(As reported by John Swails in the Sapulpa Daily Herald on August 25, 2007)
SAPULPA, OK – Several drivers were stopped Friday for railroad crossing violations at the Burlington Northern Santa Fe crossing on Taft in a training exercise that was conducted in Sapulpa.
The Sapulpa Police Department, in conjunction with Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroads and the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training, conducted railroad grade crossing safety training Friday in an effort to cut down on violations and to train law enforcement.
“We are trying to communicate to our citizens that red at a railroad crossing means stop,” said Sgt. Stephen Thompson. “We have had accidents at some of our railroad crossings and we are trying to prevent that by building awareness.”
The train that was used in today’s operation was operated by BNSF, but on board the vehicle were several law enforcement trainees from the CLEET Academy.
The train will be making passes through many of the local cities including Tulsa and Sapulpa in an effort to cut down on railroad crossing violations.
BNSF was represented by several officials from their law enforcement department.
Congressional mandates established in 1865 allow railroad companies to have their own law enforcement because their trains cross so many jurisdictional boundaries.
However, they do prefer to remain anonymous because much of the work that they do is undercover.
According to railroad officials, they receive a lot of complaints regarding individuals running the lights at railroad crossing.
“When an individual runs the lights in front of one of our trains, that conductor has to stop the train and get out and check every wheel on every vehicle that he is pulling,” said one BNSF security official.
“If that train is 6,000 feet long, then that is going to take a lot of time, which inconveniences a lot of people.”
According to BNSF, the laws that require a conductor to check every wheel has been set to ensure that none of the railroad cars have thrown a wheel in the process of making an emergency stop.
“Whether the driver is in danger or not, that conductor has to stop if the person runs the lights,” said the BNSF official.
“It is a strict requirement. That is why it is so important for citizens to respect the law. If they don’t, they just create problems for the other citizens who have to sit and wait while the conductor checks the train.”
The train passed across Taft between 11 a.m. and noon on Friday, and several individuals were stopped for violations.
Eight citations were written by the Sapulpa Police Department and BNSF law enforcement after the first train passed, and according to BNSF officials, another train was due in several hours.
SPD said that the average citation for disobeying a railroad grade crossing traffic signal will run $244.
“Whether the light is blinking or not, if it’s red at a railroad crossing, red means stop,” said Thompson.
“For your own safety, and the convenience of others, take the time and stop your vehicle at the light.”