Indiana’s Governor, Mitch Daniels, announced that the last week in August would officially be the state’s Rail Safety Week. Central to the initiative is the targeting of errant motorists and pedestrians through education and enforcement blitzes at the state’ numerous level crossings.

With Indiana Operation Lifesaver taking the lead with education and the Indiana State and local police agencies in the vanguard with the enforcement component of the blitz a key message is that level crossing accidents are preventable if motorists and pedestrians follow the rules for their safe use.

A young man and a young woman were killed when they were struck by a train on a private level crossing in Sale Creek, Hamilton County. Norfolk Southern (NS), the operator of the train, said that the train driver saw the people on the railway and sounded the horn. Further investigation of the incident will make use.

(August 24th, 2011)

Union Pacific Railroad (UP) is investing more than USD13 million to improve infrastructure along their line linking Provo and Lynndyl. The project includes renewing the roadways at 88 level crossings along the 84-mile-long corridor as well as significant work to improve the condition of the track and underpinning ballast.

The work is part of UP’s USD 3.3 billion capital spending programme for 2011.

(August 24th, 2011)

Union Pacific (UP) and Austin police joined forces to run an officer on the train initiative to tackle misuse of level crossings. The event, held on August 23rd, 2011 involved an officer on a train identifying misuse and officers stationed near level crossings to intercept the offender.

On this occasion police ticketed 21 people and warned a further seven as to their conduct. The principal offence detected was failing to stop when the level crossing lights had activated for an approaching train.  

(August 23rd, 2011)

Family and friends gathered in Jundiapeba, Sao Paulo, a month on from a fatal level crossing accident in which a nine-year-old was killed. The circumstances of the July 20th, 2011 accident were that gaps in the fencing adjacent to the level crossing allowed the child to gain access to the railway when the level crossing had closed for the passage of a train. The protesters noted that rail operator Companhia Paulista de Trens Metropolitanos (CPTM) had now blocked up the point at which access was gained. However, the protesters argue that there is a wider issue of level crossings where access to the railway can easily be gained when the barriers have been lowered for approaching trains.

Meanwhile the family of the boy who was killed are pursuing civil legal action against CPTM alleging negligence. The legal action seeks damages of BRL 0.5 million as a symbolic recognition of the suffering caused.

(August 21st, 2011)

The city of Kent’s pursuit of a quiet zone has included a demonstration of a wayside horn and an information session explaining issues relating to the silencing of train horn noise by adoption of quiet zone arrangements.

Businesses, residents and the general public were invited to learn more about railroad quiet zones and hear the wayside horn demonstration in Titus Railroad Park on August 18th, 2011. The objective of the demonstration was to show how directionally specific wayside horns offer a community benefits when compared with a standard train horn sounded along the railway right-of-way in accordance with Federal Railroad Administration requirements.

Union Pacific Railroad (UP) and local police officers in Conway, Faulkner County, issued 16 citations to motorists nabbed in a one-day exercise to counter level crossing misuse. The initiative was timely as a youth was critically injured in a level crossing collision in Jonesboro, 110 miles away, the day before the initiative on August 16th, 2011. Motorists who received citations for level crossing misuse face penalties of up to USD 300.

(August 17th, 2011)

Police in Shreveport working with the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) netted 13 motorists and a pedestrian for level crossing related offences. The officer on a train initiative was the latest in a series seeking to address level crossing safety across Louisiana which with 106 collisions in 2010 ranked fifth nationwide.


(August 17th, 2011)

Union Pacific Railroad (UP) has taken level crossing safety messages to Kearney in association with Nebraska Operation Lifesaver. The approach adopted by UP was to use a special train to show people at first-hand what the world looks like from the driving cab of a locomotive. The 300 citizens also heard from UP and Operation Lifesaver how to stay safe at level crossings and along the railway’s right-of-way. This initiative took place on August 13th, 2011. Kearney was one such stop on a five-day initiative in Nebraska.

