The stretch of railroad tracks in Derry where a mother and her 2-year-old son were fatally struck last week is such a popular shortcut across the borough that foot traffic has left a beaten path across it.

A portion of a fence that would bar trespassers has been cut away.

While borough leaders ponder solutions to the perils of the tracks, they'll first have to break the small community of its long-held bad habit, one passed down among generations.

Borough council members and a handful of concerned residents last night discussed ways to keep people off the tracks, but left a council meeting without agreeing on a long-term plan.

Suggested fixes included everything from surveillance cameras and neighborhood watches to an enclosed overhead walkway, a measure some residents feared would be too costly.

Norfolk Southern will build a barrier out of spare railroad ties, officials said, and workers will likely mend the broken fence as a temporary solution, despite concerns that trespassers would tear it down again.

"We've got people who think it is their right to cut across the tracks," council President Allen Skopp said. "They've lived here all their lives, and they've inherited it. Their fathers did it, their grandfathers did it, so they think it is all right."

Derry has about 2,900 people and is about one mile square. The Norfolk Southern tracks divide the town north and south.

On Friday, Sheila Singer, 37, and her 2-year-old son, John Smart, were killed when a westbound train struck them as they headed from the shops on the south side to their home on the north. In July, 15-year-old Douglas Albright was also fatally struck while crossing in the area.

Borough police started citing trespassers Saturday morning, an offense that carries a fine of up to $300. By Saturday afternoon, at least two people had already been ticketed, Mr. Skopp said.

Mayor Susan Bortz said long-term plans could include a low-cost jitney or shuttle service to take people over a nearby bridge, or the construction of an overhead walkway, which she estimated could cost between $800,000 and $1 million.

That option drew ire from some residents who feared it would mean tax increases. Ms. Bortz said officials are exploring many options to garner state and federal money for the plan.

"Who is going to make sure it is maintained?" asked resident Tina Jones.

Other residents added that pedestrians can use an existing bridge on Route 217, which is due to be replaced in upcoming years. But steps on the bridge, others countered, are hard for the elderly and disabled to access, and traffic on the thoroughfare can be dangerous.

Rachelle Krehlik, who drives a school bus in the area and sees people routinely cross the tracks, said a fence is a good temporary fix, but a cultural change is needed.

"It all starts at home, tell your kids not to do it," she told the council. "If you as a parent cross the tracks, your kids are going to do it, too."

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