This page provides access to public reference information related to railroad crossings of note in our area.
This listing is maintained by Trains In The Valley.
Contents
Current crossings of note
Front Street crossing | West Springfield
Memorial Avenue crossing | West Springfield
Former crossings of note
Birnie Road crossing | Longmeadow
State Street crossing | Springfield
Current crossings of note
Front Street crossing | West Springfield
Issue | CSX freight trains block this crossing for very long periods of time on a regular basis.
Summary | The Front Street crossing (also known as the Bridge Street crossing) is a problem for people in the area because CSX’s freight trains have frequently been blocking the crossing for lengthy periods of time.
According to local news media reports, this crossing has been blocked for up to 90 minutes, on a regular and ongoing basis.
Further information
Front Street crossing (West Springfield)
Trains In The Valley
Memorial Avenue | West Springfield
May 2025 | Google Street View image
Issue | CSX freight trains crossing 4 lanes of road traffic at a crossing that is minimally protected.
US DOT Crossing ID | 525894S
Summary | CSX freight trains cross Memorial Avenue (State Route 147) in West Springfield to access two customers on an industrial spur. One of the customers is plastic fabrication facility and the other is propane gas terminal.
The railroad crossing at this location, shown above, is currently protected by active warning devices (mast mounted flashing lights) that are triggered manually by the train crew when they wish to cross the road, according to news reports. There are no bells or gates at this crossing.
The crossing sees two trains per week, which we assume is one train in each direction. The track speed over this crossing is 10 mph.
The roadway has a posted speed limit of 30 mph, and as of 2019 the Annual Average Daily Traffic at this location is 16,482 vehicles.
The last reported accident at this crossing occurred on 1:10 am on March 4, 1975 when a driver drove his vehicle into a 12-car Penn Central train traveling at 3 mph.
Milestones
September 12, 2024 | Representative of various railroad labor unions hosted a news conference at the crossing to highlight their safety concerns at the crossing. New reports said that the workers had been working for six years to get the crossing upgraded to modern safety standards.
One issue blocking progress is that the ownership of the crossing is unclear. ed. It’s more common for the crossing to be owned by the railroad or the state. (WesternMassNews)
September 25, 2024 | Representatives from CSX, the Massachusetts Department of Utilities (DPU), MassDOT, the Federal Railroad Administration, SMART Local 352, State Senator John Velis’ office, and the Town of West Springfield met at the crossing to evaluate the crossing for possible improvements.
After the meeting the DPU issued a statement that said “The Department of Public Utilities, through its rail transit safety division, has begun the process of conducting a diagnostic review to assess the safety risks posed at the Memorial Avenue crossing and plans to work collaboratively with all stakeholders towards a safe solution.” (WesternMassNews)
December 2024 | The crossing’s flashing incandescent lights were replaced with larger, brighter LED lighting.. (MassLive, December 14, 2024)
August 6, 2025 | The City of West Springfield announced that CSX has agreed to upgrade the railroad crossing on Memorial Avenue.
Expected improvements include installation of cantilever flashing lights and traffic lights on either side of the crossing to act as redundant warning system. Warning gates will be also installed at the crossing. Construction is expect to start in the fall of 2025 and be completed in 2026. (City of West Springfield Press Release)
Former crossings of note
Birnie Road crossing | East Longmeadow, MA
As it looked in 2015
Detailed information can be found in the dropdown box below —
Birnie Road railroad crossing | Longmeadow, MA
Summary | The Bernie Road crossing of Amtrak’s 2-track main line in Longmeadow, Massachusetts was for decades protected by nothing more than passive signage at the crossing. Over the past few decades numerous accidents resulted in the death of six people at this crossing.
After the most recent fatality, in March 2017, considerable political and media attention was applied to the dangerous situation at this crossing.
In the end Amtrak installed active traffic control devices (flashing lights, bells, and gates) at the crossing.
