Train accidents on the decline Every hour trains run through the Kimball area with whistles blowing from the east and the west. These whistles can be very annoying at times, but when you understand the reasons behind the whistle, we wouldn’t want to be without them. The engineer of a train crew will sound the first whistle for about 20-25 seconds before occupying the crossing, which begins approximately a quarter of a mile from the crossing. All trains whistle when there is something on or near the tracks. At all public crossings – 24/7 (24 hours a day, seven days a week) – trains whistle, unless there is a whistle ban in place. Once the crossing protection is activated, the train will arrive in between 20-25 seconds. As trains approach a crossing, the whistle pattern is: long, long, short, long. “Always approach a railroad track with caution and obey the gates, flashing lights or signs.” says Phil Wagner, CPR Police Senior Investigator-in-Charge. “Never stop your vehicle on the tracks a train can come at anytime and from either direction. If the train engineer can see you, it’s too late to stop the train. The average train traveling 55 mph, takes a mile or more to stop, that’s 18 football fields. The nation’s railroads experienced their safest year in history during 2006, released by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) as of March 14, 2007. Railroads had 402 fewer train accidents in 2006 than 2005, down 12.4 percent.” “The railroad industry is committed to safety and it shows,” said Edward Hamberger, president and CEO of the Association of American Railroads. Last year was the safest year ever, with lower train and grade crossing accidents and a lower employee injury rate than at anytime in the 175-year history of the industry.” (FRA data also showed that human error, the leading cause of all train accidents, declined 20.2 percent.) “Use of remote control technology in rail yards is reducing the number of accidents previously caused by miscommunication between employees on the ground and locomotive engineers,” Hamberger said. “As advanced train control systems are deployed, accidents caused by human error should decline in the further.” So, is there any basic information the public needs to be aware of? “Yes”, said Wagner. “Most, if not all, accidents could’ve been prevented, due to inattentive driving. Some driver’s tried to beat the train, while some vehicles ran into the middle of the train. In my 34 years, I haven’t seen any that were the train’s fault. Trains don’t run on set schedules and they vary in length and speed. The train crew in the engine are highly trained employees, but they are also caring family members and neighbors. If they see a vehicle, person or obstruction on the tracks and they throw the train’s brakes into emergency to bring the train to an emergency stop, it takes a loaded train up to a mile or more to stop. The only thing the train crew can do is pray the vehicle or person move clear in time. This is very traumatic for these men and women to watch helplessly.” Fatalities involving grade crossings and trespassers both increased last year. Ninety-seven percent of all rail-related fatalities in 2006 involved trespasser’s or highway-rail grade crossing accidents. The number of grade crossing fatalities was up 1.4 percent. Even though the number of grade crossing collisions were down 5 percent. The number of trespasser fatalities increased 14.5 percent. The increase in grade crossing and trespasser fatalities underscores how important it is that the public understands the dangers of being on railroad property,” Hamberger said.If the cross gates are down and no train is coming in either direction, the driver must not cross the tracks. “By law, the driver has to wait or cross at a different crossing. The driver can call local law enforcement and they will contact the railroad or there is a sign with an 800 phone number that the driver can call to report the malfunction,” Wagner said. Records at the Department of Transportation in St. Cloud show that since 1984 there have been no reported train-motor vehicle-related accidents at Kimball area railroad crossings. “In Minnesota, the fine for failure to obey railroad crossings is up to $300,” Wagner said. “Other states maybe different amounts. If violating the crossing results in injury, death or serious damage such as a derailment, the consequences can be very serious.”
This ‘whistleblower’ could save your life
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