Statewide crackdown along railroad crossings underway
BLUE ISLAND, Ill. (WLS) -- It's a first for Illinois: a statewide crackdown along railroad crossings. Anyone caught going around downed crossing gates faces a big fine as police are out in force watching for offenders.
In Blue Island, there are lots of trains at a double crossing here. It's kind of tricky, and commuters are sometimes oblivious to lights and bells, and gates.
"I pull them to the side and have a talk with them and I ask. What's more important - getting to work on time or the life?" said Marty York, Metra trainmaster, R.I. District.
This morning in Blue Island, it was more than just a "trainmaster talking to." Metra police were issuing citations to people for crossing before the gates were fully up and the bells silent. It's not a cheap ticket - it's $250, and surrender your license for a piece of paper and a court date.
"I've seen probably 50 fatalities in the 22 years I've worked here," said Lt. Ross Fuller, acting commander of the Metra Police.
That's the hard reality, and the challenge for people like Fuller is to educate and enforce. After a car heads through the crossing before the gates were fully up, Fuller gave chase, and the motorist - driving on a suspended license - got a ticket.
"We're trying to stop negative behavior, stop people from walking in front of moving trains and going around gates," said Fuller.
It is the view from inside the train that sometimes reveals the most head-scratching behavior.
"Every engineer can probably have a story he can tell you every spot where he's had a close call or hit a car. Yeah everybody can pinpoint every spot. I know I can," said George Lamore, Metra engineer.
George Lamore is a 25-year veteran engineer on Metra's Rock Island district who says he is regrettably accustomed to everyday seeing people do stupid things on the tracks in front of him.
Negative behavior, whatever the term, police departments throughout the area are out this week pushing rail safety. Sometimes they'll give warnings, and sometimes citations. The age-old lesson can be expensive.
