Union Pacific Railroad Promotes Crossing Safety

Union Pacific Railroad officials offered rides in passenger coaches Friday
between Nebraska City and Union to highlight railroad crossing safety.
Police and emergency responders rode in luxury coaches that were built in
1954 and were used for passenger service as late as the 1970s. The railroad
company's oldest domed coach still in use today was built in 1912.
John Simpson, manager of public safety, said the ride helps local officials
visualize the road crossings from the train engineer's perspective. He said
campaigns like the non-profit Operation Lifesaver have helped reduced
fatalities at railroad crossings from 1,500 in 1975 to 400 last year, but
there is still more work to do.
"It's sad to know 400 people lost their lives, and I feel needlessly,
because they didn't pay attention when they were crossing the tracks," he
said.
He said a train of 100 cars weighs about 12 million pounds and it takes a
training going 55 mph mile or more to stop. In many cases, the engineer can
apply the brake, but the train is not even able to begin slowing down before
a collision.
"Look, listen, live, that's our slogan," Simpson said.
Operation Lifesaver, which made two round trips in Nebraska City, is in the
first two weeks of a 10-week program that includes stops in 100 communities
across Iowa, Missouri and Kansas.[GSHVID]

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