(The Associated Press circulated the following on August 17, 2009.)
OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific wants to make sure farmers and other agricultural workers are careful around railroad tracks during harvest.
UP public safety manager Bob Resch says the reminder is important because harvesting equipment can make it difficult to hear a train approaching.
Resch says that’s why the railroad encourages farm workers to take the time to look both directions and make sure there is no train nearby before crossing tracks.
Last year, 286 people died and 935 were injured nationwide as a result of collisions between trains and vehicles. In Nebraska, there were 48 crashes in 2008 that caused two deaths and 19 injuries.