Whenever the Mayor, City Engineer or any member of Council shall determine that a warning signal is required at any railroad crossing in the City, such person shall make a report in writing of such determination to Council. When such report is received by Council, they shall cause the person affected thereby to be notified in writing of such report and of its intention to give such person the opportunity to be heard in opposition thereto. Such written notice shall be given to the person affected thereby not less than ten days from the date when such hearing is to be had, which notice may be served by depositing a copy thereof in the United States mail, properly addressed to any officer of the person operating the railroad within the City or it may be served in any other manner deemed sufficient by the laws of the State. If, at such hearing Council determines that in the interest of public safety a warning signal is required at the crossing described in the report, it may require the person operating such railroad to install, operate and maintain at such crossing an electric signal light, gong, gates or other safety device properly constructed to give ample warning to travelers upon the street or highway of any trains, locomotives and cars upon such railroad; or Council may require such person to keep at the crossing designated in the report a sober, careful and experienced watchman, whose duty it shall be to keep the tracks clear of vehicles and pedestrians and to issue proper warning against crossing during the approach of any train, locomotive or car. No watchman so employed to guard such crossing shall be absent therefrom during his hours of duty or be asleep or not attentive to his duties at any such times. Such watchman shall be kept on duty during such hours of the day or night as may be prescribed by Council.
When Council requires any person operating a railroad within the City to install such warning signal, it shall cause notice of its decision to be given in writing to such person, who shall begin the installation of such warning signal or device within sixty days from and after the date of such notice, and such person shall proceed to complete the same without undue delay. Such notice shall be sufficient if given in the manner as required of the previous notice set out in this section.
(1970 Code Sec. 24-8)