Maine Operation Lifesaver

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Rail Crossing Crashes Down, Trespass Incidents Up

Nationwide in First Quarter

During the first three months of 2008, collisions of vehicles with trains in the United States continued to go down, according to preliminary figures released by the Federal Railroad Administration. However, incidents resulting in death or injury to individuals on railroad property were up.

There were 643 collisions at railroad crossings during January, February, and March this year compared to 703 reported during the same period a year ago – a drop of 8.5 percent. Fatalities from those incidents were 36.2 percent lower, decreasing from 80 to 51 during the three-month period. Injuries were also substantially fewer, down 22.4 percent from 250 during the first quarter of 2008 compared to the same time in 2007.

Trespass incidents, however, were on the increase according to FRA preliminary figures. There were 96 fatalities and 79 injuries to trespassers who were on private railroad property, up 3.2 percent and 8.2 percent respectively when comparing first quarter 2008 and 2007 numbers. Last year, 93 individuals were killed and 73 were hurt during the January through March period.

The FRA also reports that highway-rail and trespass incidents accounted for 93.5 percent of all railroad-related fatalities.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MAY 28, 2008

LEBANON TRAGEDY UNDERSCORES RAILROAD DANGERS

While this morning’s incident involving a train and two individuals on a trestle is a tragedy, it underscores the inherent danger of trespassing on private railroad property, according to Fred Hirsch, State Coordinator of Maine Operation Lifesaver, a non-profit educational organization dedicated to reducing crossing and trespass incidents. Though it’s not known how fast the train which struck the individuals was traveling, it’s a fact that trains can’t stop quickly. Even a slow-moving train can weigh millions of pounds and may take hundreds of yards to come to an emergency stop. As was the case in Lebanon, a train can approach at any time from either direction. Only railroad officials know when a train is to be passing through any town or city along Maine’s nearly 1,200 miles of active rail lines.

Maine Operation Lifesaver offers free presentations on railroad safety to groups, companies, and organizations statewide. Contact info@maineol.org or call 827-7367.

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Operation Lifesaver Volunteers Advance

Rail Safety Presentation Skills

Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway employee and Maine Operation Lifesaver volunteer Norma Griffiths in April completed a four-day presenter training trainer course. Norma (left) and Julie Perkins (right) during one of the learning exercises, were the two from New England in the class which brought nine Operation Lifesaver presenters from across the country to South Portland and who are now ready to train new volunteers to lead presentations to the public on safety at railroad crossings and along railroad right of way.

Five volunteers with Maine Operation Lifesaver recently took the day-long certification course to become presenters representing the organization. The course included basic facts and figures related to railroad safety, demonstrating safe and unsafe situations with the help of visuals and props, speaking before different audiences, and delivering a quality presentation. Working on a test during workshop are from left, Jay Calnan of the Great Falls Model Railroad Club; Mike Lee of the Amtrak Police Department; personal care assistant Muriel Oakes; Maine O/L State Coordinator Fred Hirsch; school bus transportation consultant Harvey Boatman; and Gary Briggs of the Downeast Scenic Railroad.

We're proud to support the "Get Out Alive - Parent/Teen Driving Challenge www.goachallenge.org

Maine Operation Lifesaver, Inc.
207-827-7367 | EMAIL

The page was updated on June 30, 2008

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FRA Releases Demographic Report on Rail Trespasser Fatalities

Trespassers account for the largest number of fatalities in the railroad industry – approximately 500 per year. In order to better understand who is trespassing, their locations, and the reasons they are on railroad property, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) issued a report using three years of reported trespasser fatalities. Medical examiners and coroners across the country were surveyed, and based on the best information available from those who elected to participate in the study, the average trespasser is most often a 38-year-old Caucasian male under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, with a median household income of $36,000. More than 25 percent did not graduate from high school and 18 percent were determined to be suicides.

The report, Rail-Trespasser Fatalities: Developing Demographic Profiles, includes a state-by-state breakdown and shows California and Texas recording the highest number of such events. The report strongly recommends additional demographic analysis to reinforce and expand on these results in order to develop targeted educational and outreach programs and law enforcement initiatives to reduce the number of rail trespassing incidents.

The report is available at www.fra.dot.gov/downloads/safety/tdreport_final.pdf

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2007
Trading Cards are here!

trading cards which delight youngsters, but carry an important safety message, are ready for distribution in schools and at community events statewide.

(Click on “OL Trading Cards 07” for a sneak peak). The colorful cards feature pictures of locomotives which can be seen regularly plying the rails through Maine’s cities and towns, over mountains, through passes, alongside lakes and brushing by the seashore. Represented are Maine’s six railroads and Amtrak’s popular Downeaster service. New to the collection of otherwise modern horsepower is a Swedish steam locomotive featured on passenger excursions along the Belfast & Moosehead Lake Railroad. Also, one card features a remote control unit (it looks like a caboose) used by the Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway.

On the backs of the cards are safety messages to drive home the fact that trains are fun to watch from a distance, but trespassing on railroad property is dangerous and illegal. Reminders include warnings not to place objects on the tracks or to climb under or over railroad cars. Hunting, snowmobiling, all-terrain vehicle riding along railroad tracks, jumping off or fishing from railroad trestles are among other forbidden activities and addressed on the cards. Also on the backs of the cards are brief descriptions of the Maine railroad lines whose locomotive is featured.

The latest printing of 30,000 cards was financed by the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority which operates Amtrak service in Maine, by HRH Northern New England in Bangor, and through a grant from Operation Lifesaver, Inc. of Alexandria, Virginia.

Collectors: For more information on how to get a set of the new cards, go to the bottom of the OL Trading Cards 07 page.

The Sean Fowler video can be found at www.railcan.ca/site_sean