WEST POINT, Ky. (WDRB) -- From overhead the railroad bridge over the Salt River in West Point, Kentucky, looks completely normal, but neighbors say it's on a slippery slope.
Quite literally.
They say the beams are built into ground that continues to erode away. They're worried it could lead to a bridge collapse -- and they say CSX refuses to do anything about it.
Bridge over the Salt River in West Point, Kentucky
One of those property owners is Joe Elkins. Six years ago, he purchased 17 acres on the Salt River. A peaceful haven with the sights and sounds of nature all around, it was supposed to be a dream come true for Elkins -- but now it's slipping away.
To be more precise, it's slipping away at a rate of two inches per day. Elkins points to a track in the ground near the shore, and says that's how fast it's expanding. He expects that land to eventually slide away.
"Within the first year, it started to be a nightmare," Elkins said. "And it's now gotten to the point where it's a safety factor."
Several years ago, Elkins says CSX installed new support piers on either side of the circular pier that holds the bridge up.
Joel Elkins
Unlike the old piers the concrete structure doesn't go all the way into the water. As a result, debris gets caught up in the new piers, creating major log jams.
"It's causing the river to go in two different directions," Elkins said. "It's causing the river to eat out my property."
The erosion has been so bad, he says it's taking out large chunks of his property -- but CSX is doing little to stop it.
"They said, 'We know we've got an issue. We know it's our problem. We know our problem is causing the erosion. But we're not gonna fix it,'" Elkins said.
CSX even offered to give him $20,000 for his lost property. He rejected the contract last month because he says CSX tried sneaking in a clause about a lifetime easement through his property.
"Yeah, it really pissed me off," he said.
But more than that, he says the erosion is now a safety issue.
"From a bystander's standpoint, it looks like the bridge is getting ready to fall," he said.Â
Three bridge beams on land are on the wrong side of a crack that grows daily.
"It's getting pretty big, pretty quick," Elkins said.
Having already been through a chemical train derailment in 2012, he can't imagine having to go through another.
"When this falls away, the bridge approach piers are going to be totally exposed, and now we got chemical trains going over on top of us and no telling what else," he said.
CSX declined to comment on the matter, beyond a brief written statement issued Monday evening:
"CSX does not comment on matters subject to litigation. Safety is our highest priority and our bridges are regularly inspected to ensure their structural integrity, which meet and often exceeds regulatory requirements."
Elkins says that statement doesn't make him feel any safer.
"Me and my wife are looking to go elsewhere because we're basically afraid for our lives," he said. "And our kids' lives, and our grandkids.'"
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