Trains stopped at railroad crossings for hours hurting business, cafe owner says

ATLANTA - A coffee shop owner in southwest Atlanta says frequent train stoppages are impacting her business and frustrating locals.

"It impedes the traffic," said Kelli Jones, owner of 404 Coffee. "We get so many drivers and customers coming in and telling us that they had to sit up there and wait."

Jones, who owns the cafe near McDaniel Street, says trains often stop for hours at the crossing, blocking access to her business. 

"Some of [our customers] will call us like, hey, we're about to try it out. And we've been at the train ten minutes," she said.

What we know:

Norfolk Southern, the company operating the crossing, told FOX 5 they make "every effort to avoid inconveniencing communities with a stopped or slowed train." 

The company stated in an email to FOX 5, "Trains may have to slow down or stop for a number of reasons, including congestion on the tracks or in yards, coordinating traffic with other railroads, or mechanical issues."

Why you should care:

Jones has documented the train issues on Instagram, highlighting instances when trains have blocked the crossing for extended periods. 

And the train stoppages have significantly affected her cafe's sales. 

"It’s had a tremendous impact from sales to customers just not feeling like it's convenient," she explained. "With this being a cafe, you want it to be convenient."

What's next:

At the start of the year, Senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff announced federal funding to improve safety and mobility at 23 crossings in Atlanta, including this one. Similar efforts are planned for Cobb County and the city of Cornelia, where funds will also support a new pedestrian bridge over train tracks.