Metra and Union Pacific Responsible for Carnage Around Rail Crossings

Sorry for the Blog silence through year-end. My family has been involved in the Obama-Care roll out. More on that in later posts.

The following letter was sent to Ms. Marni Pyke of the Daily Herald on January 9, 2014.  She writes for 'The Suburbs in Transit' segment of the Daily Herald. Metra/Union Pacific accidents in the Chicago Metropolitan area have increased about 200% since 1995. At about the time of the Fox River Grove accident in October 1995, approximately 1 person per month was killed around Metra/Union Pacific rail crossings and tracks. Today that accident rate has grown to average about 3 people per month.

Anyone see that as an acceptable trend?

Dear Ms. Pyke,

The article that appeared in the Daily Herald on December 30, 2013, 'Spike in train vs. car, pedestrian collisions', was a welcome spotlight on the biggest safety hazard around. The statistics you cited in that article are depressing. Sadly these statistics have risen steadily, even after a Metra express train struck a school bus in Fox River Grove, October 1995, killing seven high school students.

Unfortunately your article's focus quickly slipped away from the parties responsible for such unsafe conditions, Metra and Union Pacific, to pedestrian nonchalance and the effect on an engineer of an accident. Not to underplay the importance of either, but Metra and Union Pacific must take a broader responsibility for safety, beyond the public relations program of Look, Listen and Live or Operation Lifesaver.

Metra and Union Pacific must make substantive safety investment around their crossings to prevent the human slaughter. No other business would ever be allowed to operate for as long with abysmal safety record you documented in your article, no matter who was to blame for the accident.

Metra has vigorously fought taking even minimal responsibility for their carnage. Case in point is the Chicago violinist, Ms. Rachel Barton's accident in January 1995. She successfully sued Metra for that accident and as a result Metra changed their conductor safety procedures, but not after a long legal battle.

The media should draw attention to the safety hazards around rail crossings. But please focus on the parties largely responsible for that hazard, Metra and Union Pacific. They could do substantially more for safety, but have chosen not to. This negligence alone is more the reason for the horrific safety statistics that you cite in your article. Until Metra and Union Pacific take serious responsibility for the safety around crossings the number of fatalities will only increase.

Thank you.

Sincerely yours,

Keith Moens