The permit was applied for by both SVRy and Oregon Parks since the side road (Austin St.) was a new entrance to the Dredge Heritage State Park. With a state agency co-applying, you can imagine how difficult it was. A certain ODOT bureaucrat told us "If the light/bell mast is even an inch off from the plan, I will not approve the crossing". Fortunately, he was not the inspector. He never left his office in Salem, the field inspector approved the crossing. And, it was approved with no gates, just lights and bells only.
When we do our next crossing signals project we will specify that a certain bureaucrat not be assigned to the job. Word has it he has retired anyway.
I agree with John West, it behoves the builder to determine if permits are needed and get them. Especially in Oregon where we seem to be permit happy. I sincerely hope things can be worked out, and the RR builder gets his fines paid and permits and inspections paid and completed as well.
dan
Dave Boyer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 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.
