If you walk along a railroad track you may soon feel run down.

It's Public Rail Safety Week #PRSW2014 - something, that if I am really honest, I never paid much attention to in the past. I started my new job last week at Essex Terminal Railway (ETR) / Morterm as Director of Marketing and Business Development. So - suddenly, I'm paying attention!

I know - it seems like such a no-brainer. Everybody knows not to try to beat the train at a crossing, or walk on the tracks, right? Then why are there still 300 collisions and trespassing accidents across Canada every year resulting in the death or serious injury of nearly 130 people. Virtually all of these "accidents" were preventable.

A 110 tonne locomotive (compared to your car, weighing less than 2 tonnes) with sometimes, a hundred or more cars moving freight on the rails can't stop quickly.

 

An average freight train travelling at 100km/h requires about 2 km (2000 metres) to stop. An automobile traveling at 90 km/h needs about 60 meters to stop. And the majority of highway/railway collisions happen when the train is travelling less than 50 km/h!

I mean, who hasn't been tempted to beat the train? Go around the "wig wags" because you're already late for an appointment, and who has time to sit here? Because even if it's a tie - you lose. And a motorist is 40 times more likely to die in a collision with a train than another vehicle.

There are some spectacular crashes in the Operation Lifesaver Video if you want to see what happens when you try to race a train.

Why not just take the tracks home on your bike, or walking? It's a lot easier and faster. Kids aren't crossing the street...no vehicles to worry about...Just a train. A big train. An approaching train activates flashing light signals and gates approximately 20 seconds before the train reaches the crossing.

You think - But the train is loud, and you can hear it coming even with your headphones in and blaring the latest Eminem track. Think so? Take the test and see how you do...Network Rail Track Test

Even in our yard, I see many people walking past the 4 foot square sign that says "NO TRESPASSING". They just want to cut through - it's faster to get where they are going. And really, they think, what's the harm. By the same thought, why wouldn't you just cut through your neighbour's house - go in through the back door and out through the front because it stands between you and the corner store? It's faster. Probably safer...unless your neighbour is a light sleeper and has a gun.

Railway tracks, trestles, yards and equipment are private property. And sometimes, trespassing gets the death penalty.

Please - join us at ETR in preventing accidents by practicing rail safety. If you see tracks, think train!