BNSF News

Officer on the Train Event Emphasizes Grade Crossing Safety

2008-12-01

Depending on your viewpoint, a massive Officer on the Train event in Southern California was either successful – or not. The many motorists and trespassers caught violating grade crossing safety laws may not have been pleased about the outcome.

But local leaders at BNSF, Union Pacific, Amtrak and Metrolink were all very pleased with this jointly sponsored event, as more than 120 officers from throughout Orange County monitored the behavior of drivers and pedestrians in the densely populated area. Amtrak “wrapped” its locomotive for this event with the trespass prevention slogan “Stay Off, Stay Away, Stay Alive.”

During the event, 291 violations were reported, and 159 citations were issued. On top of that, one person was arrested with a driving under the influence warrant, and nearly 60 trespass violations/citations involving students from nearby schools were issued. A total of 11 arrests were made during the event.

Ronnie B. Garcia, manager, Field Safety Support, said BNSF provided a locomotive and crew for the event, which started at 5:30 a.m. and finished around 11:30 a.m.

“The safety train had locomotives from all of our rail partners,” said Richard P. Dennison, terminal superintendent II at the Hobart Terminal. “The train ran on our network from Los Angeles to Fullerton, then on Metrolink’s Orange Subdivision. Then it returned on the same route.”

Once the event kicked off, participating officers looked for drivers and pedestrians who didn’t stop at railroad crossings, drove around lowered railroad crossing gates and trespassed on railroad property. The purpose of the event was to raise awareness of safe behaviors around the railroad.

In 2008, BNSF has offered more than 4,330 training opportunities systemwide to raise awareness of the importance of grade crossing safety laws and enforcement, including Operation Lifesaver, Grade Crossing Collision Investigation, Rail Safety for Emergency Responders and Officer on the Train.

The Southern California Rail Safety Team includes representatives from all major railroads in the region, the Federal Railroad Administration, California Public Utilities Commission, and numerous law enforcement and fire agencies. The Rail Safety Team frequently conducts these events throughout the region in an effort to raise public awareness of the laws pertaining to highway-rail grade crossings and to prevent trespassing on railroad property.

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