Every three hours in North America, there's an incident at a railroad crossing involving a vehicle or pedestrian.
On average, those incidents result in 750 fatalities per year and 1,500 serious injuries.
So far this year in Ontario, there have been 31 incidents involving vehicles and trains, resulting in 10 fatalities and another 10 involving trespass by pedestrians, resulting in eight fatalities.
To raise awareness of the dangers of level crossings and highlight safety, rail operators across the continent participate in National Rail Safety week, this year taking place Sept. 23-29.
GO Transit has always taken part in the week-long safety initiative, said Metrolinx director of transit safety Bill Grodzinski, but this year, the local passenger service decided to take it one step further with a new campaign: Operation Clear Track.
Partnering with police services, fire and paramedics, Operation Clear Track is a two-day program targeting commuters on the Barrie GO train line.
South Simcoe police, Bradford West Gwillimbury Fire & Emergency Services, Innisfil Fire & Rescue, and South Simcoe Paramedic Services joined Metrolinx and GO transit officials at the Bradford GO train station on Tuesday to hand out rail safety information and deliver a united message: Take care when crossing the tracks, don’t trespass on railway property, “and any time is train time,” said Grodzinski.
They were joined by Ontario Minister of Transportation Caroline Mulroney, who came out to show her support.
The plan was to have officials from each partnering agency ride the GO train south at the peak of the commute, talking with passengers to promote rail safety before participating in a press conference at the Rutherford GO station in Vaughan that would also engage safety partners from the City of Barrie and York Region.
Unfortunately, there was a glitch in the plans. As if to illustrate the fact that trains don’t always run on schedule, and 'anytime is train time', the GO train that was supposed to carry Operation Clear Track participants south was cancelled due to an equipment problem, resulting in a delay of over an hour.
The rail safety message still got out:
* Never walk, cycle or drive along railway tracks. Trains can go as fast as 160 kilometres per hour, and can take up to two kilometres to come to a complete stop. That’s equivalent to 18 football fields. And as one safety pamphlet noted, 'a train hitting a car is like a car running over a pop can.'
* Keep off railway property; not only rail lines, but yards, tunnels and bridges. It's not just that trespassers can face a fine of up to $50,000, it’s dangerous and potentially life-threatening. There may be no room and no time to react if a train is coming.
Safety officer Peter Moyla noted that it’s difficult to gauge the distance and speed of a train, and once the double tracks are in place on the Barrie line, “you won’t see the train coming.”
* Use only designated railway crossings. Trying to cross elsewhere could be deadly. Trains can come any time and not always according to schedule.
* Obey all railway signs and signals, including lights, bells and gates. Stop behind the activated gates and stop lines, no closer than five metres from the nearest rail. And never try to outrun a train. Cross only after the warning signals have stopped and you have checked for other approaching trains.
* Stay alert. Don’t be distracted by cellphones or other devices when in the vicinity of a railway crossing. You can't hear the warning whistle if you are wearing headphones.
* Keep your distance. Trains can overhang the tracks by as much as one metre on each side, and carry loads, chains and straps that be wider than the rail cars themselves, posing a hazard.
The safety partnership model has been used before by Metrolinx.
“We used the same model for Fire Safety Week. It worked extremely well,” said Grodzinski, winning Metrolinx an award from the province's Office of the Fire Marshal.
National Rail Safety Week generally sees engagement by 25 police services across Canada, including five in Ontario, said Grodzinski, including the Barrie, South Simcoe, York Regional and Toronto police departments.
“It’s a real partnership with our friends at Metrolinx and GO Transit, as well as paramedics and fire,” said South Simcoe Police Chief Andrew Fletcher.
Fletcher emphasized the danger posed by trains.
“When a train strikes a vehicle, or a train strikes a pedestrian, you don’t get a second chance. It only takes a split second," he said. "We’re asking people to be aware. You wouldn’t walk in the middle of (Highway) 400. Don’t walk on the tracks.”
