Railroad Crossing Gate Arm Replaced 14 Times This Year by Same Driver Who 'Didn't See It'

The wooden crossing gate arm at the Norfolk Southern grade crossing at Mile Post 47.3 in rural Decatur County, Indiana, has been struck and destroyed 14 times this year by the same driver — a local soybean farmer named Daryl Ballast who has offered the same explanation each time: 'It came out of nowhere.' The gate arm, a standard 12-foot wooden beam with retroreflective striping and flashing red lights, descends when activated by an approaching train. It has been descending at this crossing since 1987. Ballast has been driving through this crossing since 1991. The first 30 years were uneventful. 'I don't know what changed,' Ballast said from the cab of his F-150, which bears the paint markings of 14 gate-arm impacts across its hood and roof. 'The gate used to not be there. Now it's always there. I think they moved it.' Norfolk Southern has confirmed that the gate arm has not been moved. The crossing's geometry has not changed. The activation sequence — lights, bells, descending gate — remains identical to its 1987 installation. 'Mr. Ballast has cost Norfolk Southern approximately $42,000 in gate-arm replacements this year,' said signal maintainer Trevor Relay. 'Each arm costs about $3,000 installed. We've started keeping spares in the signal bungalow. I can replace one in 45 minutes now. I've gotten very efficient at it, which is not something I wanted to get efficient at.' The Indiana Department of Transportation has suggested installing a concrete barrier. Ballast opposes this, arguing it would be 'an obstacle.' When asked how this differs from the gate arm, he paused for approximately 10 seconds and said, 'The gate arm moves.' Ballast's insurance provider has declined to comment, citing 'an ongoing evaluation of the client relationship.'