He also wants the company to make repairs on that portion of the tracks at night when fewer drivers are affected.