Re: Building permits for outdoor model railroad?

Nanny-staters at it again -- and they seem to be thriving more than in most states in Oregon where the maximum speed limit is still 55 mph and you have to have a clerk pump gas.

I came across it when viewing on the net Sumpter Valley Railway progress towards extending the line to the new depot in Sumpter. The depot was ready, the rails were laid but the last few feet to the depot involved a public crossing and the state was not going to let them cross that road (actually a side street I believe) until all the new mechanical lights (and maybe gates, though I don't remember) had been installed, tested, inspected and passed by the regulators. When I asked why they just couldn't flag the crossing until everything was installed and passed, they said it wasn't an option under state law. So the tracks to the depot sat unused for some period of time (weeks or maybe months?) until the automatic crossing installation was approved -- all for a train that would be traveling no more than a couple of mph at the approach to the depot.