From the 1995 edition of The Times-Register
Norfolk Southern is soliciting public help and awareness in its endeavor to prevent railway tragedies. In a new push for railroad safety called Operation Lifesaver, Norfolk Southern has pledged to educate the public on railroad rights-of-way.
NS contends that railroad rights-of-way are often compromised by joggers, hunters, fishermen, and other recreational land users. Seeking to debunk many of the myths of railroad culture, NS has released some important statistics regarding railroad safety.
In the past five years, there have been an average of 500 deaths and 500 injuries while trespassing on the nations railways, according to a pamphlet distributed by the NS Police Department. NS insists that, by and large, trains do not run on a set schedule, so one cannot be sure that there is not a train coming. Flying debris, such as coal or loose material is a special hazard that many trespassers often fail to be aware of. Also not common knowledge is the fact that a freight train with 150 boxcars, moving at 60 mph, takes over 1.5 miles to make an emergency stop.
The NSPD was handing out informational pamphlets recently to motorists at crossings in Salem.
Crossings on Mill Lane and Union Street have proven dangerous in the past. Now that the Moyer Sports Complex is frequently used and is located on Union Street near the tracks, drivers should be especially aware of the hazards associated with crossing railroad tracks.
Also, drivers need to remember the railway has a double set of tracks through Salem. Each has its own gate system, but trains could be running through the city on both lines, and waiting for one does not guarantee safe crossing of the other once a train is gone.
Gates and signals should be watched closely. Many accidents involving cars and trains occur when a car drives around a gate and tries to beat a train though the crossing.
– Prepared by Lingjie Gu
