AUBURN – A recent Indiana Supreme Court ruling blocks law enforcement personnel from issuing citations to train crews who block railroad crossings.

The court ruled Indiana’s law is pre-empted by the federal Interstate Commerce Commission Termination Act meaning federal law takes precedence over state laws like Indiana’s.

Auburn Police are encouraging motorists who encounter a blocked crossing to report the incident to the Federal Surface Transportation Board online at https://www.stb.gov. Rail customer public assistance forms are available on the website.

The STB keeps statistics of complaints so it’s important for citizens to report blockages every time they experience them.