Local teens get railroad track exempt

Now fuel tankers, trucks and buses will no longer have to stop at a railroad crossing on US 20 near St. Anthony because now it’s an exempt crossing. The change comes after two local boys were killed at that crossing.

After the death of their friends Teagen and Tanner, five local boys decided to do something to prevent this kind of tragedy from happening again to anybody.

“We started getting a hold of people and help from everyone. People from the community were helping us and glad to help, everyone was on board with us,” says Mason Flanary.

“First we had to go to a meeting in the St. Anthony courthouse and talk to the commissioner there,” says Bridger Stoddard.

The teens even met with the governor to get the railroad exempt.

“Now trucks and tankers and buses that had to stop in the past don’t have to stop anymore and the train has to stop and wait for traffic,” says Dawson Jensen.

Today the signs were put up exempting the railroad. They say they wanted to make something positive out of this tragedy.

“We decided to take something negative and turn it into positive. Tanner and Teagen changed the community. They were funny, uplifting, always adventurous. Whenever you were with them it was always a good time had by all. We didn’t want it to be devastation, we would rather show support for the family,” says Bridger Vickers.

“Now that when people think of Tanner and Teagen, they think of the positives that came out of this and it’s not a sad memory it’s a positive memory that they see this,” says Flanary.

Something that the families agree with.

“These are Teagen and Tanner’s closest friends, and it’s cool to see them do something like this so fast for the boys and to see the love and the friendship that they both have for everyone and the impact they both had in the community for this to get done,” says Shaylee Bradshaw, Teagen’s sister.

The boys say they are thankful for everyone who helped make this possible.