Fear, sadness, anger and frustration. Those are just a few of the emotions I feel when I see or hear about children playing on railroad tracks. Take a look at what we saw on the security cameras at Highland Station yesterday:
I won’t elaborate on why this is dangerous and illegal. But if you’re a parent, please think of your own children. Staying safe around railroad tracks is an important lesson for the whole family.
At Capital Metro we have a great community involvement team, and since long before MetroRail even started, our staffers have flooded schools up and down the rail line with rail safety materials. They’d be happy to schedule a presentation for your school, neighborhood or organization. See our rail safety page for details.
a tragedy waiting to happen
This always leaves me scratching my head in disbelief and bewilderment. Darwin was right.
What are some peer agencies doing to solve this? I doubt very much whether an education campaign is sufficient.
Yes, indeed, it takes more than just education. Rail safety typically involves three components: engineering, education and enforcement.
So what are the engineering options here?
This reminds me of the 51st/Clarkson intersection. In neither case is education likely to reach enough possible offenders to make much difference.
Dangerous behavior at Plaza Saltillo Station:
http://twitpic.com/3dr7u5
http://twitpic.com/3dr8rq