(The Merced Sun-Star published the following story by Cheri Carlson on its website on September 18.)
MERCED, Calif. — Fatal accidents involving cars, trains and lowered railroad crossing gates can be prevented, according to railway company and law enforcement officials.
They say: Never cross the tracks when the warning gates are down.
On Friday, a 35-year-old Merced woman attempted to drive around lowered railroad crossing gates at Highway 59 and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway tracks. That was before a 60 mph westbound freight train plowed into the Ford Expedition she was driving. She died.
Witnesses at the scene of the accident said the crossing gates had been down for about 30 minutes with no sign of a train and drivers began to go around the barricades.
“The gates did what they were supposed to do,” said BNSF spokeswoman Lena Kent. “It doesn’t matter if the gate is down 10 minutes, an hour (or) all day … under no circumstances do you go around the gate.”
The gates are designed to go down in fail-safe mode and stay there until someone fixes the problem, according to Kent.
The problem, according to Merced County Sheriff Mark Pazin, is that motorists get frustrated when they are stuck behind downed gates with no train in sight.
And sometimes those frustrated drivers choose to risk driving around the barricades.
Merced Police Chief Tony Dossetti said: “We can’t be in such a hurry that we risk life and limb to get across the street. … When it’s train versus car, cars lose every time.”
People are well-advised to make a U-turn and find another route, he continued, adding that accidents similar to the one Friday typically happen once or twice a year.
BNSF’s Kent advised people to call the police or a railway company and let them know there is a problem.
That call could save a life.
Two things happen when the railway is notified about a problem with downed gates, she said.
Her company will immediately dispatch an employee to fix the problem and nearby trains will be contacted about the malfunction.
BNSF has a signal maintainer stationed in Merced, who can be dispatched 24 hours a day, seven days a week, according to Kent.
But in the time it takes for the problem to be fixed, the notified train crews are also expected to stop the train before it reaches the crossing, she said. Then, someone is required to get out and safely direct the train across the road.
That didn’t happen Friday.
Why? According to Kent, probably because no one ever made the call – although an investigation into the accident is under way.
Both Pazin and Dossetti said they haven’t found fault with the way the railway companies respond to problems.
Although, “we would always like them to respond quicker,” Pazin added.
Whether the problem with malfunctioning gates happens more frequently than it used to, Dossetti said he didn?t think so. But, he continued, the increase in traffic can make the issue more obvious.
If someone reports a problem with the crossing arms, both agencies said they would forward that message to the railroad company.
“It’s their responsibility to be there as quickly as possible to fix that problem,” Pazin pointed out.
Sheriff deputies would also respond to the scene and see if there was a traffic hazard, he said. Regarding whether deputies would stay and direct traffic, Pazin said they would take necessary action as time allows.
Regarding sending officers to the scene, Dossetti asked whether it’s really a good use of police officers for them to be relegated to a crossing where the barricades are obviously down and broken.
He again stressed that no cars should cross tracks with lowered gates – that’s the law.
“You just don’t drive through those (gates),” he said. “It’s one of these mistakes you only make once.”
Along with BNSF, Union Pacific has railroad tracks in Merced County.
UP crossing gates also will lower in a fail-safe mode when there is a problem, according to John Bromley, a Union Pacific spokesman. He said that when notified about the problem, his company will send a maintenance person to the scene.
Although it could take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour or two for that service person to respond, Bromley said he did not know if Union Pacific also requires trains to stop before the affected crossing.
To report emergency grade crossing blockages or damage at a Union Pacific track, call 1(888)877-7267.
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway’s 24-hour emergency line can be contacted at 1(800)832-5452.