Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Alex Cabrero reportingPeople in northern Utah County may have noticed a big, yellow train going back and forth this afternoon. They also may have noticed police officers near the train at several intersections.
The train was part of Utah's Operation Lifesaver, where crews remind drivers not to try to beat the train at crossings. This is an operation one man says can't be done enough.
Time and time again it happens, and Vern Keeslar is sick of it. "What amazes me is the risk people take just to save 20, 30 seconds of time," he said.
Keeslar is the Utah state coordinator for Operation Lifesaver, a state program designed to reduce train-versus-vehicle accidents. "As much as I do this, it still shocks me to see people, especially with children in the car, go around the lowered gates or through the flashing lights," he said.
To prove it, he invited us on a train ride between Orem and Lehi today. Sure enough, a driver barely stopped at the stop sign. In another case, despite the flashing red lights, a bunch of drivers kept going, even though the train was in plain view.
"The train is an optical illusion. It's traveling much faster than what people think it does," Keeslar said.
Ten years ago in Utah there were 24 accidents involving trains; six injuries, five deaths. Last year there were only 15 accidents; six injuries and no deaths.
To Keeslar, it means Operation Lifesaver, which involves police officers at crossings writing tickets, must be working.
"Fatalities and injuries at railroad crossings are going down, but we're seeing an increase in trespassing fatalities," Keeslar said. That's where people walk on railroad tracks. So far in Utah this year, two people have died after being hit by a train.
With cities growing fast, Keeslar is worried more accidents will happen. "So now that it's become a commercial shopping center, and lots of activity, people aren't used to the train when it does finally come," he said.
Here is how the law breaks down: At stop-sign-only crossings, drivers have to come to a complete stop and then judge if they can make it across safely. Flashing red lights mean stop and wait until the train passes, and never go around the arm guards.
E-mail: acabrero@ksl.com
