CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. – It was a long night for Christiansburg resident Jesi Owens. When she returned to her home around 8 p.m. Thursday night, she discovered the only road to and from her house was blocked by a train, leaving her with no way to get home for over 17 hours.
“I’m wearing the same clothes I wore yesterday, I haven’t showered. I just ordered a DoorDash to get some food. This morning my husband met me at the train tracks and threw some granola bars over it so I could get some breakfast,” Owens said.
Norfolk Southern officials say a few wheels came off the track near North Fork Road in Elliston, causing the train to come to a complete stop.
But Owens says this isn’t new.
She recalls nearly two dozen incidents where a train has blocked her and her neighbors from getting to and from home for hours on end.
“Our employers are telling us that this is happening too often because we’re unable to get there, or tardy because we are trapped,” she said.
When this happens, Owens immediately calls the Norfolk Southern emergency number near the tracks, but she says this is just the beginning of being transferred to many different people. Owens says they even go as far as getting the Rail Authority and Virginia State Police involved.
“We didn’t get any answers until about ten o’clock this morning when we were told they don’t want to help us,” she said.
Finally, a rail worker came around 1 p.m. to move the train cars, and Owens was able to get back home.
Owens said she just wants Norfolk Southern to address the issue.
“That they prioritize moving the train out of the way so we are not trapped if there is an emergency,” she said.
10 News reached out to Norfolk Southern for comment, but they say they are still looking into the incident, and problems with this crossing as a whole.