General Rail SafetyOperation Lifesaver

Herbert Smalls

Presentation Overview

• Introductions• Workshop Purpose• General Information About Rail Safety– Grade Crossings– Trespassing

• Questions• Closing

Introductions

Purpose

Myths or Realities Activity

Grade Crossings-General Safety

Any Time is Train Time

• Freight trains do not run on a schedule. Although passenger trains do run on a schedule, you can not count on that to avoid being struck. They can run at any time of the day or night.

• Trains can run on any track, in any direction, at any time.

• Pay attention to warning signs that alert you there are railroad tracks up ahead. Slow down and be prepared to stop if a train is approaching.

Trains Can Not Swerve

• Unlike cars, trains do not have a steering wheel. They can not steer right or left.

• Trains can only follow the track.• It is OUR responsibility to make sure we are

not in the way of the train.

Approximate Stopping Distance

• It takes:– A lightweight passenger car traveling at 55 mph

200 feet to stop– A commercial van or bus 230 feet to stop– A tractor/trailer about 300 feet to stop (1 football

field)– A light rail train about 600 feet to stop (2 football

fields)– An average freight train may take 5,280 feet or

more to stop (18 football fields)

What would you do if your vehicle stalled on the rack?

If Your Car Stalls…..• Or is trapped on the track, there is only one thing to do-get

yourself and your passengers out immediately and get them away from the track, even if you do not see a train approaching. Remember to unlock any child safety lock so passengers in the back seat can exit the vehicle.

• When you are a safe distance from the crossing, call the number on the Emergency Notification sign if you can safely see it, or call 911.

• If a train is approaching, get yourself and passengers out immediately and run toward the train but away from the track at a 45 degree angle. If you run in the same direction the train is traveling, when the train hits your car you could be injured by flying debris.

Emergency Notification System(ENS)

• Look for a railroad emergency telephone number and a DOT crossing identification number posted at the crossing.

• All crossings are identified with a unique DOT number that consists of six (6) digits followed by a letter. The DOT number should be given when calling the emergency number to identify your location and report the problem or emergency-it is like the crossing address.

ENS Continued

• These numbers may be posted on the crossbuck post, signal post, or silver control building (bungalow).

• Call the emergency number if your car becomes stalled, stuck on the tracks for any reason, or the lights and gates are not operating properly.

• If you can not locate the emergency number, call 911 or local law enforcement to report stalled vehicle or signals that are malfunctioning.

Have you ever watched airplanes land?

They look like they are almost hanging in mid air and not really moving, but their final approach is over 150 mph. The plane’s size and the angle at which you are viewing the landing make judging the speed impossible.

Speed Perception

• When you are stopped at a rail crossing, the angle from which you see the train approaching and the train’s size make it appear to be moving slower than it really is.

• Trains appear to be farther away than they really are.

• Viewed from a crossing, railroad tracks create the appearance of a great distance and slower speed because the rails converge to a vanishing point.

• Do not be fooled-the train you see may really be closer and moving faster than you think.

Don’t Pass, Shift or Stop

• There are three things you should not do on a rail crossing. Don’t stop on the track, don’t try to pass on the track and if you are driving a standard transmission vehicle, don’t shift gears while crossing the track.

Don’t Pass, Shift or Stop Continued• Passing-Remember, you can not pass within 100

feet of an intersection and a rail crossing is considered an intersection.

• Shifting-If you shift gears, it can sometimes cause your vehicle to stall. Wait to shift until you have safely cleared the crossing.

• Stopping-Make sure that when you start to cross the track, there is room on the other side to get completely across. It is illegal to stop on the track. Look ahead for traffic congestion. Don’t get boxed in.

Overhanging the Track

• Trains can overhang the track that they are on by at least three (3) feet on both sides of the track.

• Sometimes trains carry loads that are wider than the railroad cars themselves. Additionally, they can also have chains, straps or other equipment swinging loose from the train.

• What does that mean to you? If you are standing too close, you could get hit.

Look, Listen & Live!

• Always look both ways before crossing the track.

• Listen for the sound of an approaching train. Turn the radio volume down and lower the window to make sure no trains are coming.

• Before crossing tracks, remember Operation Lifesaver slogan-LOOK, LISTEN & LIVE!

Trespassing

Stay Off! Stay Away! Stay Alive!• Railroad tracks are private property. People who do

not have permission to be on railroad property are trespassing.

• Property closely surrounding the tracks is called the railroad right-of-way. It also belongs to the railroad and not only is it dangerous, but it is also illegal to be there.

• Many locations of railroad property are posted with different types of “No Trespassing” signs. They all read “Stay Off and Stay Away”.

• Even if a sign is not posted, it is still dangerous and illegal to be on the property without permission.

Trespassing Types

• Jogging, four-wheeling, riding bikes or other recreational activities are healthy, but not when you mix them with railroad tracks.– Many joggers run while listening to music – Motorized vehicles drown out the sound of a train– You are concentrating only on the activity-not

thinking about the train that is coming.

Trespassing Types Continued

• Playing on or near tracks is dangerous and illegal.• Throwing items at trains or putting objects on tracks is

illegal and dangerous.• Many people mistakenly think the train can stop for

them, but it takes a long time for the engineer to stop a train, and most often too late to stop in time.

• Some people think the train coming up behind them is on another track. The converging track makes it difficult to know which track the train is on. They do not know that trains run on any track, in any direction, at any time.

Trespassing Types Continued

• Crawling under rail cars to save time or take a shortcut has cost many people their lives. It also resulted in many others losing arms or legs.

• A train can move with a sudden jolt in either direction without warning.

• The train crew can not see a person crawling under their train from the locomotive.

Pedestrian Crossings

• When you come up to tracks you may have choices on how to get across the tracks. Look for pedestrian overpasses, underpasses, walkways or sidewalks which would keep you safe from train traffic.

• If there is no sidewalk going across the tracks, find a designated crossing (where cars cross) and walk across the tracks there. If there are no designated crossings, then you should not be there.

Myths or Realities Answers

Questions

Thank You!

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