Photo courtesy of the LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency
Pacific
Surfliner and California Operation Lifesaver will kick off Rail Safety Month in
Anaheim on September 1
ORANGE, Calif.
— In recognition of September Rail Safety Month and U.S. Rail Safety Week, the
Amtrak®
Pacific Surfliner® will
highlight the importance of safety around train tracks with a public education
and outreach event on September 1 in collaboration with California Operation
Lifesaver (CAOL) and the Los Angeles Angels.
The Pacific
Surfliner will host a booth featuring rail safety experts from CAOL at Angel
Stadium prior to the Angels game. Attendees will learn valuable tips for
staying safe around railroad tracks, including those used by the Pacific
Surfliner between San Diego, Los Angeles and San Luis Obispo.
Andrew Heaney,
a starting pitcher for the Angels, recently recorded a rail safety radio spot
in partnership with the Pacific Surfliner encouraging fans to follow rail
safety rules. “There are certain things that fans can’t do in baseball, like
interfering with a ball in play,” Heaney says in the radio spot. “When it comes
to rail safety, there are rules too.” The radio spot will run through September
on Angels Radio 830AM KLAA.
September is
Rail Safety Month in California, and September 22 – 28, 2019 is U.S. Rail
Safety Week across the nation. California leads the nation in annual fatalities
due to highway-rail grade crossing and trespassing incidents, according to CAOL
and the Federal Railroad Administration.
Most incidents
are preventable by following simple safety rules, including:
- Never
walk on or along train tracks; it’s illegal trespassing and highly dangerous. - Remember
to cross train tracks only at designated pedestrian or roadway crossings, and
obey all warning signs and signals posted there. - Stay
alert around railroad tracks. No texting, headphones or other distractions that
would prevent you from hearing an approaching train; never mix rails and
recreation. - When
boarding the Pacific Surfliner, remember to stay behind the marked safety line
on the station platform and use handholds as you board. - Report
suspicious items, persons, or activity immediately to the Amtrak Police
Department by approaching a uniformed officer, calling (800) 331-0008, sending
a text to APD11 (27311), or by calling 911. Enter these numbers in your
cellphone.
“Every
year, hundreds of people die needlessly on or near California’s railroad
tracks,” said Nancy Sheehan-McCulloch, Executive Director of California
Operation Lifesaver. “It’s critical that we keep educating the public
about the dangers of walking, jogging, and taking pictures on or near the
tracks, which is not only illegal, but also very dangerous.”
For more
information or to request a free rail safety presentation, visit
https://www.pacificsurfliner.com/safety, https://www.caol.us, or https://oli.org.