(August 13th, 2011)

A week before opening day of Norfolk’s first light rapid transit (LRT) line, an errant motorist collided with a train on the level crossing at the intersection of 2nd Street and Brambleton Avenue. It is believed that the motorist wasn’t injured and that the damage to the car was limited as the motorist fled the scene of the accident which occurred during the evening of August 11th, 2011. Police are looking for the motorist.

(August 12th, 2011)

National newspaper USA Today has highlighted Operation Lifesaver’s (OLI) newest education tool for professional drivers, the ProDriver Challenge, in a story on recent deadly collisions between big trucks and trains. The article, which calls the ProDriver Challenge an “online safety video game,” features quotes from truck drivers who have found this tool useful in preparing them for encountering crossings on the road.

The article also quotes Marmie Edwards, OLI’s Vice President of Communications, who explains that, in the ProDriver Challenge’s simulated driving environment, “drivers are exposed to worst-case scenarios that require quick thinking and critical decision-making.”

Operation Lifesaver hopes to reach 100,000 drivers in the programme’s first year, with the goal of reducing deadly truck-train crashes.

(August 12th, 2011)

The appalling condition of the roadway over a level crossing in Peru, San Isidro, Beunos Aires has led the municipality to close the level crossing to road traffic until it can be used safely. In recent weeks a number of vehicles have sustained damage to their suspension as a result of the pot holes and ruts which litter the surface of the roadway.

The municipal authority is clearly frustrated as their repeated calls for the train operator, Trenes de Buenos Aires (TBA), to take action have fallen on deaf ears.

Amtrak, the United States’ national passenger train operator has filed a law suit against Triumverate Environmental claiming damages in excess of USD 3 million consequent upon a July 11th, 2011 level crossing collision in which the truck driver died.

The suit which was filed in the in the United States District Court of Massachusetts on August 4th, 2011alleges that the truck driver acted negligently and caused a collision between the truck and the Amtrak train on the level crossing on Maine State Highway 4.

The suit makes clear that, “the crossing protection controls and warnings were activated and the horn of the Amtrak train was sounded” and that the truck driver “failed to heed the warnings.”

The suit further alleges that the owner of the truck, environmental waste contractor Triumverate, is responsible for the driver’s actions and that Triumverate failed to properly train or failed to train the truck driver and negligently entrusted its vehicle to him.

Amtrak has called for a jury trial in its pursuit of damages for property loss, accident-related costs, loss of use of its equipment, consequential  business losses and employee medical expenses.

(August 9th, 2011)

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDoT) project to upgrade the controls at eight level crossings at a cost of USD 2.1 million has been completed.

The work which involved equipping the level crossings with lights and barriers was in partnership with the Norfolk Southern Railway (NS), North Carolina and Virginia Railroad (NC&V), Alexander Railroad and the Chesapeake and Albemarle Railroad (C&A).

Crossings on NS that have been upgraded are located in or near Black Mountain, Kernsville, La Grange and Marion. The upgraded crossing on the NC&V is in Kelford, that on the C&A is in Belcross and that on the Alexander Railroad is in Stony Point.

Funding for these works was between 80% and 90% from federal sources with the balance met by state funds from NCDoT.

(August 8th, 2011)

The level crossing on Forest Brook Raod, Lynchburg has been upgraded from a passive status to one where it is protected by lights and half barriers. The origins of this project was the new Walmart store on Old Forest Road which generated a substantial increase in traffic over the Forest Brook Road crossing on the Norfolk Southern right-of-way. Even so, this city led project has been gestating since 2008 while the necessary grant funding was secured.

(August 8th, 2011)

A driver who lost control of a car was responsible for the death of three people who had been travelling in the car. The accident which occurred at about 22.00 on August 6th, 2011 in Aparecida do Taboado, Mato Grosso do Sul, involved the car rolling over several times before ending up on the railway adjacent to the level crossing at the 8 kilometre marker. Next the car was hit by a train which, despite the driver making an emergency brake application, hit the car with sufficient force to destroy it. At the end of this sequence of events two passengers travelling in the car were killed and a third received injuries which proved later that night to be fatal. The driver of the car received non-life threatening injuries.

