By Juan Declet-Barreto (Luzerne)

Collective advocacy from our neighborhood scored a victory against toxic air pollution and loud noises from an idling train. But we must remain vigilant.

In late April of 2025, a maintenance rail-grinding engine idled almost continuously for a few days along the CSX spur track segment between Luzerne Ave. and Talbot Ave. near the Talbot Avenue Bridge. This past June, the maintenance engine returned for about three days, bringing with it more loud engine noises and the heavy smell of diesel fumes, which forced many residents to stay inside, close their windows, and keep their kids indoors to avoid direct exposure to the noise and fumes. Longtime neighbors have noted that these are not isolated occurrences; this happens multiple times a year, every year.

Although many neighbors have filed complaints with CSX and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) over the years, the idling trains returned annually. This year, a few neighbors on Luzerne decided to combine air pollution science with mapping and community engagement to push back. A blog post with scientific data was posted (visitbit.ly/4gj79sP) along with a call to action to file complaints.

We are happy to report that this call to action had a promising result: Many of those who filed complaints recently received emails from the Office of Safety at the FRA indicating that there are no plans for the rail grinder to return to our neighborhood, and that this had been communicated to the offices of Sen. Chris Van Hollen and Rep. Jamie Raskin. An additional email sent to a neighbor from the same office noted that an internal CSX bulletin would be issued to “ensure locomotives are shut down and do not idle for extended periods on the spur track.”

This is a victory! This pledge is now a key point of accountability for CSX, and we need to stay vigilant in case the maintenance engine returns.