(The following story by Angela Brandt appeared on the Independent Record website on April 20, 2010.)
HELENA, Mont. — It doesn’t matter whether you’re on foot, driving or pedaling a bike. A railroad track is a poor place to let down your guard.
And Operation Lifesaver is trying to drive the message home because people seem to forget that sound advice a surprising amount of the time.
“Anytime there’s a railroad track, there’s a danger. Trains can sneak up quickly, and the results can be disastrous,” said project manager Don Matlock.
Operation Lifesaver is an international public-education program established to prevent collisions at crossings and the injuries and fatalities that happen when people trespass on railroad property.
The organization is holding a multi-state tour, “All Aboard for Safety,” promoting railway safety for drivers and pedestrians, including safety demonstrations and tours of an Amtrak train.
It was in Helena Monday and will continue today.
The tours of the Amtrak train are at the Boulder Avenue underpass, and safety presentations will be at the Helena train depot. All are free and open to the public. Tours and presentations will run from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The tour is a joint effort of Montana Operation Lifesaver, Amtrak, BNSF and Montana Rail Link.
The train tour traveled across Oregon and Washington before making stops in Montana. Matlock said the public-safety project is the first of its kind.
One point tour organizers stressed was that walking on railroad tracks is illegal and unsafe. Never step on the rail, added Matlock.
“If you’re on the tracks, you don’t belong there,” he said. “On the tracks is a poor, poor place to go for a stroll.”
Helena Police Chief Troy McGee was impressed with the tour he took Monday afternoon. He stressed the importance of education on the dangers of trains.
“We take it quite seriously,” he said.
Many of the Helena officers are trained through Operation Lifesaver and give presentations to the public and other law enforcement officers.
School Resource Officer Shawn Lashway will hop on the train and ride to the next stop in Drummond for Wednesday’s presentations. In addition, McGee said, the train tour is a good way for those who have never been on a train, or at least not for a while, to experience the inside of a train.