It shall be unlawful for any railroad company, or any receiver or trustee operating
a railroad, to obstruct for a longer period than five minutes the free passage on
any street or road by standing cars or trains across the same, except a passenger
train while receiving or discharging passengers, but a passway shall be kept open
to allow normal flow of traffic; nor shall it be lawful to stand any wagon or other
vehicle on the track of any railroad which will hinder or endanger a moving train;
provided that when a train has been uncoupled, so as to make a passway, the time necessarily
required, not exceeding three minutes, to pump up the air after the train has been
recoupled shall not be included in considering the time such cars or trains were standing
across such street or road. Any such railroad company, receiver or trustee, violating
any of the provisions of this section shall be fined not less than one hundred dollars
nor more than five hundred dollars; provided the fine may be one hundred dollars for
each minute beyond the permitted time but the total fine shall not exceed five hundred
dollars. This section shall not apply when the train is stopped due to breakdown,
mechanical failure or emergency. (9-21-17.)
(STATE LAW REFERENCE—Authority for above section, see Code of Virginia, Secs. 56-412.1,
56-412.2.)
