Judge deems Oklahoma train crossing law unconstitutional

(AP) A federal judge in Oklahoma has ruled in favor of a railroad that challenged a state law that bans stopped trains from blocking streets for more than 10 minutes. BNSF Railway Co. sued Oklahoma last year after police officers in Edmond and Davis issued citations over blocked streets. U.S. District Judge Charles B. Goodwin on Monday found that the 2019 law is unconstitutional because it does not align with a federal law. Attorney General Mike Hunter argued that blocked crossings can cause safety issues. But the Texas-based company said that U.S. law governing rail carriers supersedes any state law, and the judge agreed.