Plymouth Pilots Cameras to Monitor Railroad Crossing
The one-year, $3,500 program uses solar-powered cameras and a public app to track blocked crossings.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Utilities
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The Plymouth City Commission voted unanimously to launch a one-year pilot program using solar-powered cameras to monitor the North Main Street railroad crossing. The system will provide crossing status through a website and mobile app, including notifications when crossings are blocked.
Why it matters
Frequent train traffic and construction on M-14 have made delays and blockages harder for residents to work around. The pilot gives drivers real-time information and gives the city data on crossing conditions before deciding whether to expand the program.
The one-year pilot costs the city $3,500, and continuing the service would cost $2,000 annually per crossing after the first year. Cameras capture still images of the crossing roughly once per minute, and the city has seven railroad crossings within its 2.2 square miles, all operated by CSX. Whether the program's benefits will justify ongoing costs remains to be seen after the commission's review.
The players
Plymouth City Commission
The elected governing body of the city of Plymouth, Michigan, responsible for approving municipal programs and budgets including the railroad monitoring pilot.
CSX
A major American freight railroad company that operates all seven railroad crossings within the city of Plymouth.
Ergin Technologies LLC
The company that developed the InterFact camera-monitoring system selected for Plymouth's railroad crossing pilot.
The details
The system, called InterFact and developed by Ergin Technologies LLC, uses cameras that do not employ facial recognition or license plate readers. The city will own the crossing data and will provide and install a mounting pole on city-owned property. The system could be operational in about 90 days, and cameras could later be added at other crossings.
Timeline
2021: City partnered with Integrated Traffic Systems to launch the Plymouth Trains app, which was later discontinued due to maintenance and upgrade costs.
Nov. 2: Economic Development Director spoke at a city meeting about train delays.
Nov. 11, 2026: Commission voted to approve the pilot program.
About 90 days after approval: Projected date the system could be operational.
One year from launch: Commission will review the pilot's value and decide whether to continue or expand it.
Industry Context
Plymouth is following Vincennes, Indiana, which already uses the InterFact system to report crossing status to residents. The pilot also comes after the city's 2021 Plymouth Trains app was discontinued because its maintenance and upgrade costs became too high.
Drivers who regularly cross North Main Street will be able to check crossing status through the city's website and mobile app, with notifications when crossings are blocked. Residents may find it easier to plan routes, especially while M-14 construction limits alternative paths.
The takeaway
Real-time crossing data may help residents plan around train delays, but the pilot's long-term value will depend on whether the city's one-year review finds the cameras worth the ongoing per-crossing cost.
What happens next
The commission will review the pilot program one year after launch to decide whether to continue or expand it to other crossings.
Further reading
For related local infrastructure coverage, see Utilities in Plymouth.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Detroit Free Press.
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