Councilman de Léon seeks legal action against Union Pacific over idling trains

From traffic tie-ups to toxic fumes from idling trains, El Sereno and Lincoln Heights residents have had enough of Union Pacific trains polluting their part of town.

Now, their Councilman, Kevin de Léon , is asking the city to pursue legal action to fix the situation.

de Léon says his constituents in the 14th district have been suffering from the noise, diesel smoke, and traffic blockages at intersections along Valley Boulevard caused by Union Pacific' idling trains for decades.

He tells KNX News' Pete Demetriou the issues have reached epidemic proportions, and nine months of video evidence backs that up.

"Cameras have recorded more than 36,000 minutes. Over 25 days of illegal train blockages halted traffic and emergency vehicles for hours at a time,' de Léon said.

"We're talking about emergency vehicles. We're talking about fire trucks. We're talking ambulances...who have to rush folks who are gravely injured to L.A. General Hospital who are blocked," he said. "And because they're blocked, they have to go all around to get to the hospital."

de Léon plans to ask the city council to direct the L.A. city attorney to consider legal action to get Union Pacific to implement mitigation efforts.

He says it is not lost on him how important the goods being carried by trains are, and he is open to suggestions on how to ease the problem, but "It cannot come at the cost of the taxpayers of the city of Los Angeles."

KNX News has contacted Union Pacific for a response but has yet to hear back.