I thought that Tractor Trailer trucks aren't suppose to even go down that part of the street.

It's obvious that no matter how many signs there are warning tractor trailers not to go over the tracks they do it anyway with sometimes disasterous results. Perhaps it's time to think of another way such as a barrier high enough to allow cars to go under but not trucks? This has been a problem in Kennesaw since I moved here in the seventies. Just glad no one was injured this time!

WHEN I LIVED IN KENNESAW, IN KENNESAW WOODS, I CROSSED THOSE TRACKS MANY TIMES. PERHAPS A SIGN COULD BE PUT UP ON THE STREE, SO BEFORE A TRACTOR TRAILER WENT DOWN THAT STREET, THEY COULD SEE IT. JUST A THOUGHT. I'VE BEEN GONE FROM KENNESAW FOR 9 YEARS, BUT STILL LIKE TO HEAR ANY NEWS. RUTH

OK people have you seen the size of those signs? They are small and if you are not looking right at them you will just pass by without seeing them. They need to put larger signs and more in number. To many semi-trailers try and cross for it to be people just trying to get a $2000 fine or worse. I have lived her well over 40 yrs and know this to be the problem.

I asked police why this continues to be a problem. They site drivers repeatedly admit to not seeing the signs because they are following GPS. BIGGER signs won't help if the drivers admit to paying more attention to GPS than their surroundings. CSX is in control of the intersection and needs to address the issue before someone gets hurt.

State law prohibits a train crossing from being higher than the road around it. This crossing is clearly higher. I wonder why they are allowed to violate the state law? Also, there are larger signs indicating to turn at the crossing to get to I75, the signs stating trucks are prohibited aren't visible until a truck is already in the turn lane.

there's a solution to address all of the road issues at that crossing unfortunately those solutions require a lot of money.... there are a large number of signs all the way down Cherokee Street prohibiting tractor-trailers from crossing the tracks.... just last week my four-year-old daughter even noticed the signs and told me that tractor-trailers werent allowed to come down that road.

That being said as a business owner who owns a business directly on the tracks I can report to from first-hand conversations that the tractor-trailer that I have seen stuck over the course of the last 7 to 8 years have said that they were following the GPS and did ignore the signs.
Over the last few months I have seen the new bus parking at the museum being used by some 18 wheelers as a turnaround when they realize they made a mistake.

I can assure you this will be a topic at our Wednesday evening Council work session and I welcome any of you who have constructive comments and solutions to come and join us.

This is the depot park master plan to address the crossing. http://www.kennesaw-ga.gov/business/preset-2/preset-2

Councilwoman Welsh is absolutely correct. This is one of the busiest railroads is the U.S. It is a crossing built in the 1800s when the population of Kennesaw was less than 1000. The signage on the streets is adequate and any truck driver should know that a tractor trailer will get stuck there. To make comments that city officials care more about Jiles Road projects than the crossing is ridiculous. The long term solution is being addressed, but it will be expensive. A bridge north of the museum is planned and the crossing will be closed. Most of you probably don't know this but the State of Georgia owns the railroad through Kennesaw, and it is leased to the CSX. People need to realize that railroad crossings are dangerous and be cautious when crossing. I agree that this problem needs to be addressed, but for the time being the solution is individual responsibility. I am tired of hearing about irresponsible truck drivers, disabled persons on scooters, and cape less heroes, being stuck on the Kennesaw crossing. To my knowledge there has only been one incident of bodily harm on this crossing in it's history. In the mid 1950s a man was killed while crossing the tracks and eye witnesses believed it was a case of suicide. And to you "heyboy", I have been in Kennesaw since 1944 and think you referring to city officials as "Bubbling" is very tacky.

I would also like to add that the Jiles Road projects eliminated a crossing that would have been a bigger problem than the downtown crossing. This being the old crossing, now closed, at Moon Station.

Very well said Jacque. You know me and I know you. I admire and respect people who post under their real name. These people who pop off and take cheap shots using a "cute" little nickname make me sick. If someone is not willing to use their real name, I find it hard to take their comments seriously. I wonder who this guy "Heyboy" is, if he has been in Kennesaw for 40 years, I am sure I have met him before.

Joe some of us use other names to protect ourselves and family from the nuts who are out and about on the internet. I have already had threats and have even encountered a person at my home due to differing views we shared on places like the patch. Yes we have met many many times over the years. Hope you get over being sick because you do not like my nickname .

Joe that would be a funny name , "The Kennesaw Relic" I wish I would have thought of that one. I am not mad at you I know you have the best intrest of Kennesaw in mind when you post your ideas as I do when I post mine. See you in Kennesaw and around. Have a Merry Christmas and the best of wishes for OUR TOWN of Kennesaw.

The crossing in downtown Kennesaw will not be a simple fix and it will reach far beyond our city government to solve the problem. This crossing is the highest point on the railroad between the Chatthoochee and Etowah Rivers. Trains cannot climb steep grades. To level this track would require grading from Noonday Crossing to Moon Station. The only solution is to divert traffic somewhere else and close that crossing. We can look at Acworth and Cartersville for a solution. Traffic was diverted from their dangerous crossings by the building of bridges. The solution cannot be corrected at the local level. It has to be addressed by all concerned, Kennesaw, the State of Georgia, the federal government and the CSX. IT WILL ALSO COST A TRAIN LOAD OF MONEY.

High Definition footage of last Friday's railroad accident can be seen here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v­=HiQY9X2UcZE

Thanks, James. Nice job. The URL is correct, but for some reason the hot link isn't working. Let's see if another stab at it will work: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiQY9X2UcZE

I was walking from the depot to the museum Wednesday when a tractor trailer came down Cherokee and stopped at the crossing. The driver got out and asked me if he could clear the crossing. I told him I did not think so. He said he saw the signs but was following his GPS. He backed into the depot parking lot and turned around. Oddly enough his destination was at Moon Station Road and Jiles Road. The GPS directed him down Cherokee Street instead of turning on Jiles Road off of I75.

I am around the CSX tracks alot, I have the CSX emergency number programmed in my cell phone. I suggest if you around the tracks often to load the number in your cell phone 1-800-232-0144. The dispatcher can alert a train crew in seconds if there is a problem on the tracks.

As I type this message there is another truck stuch on the crossing in Kennesaw.

In looking over the signs leading up to the crossing I noticed most if not all where low to the road and not high where the drivers of these rigs could see them easily. One fix cold be to raise the signs to a higher level so truckers could see them better. Yes they may be using a GPS but their eyes are not always on the unit and the higher signs would make them much easier to see. Maybe even add a few yellow blinking warning lights to help them see much better.

Thanks for posting the
Emergenchy phone number for CSX Joe, I have added it to my list on my iphone as well. Just in case.