http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Pages/rab1501.aspx
Full-page ad in every newspqper and thirty second (accompanied by ‘weather alert’ beeps) spot on all TV stations for a week…
Railroad right of way is private property!
Any person who enters railroad property, with or without a vehicle, will be responsible for any damage that occurs due to their presence. This includes their own injury or death.
The railroad will pursue compensation for damage to railroad property and injuries to rail personnel.
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!! Stay off, except to cross at marked public crossings. On the latter, once started across, keep moving.
No guarantee that the terminally stupid (and their lawyers) would get the message, unfortunately.
Some years ago Japan was experiencing a growing auto vs. train problem. Then the Diet ((Parliament) passed a law making it possible for every single person, business or governmental entity adversely effected to sue for damages caused by delaying a scheduled train.
The car pilots got the message. Grade crossing accidents plummeted, and stayed down.
Chuck
The ‘problem’ is that even busy railroad lines, to someone that is used to highway traffic, appear to have little to no traffic. Highways have a steady stream of traffic with vehicles 20 to 30 feet apart. A heavy volume railroad will will normally have trains no closer than every 5 to 10 minutes in each direction - to someone who’s idea of busy is based on highway observations, there is little to no traffic on the train tracks by comparison.
This is not an excuse, just a observation.
I’ve made that point before. Take a line with even 12 trains a day, and you’re looking at a train every two hours, on average. If any “fleeting” occurs, it could be several hours before someone sees a train. And if a significant amount of the trains run at night, it could appear during waking hours that there is virtually no traffic on a line. Which means a person making that assumption is going to be greatly surprised when a train does show up during the day…
A line with just a half dozen trains a day may seem to the uninitiated to be positively deserted.
2 separate incidents in Huntington WV on separate CSX trains.
http://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/briefs/x1897056235/Man-dies-after-being-hit-by-train
I’m not totally naive, so I know this won’t stop most trespassers. But it might be helpful to the railroad in the inevitable ensuing legal fight over the trespasser’s dead body.
How about signage at every point of legal entry onto the railroad property, including grade crossings, that say:
“Trespassing on railroad property is prohibited. The use of ear plugs, headphones, ear buds, or similar devices on railroad property is prohibited. Always be prepared for a train to operate on any track, in any direction.”
Persons on legitimate railroad business are not trespassers, so the sign does not restrict their entry. The sign won’t be seen by someone entering RR property at some other point of entry.
So as I said, this will certainly not end the problem, but it might weaken the legal case of the trespasser or his survivors. Any thoughts?
Tom
There ARE such signs at various points where the public is allowed to cross RR property (grade crossings), indicating to not proceed along the tracks.
But the prohibition on ear plugs (and possibly headphones) cannot be specified… there are some jobs on the RR where ear plugs are REQUIRED.
Yes, ear plugs are for employees in certain jobs, subject to the Book of Rules. This sign is intended for non-employees.
Tom
An interesting and comprehensive report of various incidents of persons and vehicles in the state of Washington.
http://www.utc.wa.gov/publicSafety/railSafety/Pages/OLCrashStatistics.aspx
Thanks for posting! Interesting.
[:S]Sedro-Woolley is on the Sumas Sub…