Report of obstructed crossings.
Houston Code of Ordinances § 38-10
in effectSec. 38-10. - Report of obstructed crossings.
(a) It shall be the duty of the yardmaster, engineer, conductor and every other person in any manner controlling or operating any railway locomotive, engine, car or train of cars, including the resident superintendent, general manager, president or receiver of such railway company, to report in writing to the traffic engineer, within one week thereafter, all obstructions of public crossings in the city by a railway locomotive engine, car or train of cars coming within his knowledge or jurisdiction, specifying particularly the period of time for which such public crossing was blocked, the number of the engine and the name of the engineer or conductor of such engine, car or train of cars, if available.
(b) Whenever the traffic engineer shall receive information from the police department or any other person that a major street has been blocked at a railroad crossing by a switch train for a longer period than five minutes at one time, he is hereby authorized and empowered to serve a demand in writing upon the principal officer or manager of any railroad company believed by him to be operating trains upon such railroad at such crossing to make a report in writing containing the following information:
(1) Whether the railroad company operated a switch train or trains, at or about the time or times specified in the traffic engineer's demand on the railroad crossing the major street at the intersection in question.
(2) If so, the number assigned to the engine and to the train, if any.
(3) The correct legal name of the railroad company operating such switch train.
(4) The name of the person in direct charge of such switch train and the movements thereof.
The report shall be filed in the office of the traffic engineer not later than 5:00 p.m. of the day following the day of service of his written demand, unless such following day shall fall on a Saturday or a Sunday, in which case the report shall be filed on the following Monday by 5:00 p.m. If the following day shall fall on a legal holiday established by the city council upon which day the city hall is closed for business, the report shall be filed on the next day thereafter when the city hall shall be open. Such report shall be in writing and signed by the principal officer or manager of the railroad company in the city.
(Code 1968, § 39-10; Ord. No. 90-635, § 86, 5-23-90; Ord. No. 93-514, § 60, 5-5-93)
Source: City of Houston, Code of Ordinances and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/houston/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH38RA_S38-10REOBCRFetched: 10/26/2026