(August 7th, 2011)

New York’s Department of Transportation (NYDoT) has secured USD 6.15 million of federal funding for rail infrastructure improvements including significant funding for level crossing improvements in Genesee, Oneida and Wayne counties.

In Genesee County, USD 0.75 million is to be used to improve level crossing safety and thus facilitate the introduction of higher-speed passenger rail services on a right-of-way owned by CSX Transportation over which Amtrak services operate.

(August 5th, 2011)

Sources within the Nevada Department of Transportation have confirmed that the level crossing at which a truck was driven into the side of a train on June 24th, 2011 was working correctly (LXinfo July 2011). The collision at a level crossing near Fallon, some 70 miles east of Reno has led to law suits alleging negligence on the part of the trucking company and the driver who died in the crash. This in turn has generated law suits alleging that the Union Pacific Railroad which operates the infrastructure and Amtrak whose train was hit (LXinfo August 2011).

Confirmation that the level crossing was functioning correctly at the time of the collision with lights flashing and the barriers lowering in accordance with applicable standards contradicts suggestions that have been made in the name of the trucking company that the crossing was in some way defective.

(August 4th, 2011).

The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) has indicated that it will chase federal stimulus funding to allow it to complete the Neponset Greenway trail. The DCR stance is understood to be conditioned by the agency having finalised a route through to the intended Mattapan destination.

The proposed alignment is to be revealed at a public meeting to be held on August 30th, 2011 which will also be attended by MBTA officials. This is significant as MBTA had opposed the original alignment which called for a new level crossing (LXinfo July 2011). For now, everyone is tight-lipped with no indication as to whether the railway will be crossed at grade or adopt a grade separated alignment across the railway.

(August 4th, 2011)

A collision between a train and a small car near Realicó, La Pampa, has been hospitalised with multiple injuries as a result of the car being hit by a train on a level crossing. The accident occurred on the level crossing at kilometre 502 on national highway 35 at approximately 11.30 on August 4th, 2011. It is understood that the motorist has said that he was completely unaware of the train until the collision occurred.

(August 4th, 2011)

Georgia’s Department of Transportation (GaDoT) has submitted the State’s draft “Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Action Plan” for review and comment by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). In parallel public comment is possible.

The Georgia “Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Action Plan” is required by the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (RSIA08) which placed an obligation on the ten states having the most level crossing accidents to prepare action plans.

The plans must identify specific solutions for improving safety at public crossings, including level crossing closures by way of grade separation, consolidation or otherwise. The plans must focus on crossings that have experienced multiple collisions, or are at high risk for such collisions.

The draft plan, which is expected to be approved in September 2011, can be found at:
http://www.dot.state.ga.us/doingbusiness/utilities/pages/hwyrailactionplan.aspx

(August 3rd, 2011)

Preliminary statistics prepared by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) show that railways in the United States reported 290 rail-related fatalities in the first five months of 2011.  According to the FRA, fatalities at level crossings totalled 110 which compares with 104 in the same period of 2010. This represents an increase of 5.8%. Trespassing fatalities were essentially flat—167 in this year’s first five months,  one more than in the corresponding 2010 period.

(August 2nd, 2011)

The collision between a train and a truck on the Canon Road level crossing in rural Solano County to the south of Elmira, which occurred on August 1st, 2011 was the sixth serious truck – train collision in six weeks.

On this occasion the highway configuration in the vicinity of the level crossing is a significant factor as a truck passing over the level crossing stopped at the Vanden Road intersection with the intention of turning right. However, the rear of the 65 feet long truck remained foul of the level crossing when the lights and barriers activated for an approaching train. However, the law stipulates that vehicles must stop short of a level crossing unless their exit from the crossing is assured.

The truck was then hit by a passenger train resulting in the train driver receiving minor injuries and the railway coming to a stand for several hours while the wrecked truck was cleared and the damaged locomotive moved before train services could resume.

(August 1st, 2011)