(The following story by Althea Peterson appeared on the Tulsa World website on February 27. James D. Ford is a Union Pacific Locomotive Engineer and a member of BLET Division 179 in Parsons, Kan.)
TULSA, Okla. — James Ford can’t always see you coming.
He hopes that the blinking red crossing lights, combined with crossing guard gates, are enough to stop motorists from trying to beat a train.
But as a Union Pacific engineer, he knows that doesn’t always happen.
“Crossing gates help, but they don’t prevent,” Ford said. “People think they can save a couple minutes by just going around.
“Definitely, don’t ever try to beat a train.”
Police cited 12 motorists Tuesday for trying to beat trains or for failing to stop completely when railroad crossing lights started flashing, said Craig Murray, the Tulsa Police Department’s traffic safety coordinator.
The railroad monitoring was part of the Crossing Accident Reduction Enforcement program.
“I think it was a success,” Murray said. “It’s a good educational tool for the police and the community.”
Murray said it is especially important because of the danger around railroad tracks. In 2006, four train crashes occurred in Tulsa County; two of them were in the city. In the entire state, 62 train crashes occurred.
Two teenagers were killed Feb. 18 when they tried to drive around a grade crossing in Eufaula and their car was struck by a Union Pacific train.
“It’s not worth it to continue through and be in a hurry,” Murray said. “Trains can’t stop. Cars can.”
Union Pacific police part nered with Tulsa police for Tuesday’s monitoring.
Aaron Watson, the railroad police’s senior special agent, said motorists involved in train crashes are 40 times more likely to die than they would be in a collision with another automobile.
“When you think about the consequences, every train transports hazardous materials,” he said.
“You have a potential catastrophe waiting to happen for the whole community.”
The 12 motorists who were cited Tuesday were fined $120 each.
Watson said he hopes that the fines will encourage more drivers to be careful around crossings.
“If the worst thing that happens today is people getting a ticket, it is good day for us,” he said.