Grade Crossing ID | 501939D
U.S. DOT Inventory Form – Bernie Rd Crossing (PDF)
October 3, 2019
BEFORE | October 2015
AFTER | February 2020
Locus map | Birnie Road railroad crossing, Longmeadow, Ma. | Google Maps
News articles
August 20, 1975 | Collision with vehicle, 1 person killed
Accident Report (PDF)
“Train Kills Robber”
By Ann Doyle | Springfield Union | August 27, 1975
May 20, 1981 | Collision with vehicle, 2 persons killed
Accident Report (PDF)
“Fiery crash of car, train takes 2 lives”
By John Appleton | Springfield Union | May 22, 1981
December 10, 1982 | Collision with vehicle, 1 person killed
Accident Report (PDF)
“West Side drive killed in train-collision”
By Penny Filosi | Springfield Union | December 11, 1981
“Questions on crossing rise again”
By John Appleton | Springfield Union | December 18, 1982
June 20, 1983 | Collision with vehicle, no injuries
Accident Report (PDF)
“5 leap from stalled car moments before train hits”
By John Appleton | Springfield Union | June 21, 1983
November 18, 1990 | Collision with vehicle, 1 person seriously injured
No accident report found
“Longmeadow driver hurt when train strikes car”
By Patrick Johnson | Springfield Union-News | November 19, 1990
July 27, 2005 | Collision with vehicle, no injuries
Accident Report (PDF)
March 14, 2017 | Collision with vehicle, 1 person killed
Accident Report (PDF)
“1 killed when train hits Longmeadow DPW truck during Winter Storm Stella”
By Greg Saulmon | The Republican | March 14, 2017
“Longmeadow DPW plow driver’s death is fifth at Birnie Road rail crossing, records show”
By Greg Saulmon | The Republican | March 14, 2017
“Decades before crash that killed DPW worker, Longmeadow officials sought to improve safety at railroad crossing”
By Greg Saulmon | The Republican | March 24, 2017
“New signs installed at Longmeadow rail crossing — but who put them there?”
By Greg Saulmon | The Republican | June 23, 2017
“New temporary barriers up at Longmeadow railroad crossing; here’s how they’re different from the old ones”
By Greg Saulmon | The Republican | June 23, 2017
“Safety upgrades at Longmeadow railroad crossing, site of collision that killed DPW foreman Warren Cowles, included in MassDOT work plan”
By Greg Saulmon | The Republican | September 23, 2017
“Long, steady effort brought safety improvements to deadly Longmeadow railroad crossing”
By Greg Saulmon | The Republican | October 20, 2018
” ‘For too long, this site was ignored’: Safety improvements complete at railroad crossing where Longmeadow DPW worker died in train collision”
By Greg Saulmon | The Republican | November 15, 2019
State Street crossing | Springfield, MA
As it looked in 2018
Detailed information can be found in the dropdown box below —
State Street railroad crossing | Springfield, MA
Summary | The State Street crossing of the double-track Amtrak line in Springfield was for many years protected by nothing more than passive signage as a warning to anyone wishing to cross the tracks.
There are no recorded accidents at this crossing but people in biking community in Springfield have felt that this crossing was an “accident waiting to happen” — with the limited sight lines, numerous trains, and more recently the construction on a new playground at Riverfront Park.
In 2019 Amtrak installed a locked sliding gate on both sides of the tracks. The gate now can only be opened with the permission of Amtrak Police.
In March of 2022 Amtrak offered the City of Springfield a $3 million contribution towards the cost of Riverfront Park access project. As part of the agreement Amtrak would be permitted to permanently close the State Street crossing.
Grade Crossing ID | 973101X
U.S. DOT Inventory Form – State St Crossing (PDF)
October 5, 2017
BEFORE | October 2018
AFTER | June 2019
Springfield, Ma. | June 10, 2019
Locus map | State St railroad crossing, Springfield, Ma. | Google Maps
Related news articles
“Riverfront Park in Springfield is getting a facelift — but is a rail crossing a barrier to access?”
By Greg Saulmon | The Republican | October 16, 2018
External links
Top High Risk At-Grade Railroad Crossings in the Pioneer Valley (PDF)
Pioneer Valley Planning Commission | April 2019
Crossing Inventory and Accident Reports Lookup
Federal Railroad Administration
Page last updated: August 12, 2025
Page last reviewed: June 14, 2023