In parts of the rural U.S., freight trains that can be up to 2 miles in length are causing misery for small towns and their residents. These trains park at stations but stretch so far that they can block crucial crossings for towns. It can result in school children stuck waiting to get home, ambulances needing to take huge detours and people crawling under train cars to get to work.

To find out more about the real-life impact, Robin Young speaks to the mayor of York, Alabama, Willie Lake and Associated Press railroad reporter Josh Funk.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

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