OLI Said Campaign Reached ‘Millions’

Operation Lifesaver this week said its rail safety messages “reached millions” during Rail Safety Week in September through a combination of events and publicity campaigns in various forms of mass media and social media.

Rail Safety Week was adopted in 2017 in North America and includes rail safety groups in Canada and Mexico.

During the 2022 Rail Safety Week in the United States 302 law enforcement, first responder agencies, and individuals in 36 states participating in Operation Clear Track on Sept. 19.

A news release issued by OLI noted that this year’s campaign urged the public to make safe choices when near railroad tracks whether in a motor vehicle or on foot.

FRA Head Urges Caution at Crossings

The answer to grade crossing safety is pretty easy, the head of the Federal Railroad Administration believes

Ronald Batory

In a newspaper column, Ronald Batory urged motorists and pedestrians to “make safe choices.”

That means watching and listening for signals and not driving around lowered crossing gates.

The column is part of a campaign by the FRA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to raise awareness of grade crossing safety.

The theme of the campaign is “Stop! Trains Can’t.” The campaign got a lot of visibility during radio broadcasts of the recent NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament.

The campaign is using radio, social media and digital advertising to target areas at higher risk for crossing accidents. A special focus is being provided in states where the most dangerous crossings are located.

Batory wrote in his column that train-vehicle collisions are avoidable, but it’s up to motorists to stop because trains cannot stop quickly.

In the meantime, the U.S. Department of Transportation is working with technology companies to add rail-crossing alerts to mobile applications.

Testing is underway of a system to provide warnings to trains when a vehicle is on the tracks.

DOT is also working with Operation Lifesaver on other rail safety education initiatives to encourage drivers to make safe choices at crossings.

NS Sets 2018 Safety Train Schedule

Norfolk Southern will again provide training to first responders through its Operation Awareness & Response program, which sends a training train over the NS network.

The safety train will visit 23 cities in 15 states in 2018 to provide free training to emergency workers about how  to safely respond to a potential rail incident.

The safety train will not be stopping in Northeast Ohio, but will make stops elsewhere in Ohio and surrounding states.

This includes visits on May 15-17 in Fort Wayne, Indiana; May 22-24 in Bellevue; May 30-June 1 in Kenova, West Virginia; June 12-14 in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania; and Aug. 28-30 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.

The consist of the safety train includes a dedicated locomotive, two boxcars converted into classrooms, three tank cars used in transporting all types of chemicals, and two flat cars equipped with intermodal containers and multiple tank car valve arrangements that simulate leaks.

The first training session will be held on April 3 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

At each location, NS hazardous materials specialists lead a four-hour course that combines classroom instruction and hands-on training on a locomotive and rail cars.

First responders will learn about railroad operations, basic safety precautions, initial-response procedures, types of rail equipment and who to contact in an emergency.

Following completion of the course, qualified emergency personnel will be able to download AskRail™, a free mobile application that provides immediate information about rail cars carrying hazardous materials should a rail incident occur.

The safety train is among multiple training opportunities offered by NS annually to first responders, including the Transportation Community Awareness and Emergency Response program,  a national network that promotes the safe transportation and handling of hazardous materials.

The OAR program builds on these efforts by providing additional training opportunities such as classroom seminars, web-based courses, on-line resources, table-top drills and full-scale exercises.

“Our safety train is helping Norfolk Southern build and strengthen relationships with first responders across our network,” said System Manager Hazardous Materials David Schoendorfer. “We want them to be equipped with the tools and resources they need to safely do their jobs when responding to potential rail incidents. It’s all about helping our communities be prepared and safe.”

U.S., Canada OLI To Observe Rail Safety Week

The Operation Lifesaver organizations of the United States and Canada are planning to conduct a joint Rail Safety Week this year, Sept. 23 to 29.

Canada has observed Rail Safety Week in April for the past 15 years while its U.S. counterpart held its first Rail Safety Week in 2017.

“By aligning our dates with those of the U.S., we’re ensuring a more coordinated — and hopefully impactful — North American rail-safety campaign,” said Sarah Mayes, national director of Operation Lifesaver Canada.

In the United States, Operation Lifesaver works with the U.S. Department of Transportation, the railroad industry, state Operation Lifesaver programs and other state and local safety partners on an awareness campaign, local events and distribution of safety tips to pedestrians, drivers, transit riders and passenger-rail users throughout the week.