COUPLE
WANTS MORE RESPONSIBILITY FROM RAILROAD COMPANIES
NORTHWEST SIGNAL
March 29, 2001
Brian Koeller, Assistant Editor
MALINTA-
Dennis and Vicki Moore of Canal Fulton, Ohio, have been on
a crusade since March 25, 1995 to make railroad crossings
as safe as possible.
That was the day
their son, Ryan, and two of his friends were killed in a
car-train accident. Since then, the two have set up a foundation
to help local governments have lights and gates installed
at dangerous intersections
"There is a
quota of people that have to be killed before anything can
get done (by the state),"
Vicki told the members of the Henry County Rail Safety Task
Force at its monthly meeting Wednesday.
"It's not a
priority until after someone gets killed, and then it's too
late," she added.
The Moores have
created the Angels on Track Foundation, which works with
local governments to provide partial funding for lights and
gates at intersections. The foundation provides up to 30%
of the local match, not to exceed $40,000, to have the gates
and lights installed.
A local task force
must be created to study at-grade intersections as part of
the requirements to receive funding from the foundation.
"With our program,
you, the local people, decide which crossings are dangerous
instead of waiting for the state to do it," Vicki said.
"It's up to
the local people to take the initiative on this because the
railroad is not going to do it,"
Dennis added. "They don't really want them because then
they have to do maintenance on them."
Vicki said crossings
with crossbucks-only are not safe, and the only safe crossing
is one with gates and lights or an overpass/underpass. However,
overpasses can cost millions of dollars.
"The crossbuck
is just an informational sign, it just lets you know tracks
are there," Vicki said.
The Moores would
like to see the railroad companies take greater responsibility
for the safety of their crossings. They said shrubbery around
railroad crossings needs to be maintained, which is the job
of the railroad companies.
"The assumption
is always that it's the driver's fault," Vicki said. "But
if they can't see the train coming or hear its horn, how
can it be the driver's fault?"
"They owe it
to us to make their crossings safe," she added. "The
railroads do not think public safety is their responsibility.
They tell us it's our responsibility to tell them when their
gates are malfunctioning.
"They
need to patrol their tracks to make sure they're working
properly."
The couple somewhat
approve of Gov. Bob Taft's $200 million plan to construct
rail overpasses in the state, but they say it is not enough.
"It really
had to be done because of the merger (of Norfolk Southern
and CSX) there are so many trains now," Dennis aid. "But,
there should be a lot more money. The state has started an
effort for lights and gates, but it needs to do more."
The Moores would
also like to see rail cars have reflective tape applied so
they can be seen better at night. Vicki said a study was
done and found it would cost $80 per car over 10 years to
apply the tape.
"It was found
not to be cost effective for the railroad companies," Dennis
said. "I don't understand why they are looking at it
from that point of view."
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