falmouth, maine grade crossings

In the town of falmouth, maine has two (quiet zone) grade crossings (Falmouth rd. and blackstrap rd.) on Guilford's MEC main line. falmouth road has had two quadrant gates for a while but there was a debate over blackstrap road's quiet zone, since the road only has lights. some NIMBY's on nearby roads were "worried that their property values would go down if the quiet zone would be lifted." now four-quadrant gates are to be installed on blackstrap road. and you don't see the people further up in falmouth, or in the neighboring town of cumberland complaining, where there are many subdivisions&houses right next to the railroad tracks. it is amazing what a few people can do. if anyone knows extra stuff about this, please post a reply

Well,in Cumberland,on Tuttle Rd. people that moved into development by the tracks,around 1992,bitched about horns,as they did NOT realize that tracks were that close-when they bought their homes! Yeah Right! Their bitching,did them no good.

But then,Yarmouth,the MOST "Yuppified & NIMBY dominated" of the 3 towns,just HAD to have an overpass over the Lower Road tracks,to Freeport-Brunswick etc. Guilford might run 2 round trips a week-if Maine Eastern bitches enough about not getting service! But,no,the Yarmouth set had to have the overpass,as flashers-even gates might be unsafe-and the no whistle rule,in effect on North & Elm Streets,might be recinded(actually it is only for westbounds there).

You wanna catch the "Yuppies" going nuts, be there when the SLR stops at Main St. Yarmouth to switch Hancock Lumber,about once a week ,usually in the afternoon. To be held up by "a train",when Freddy has to get to flute lesson,mom to the fitness salon etc. Why 5 minutes!!! The cell phones all come out in Saabs,BMWs,Volvos etc. to let someone know about their dilema! Self asorbed phonies! One jerk actually climbed up on an SLR engine and threatened the engineer,if he didn't move,as the guy "had a big business deal he was late to"! I wouldve provoked the guy to swing first,then hurled him onto the ballast,but engineer just called his dispatcher,who called Yarmouth cops,who dealt with "Mr. Businessman".

Bud

bud i agree with most of what you said but i think freeport also has it's fair share of yuppies, and i think falmouth is MUCH more yuppified and NIMBY dominated then yarmouth. i agree totally about the gates and lights thing instead of a bridge, why get LED's and gates like the SLR has? i also think that freeport could use gates on a couple of crossings, if it had more trains.

I wasn't even thinking of Freeport,as I try to view Falmouth,Cumberland,and Yarmouth as a "tri town area".Freeport used to be working class updown and in the rural parts,and South Freeport was the "money",but I guess the S. Freeport mentality is taking over!

My solution to the "crossing problem" is to bring back manned crossings! "Out of the box' tinking,but put those on welfare back to work(governments could pay wages!). Just think of the "diverse" people who would be working in the "nice neigborhoods"-24 hrs. a day! The YUPPIES are big on "diversity"! Yup,hand cranked gates,like they had in Woodfords are of Portland when I was a kid growing up in the 50's. Tenders were mostly a great group of guys!

Bud