A. Regulations And Prohibitions:
1. No railroad company, railroad engineer, railroad conductor or any other person operating or in control of the movement of any railroad train or locomotive, shall cause or permit any locomotive, railroad car, train or railroad cars or any portion thereof to obstruct any intersection between a railroad and public street so as to prevent any person or vehicle from crossing the railroad tracks at such intersection for a period longer than five (5) minutes, except:
a. When necessary to comply with signals affecting the safety of the movement of trains (as required by state and federal regulations);
b. When necessary to avoid striking any object or person on the track;
c. When the train is disabled;
d. When the train is in motion or while engaged in switching operations (as required by State and Federal regulations);
e. When there is no vehicular traffic waiting to use the crossing; or
f. When necessary to comply with a governmental safety regulation.
2. In the event that a railroad train, locomotive, railroad car or railroad cars, or any portion thereof, obstruct any intersection between a railroad and public street so as to prevent any person or any vehicle from crossing the railroad tracks at such intersection for a period longer than five (5) minutes, notice shall be given at each such crossing by the engineer, conductor or other employee of said railroad company of such delay by means of a handheld sign clearly visible to the waiting motorists or pedestrians that said locomotive, railroad car, train or portion thereof will be delayed for more than five (5) minutes at such crossings. (Ord. 91-2, 2-5-1991)
B. Penalty: A violation of any provision of this section shall be a Class B misdemeanor, and shall carry a mandatory minimum fine of five hundred dollars ($500.00) and a maximum penalty as provided in section 1-4-1 of this Code. Each occurrence of delay for a period of more than five (5) minutes which is not excused by the provisions and exceptions set forth in subsection A1 of this section shall be a separate offense. No criminal conviction shall excuse a person from otherwise complying with the provisions of this section. (Ord. 91-2, 2-5-1991; amd. 2012 Code)