CSXT and Brewton First Responders to Hold Safety Blitz and Safety Class

Mon May 5, 2008 10:21pm EDT
 
Email | Print | | Reprints | Single Page
[-] Text [+]
Events take place Tuesday, May 6, 2008

BREWTON, Ala., May 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- As part of its commitment
to safety, CSX Transportation (CSXT) will hold several railroad safety
awareness activities on Tuesday, May 6, 2008 in conjunction with the Brewton
Police Department, the Brewton Fire Department as well as Alabama Operation
Lifesaver Volunteers.
    A safety blitz will take place at the CSXT railroad crossing at Mildred
and Deer Streets from 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. Drivers in that area will be greeted by
CSXT employees, Operation Lifesaver volunteers and area first responders, who
will distribute safety flyers to drivers while they are stopped at the red
lights on either side of the street approaching the crossing.
    In addition, CSXT will conduct a Railroad Safety Emergency Responder
(RSER) class from 6 p.m. - 10 p.m. at the Brewton City Hall.
    "CSX Transportation is committed to helping communities improve public
safety at railroad-highway grade crossings," said Cliff Stayton, CSXT's
director-public safety awareness. "The awful consequences of vehicle-train
collisions are made even more tragic by how easily they can be avoided by
simply obeying the law and using good judgment."
                             Crossing Safety Tips

    -- Trains do not operate on a predictable schedule, and they can move in
       either direction at any time.
    -- Locomotives weigh approximately 200 tons. Trains with 100 railcars can
       weigh more than 6,000 tons. A train hitting an automobile is
       proportional to an automobile running over a soda can.
    -- Trains do not stop quickly. A standard-sized freight train going at 55
       miles per hour needs more than a mile to stop even after the emergency
       brakes are applied.


                         Alabama Crossing Statistics

    -- Across the nation, more than 339 people died in train-car collisions in
       2007, 15 in Alabama.
    -- Alabama is ranked 7th in the nation for the number of fatalities at
       grade crossings.
    -- Alabama is ranked 23rd in the nation for the number of trespassing
       fatalities last year.


    CSX Transportation Inc. is a principal operating company of CSX
Corporation.  CSX Corporation, based in Jacksonville, Fla., is one of the
leading transportation companies, providing rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck
transload services. The company's transportation network spans 21,000 miles
with service to 23 eastern states and the District of Columbia, and connects
to more than 70 ocean, river and lake ports. More information about CSX
Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at the company's web site,
www.csx.com.
SOURCE  CSX Corporation

Gary Sease, CSX Transportation, +1-877-835-5279

 

Featured Broker sponsored link

Editor's Choice

  • Pictures
  • Video
  • Articles
Photo

A selection of our best photos from the past 24 hours.  View Slideshow 

Most Popular on Reuters

  • Articles
  • Video
  • Recommended

Reuters Oddly Enough

Funny, quirky, strange-but-true stories from around the world.