KCSR partners with Operation Lifesaver, LADOTD, MDOT

Written by jrood

February 14, 2001 Public safety around railroad operations is best promoted when there is participation from everyone involved. In public-private partnerships with Operation Lifesaver, the Mississippi Department of Transportation and the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, The Kansas City Southern Railway Company is doing its part to promote safety at public grade crossings for motorists, pedestrians and the railroad operation.

KCSR is a staunch supporter
of OL, a non-profit organization designed to end tragic collisions, fatalities
and injuries at highway-rail grade crossings and on railroad right-of-ways and
its principles of engineering, education and enforcement.

In 2004, KCSR and MDOT
began a five-year, $10-million corridor project, upgrading warning levels or
closing public, at-grade railroad crossings on the KCSR-operated line from
Vicksburg to Meridian, Miss. Another $1.8 million has been invested in
upgrading crossing surfaces.

To date, KCSR and MDOT have
installed 44 sets of flashers/gates and closed 13 crossings with others
scheduled. The project calls for three more to receive flashers/gates, and two
more to receive renewed crossbucks, reflective striping and KCSR emergency
contact information.

The transition of more
crossings to flashers and gates, combined with the crossing closures, is making
a significant public safety statement across the line. The closures alone
reduce the potential for collisions on the KCSR-operated line in Mississippi by
almost 125,000 per year.

In 2006, KCSR and LADOTD
began a five-year, $16.6-million corridor project, upgrading warning levels or
closing public, at-grade railroad crossings, covering 375 miles of track that
stretch from Shreveport, La., east to the Mississippi state line along the I-20
corridor; south to DeQuincy, La., along U.S. 171; and north to the Arkansas
state line.

To date, KCSR and LADOTD
have installed 30 sets of flashers/gates with 31 more scheduled, and closed 16
crossings with two more scheduled. The project calls for other crossings to
receive renewed crossbucks, reflective striping and KCSR emergency contact
information.

The transition of more
crossings to flashers and gates is having the same effect in Louisiana.
Crossing closures are already reducing opportunities the potential for
collisions on KCSR-operated lines in Louisiana by over 125,000 per year.

Both Mississippi and
Louisiana have OL programs that provide educational opportunities to help
prevent collisions and trespassing on railroad property. OL presentations are
given by volunteers who present basic grade crossing safety information to all
age groups, industry, law enforcement, emergency responders and school
bus/professional drivers. A number of these volunteers in Mississippi and
Louisiana are KCSR employees.

KCSR and OL support active
enforcement of traffic laws relating to crossing signs and signals and private
property laws related to trespassing. KCSR and OL actively contact area law
enforcement and emergency responder agencies and training academies to offer
free Rail Safety for Emergency Responder training and Grade Crossing Collision
and Trespass prevention training.

KCSR also partners with local
law enforcement to conduct Officer on a Train events. Officer on a Train events
were recently conducted in Baton Rouge and Bossier City.

Regardless of whether a
crossing is public or private or what type of warning is in place, motorists
and pedestrians are urged to always expect a train. In addition, pedestrians
are urged to stay off railroad rights-of-way. Do not walk along the track or
trespass on railroad rights-of-way, and only cross the tracks at designated
crossings.

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