Dear Editor, As you know, construction of the new Honda plant is underway and is expected to be completed in the final months of 2008. I think it is important for residents of southeast Indiana to understand some of the adjustments we will have to make in our daily routines to ensure rail safety. The railroad between Greensburg and Cincinnati will become more heavily used areas. Honda intends on using rail to transport 80 percent of its vehicles from the manufacturing site to Cincinnati. We all need to be reminded of railroad safety to ensure our protection while traveling around the area. The Indiana department of transportation and I would like you to keep the following things in mind in your travels. STOP, LOOK and LISTEN! Many drivers pay little or no attention at highway-rail crossings. They drive across day after day because they never see a train there. However, trains do not run on set schedules and can be anywhere, on any track, at any time and going in any direction. When locomotive engineers see a vehicle or person on the tracks in the path of their train, they can only sound the warning horn and apply the emergency brakes. A train in emergency braking will stop, but not in time to avoid this collision. Drivers should always yield the right-of-way to the train because the engineer cannot yield to you. The average freight train consisting of 100 cars and weighing anywhere from 12 million to 20 million pounds takes over a mile to stop in emergency braking. Never ignore active warnings at railroad crossing. More than half of all motor vehicle-train collisions occur at crossings equipped with the automatic signals. Some drivers choose to drive around the gates or through the flashing red lights because they either thought they could beat the train, assumed a stopped train has activated the signals, or the signals were malfunctioning. Many crossings are on a surface higher than the roadway. Shifting gears with a manual transmission while going across this raised surface may cause the vehicle to stall on the tracks. Be sure to shift well ahead of or after railroad crossings to avoid getting stuck on the tracks. If your vehicle is ever stalled or trapped on the tracks and a train is approaching, quickly get yourself and all other passengers out! Don't try to take any other items with you. When the train strikes the vehicle it will send flying metal and glass ahead of and outward from the locomotive. Many people have been seriously injured and even killed because they ran the wrong direction. If a train is not approaching when a vehicle is stuck on the tracks, be sure to get yourself and all other passengers out of the vehicle and to a safe location. Most railroad crossings have signs with a toll-free number to call the railroad directly and warn them of stalled vehicles or other problems at the crossing. Some people believe railroad tracks are public property. Railroad tracks, railroad service roads and other railroad right-of-ways are often used by joggers, hikers and people walking their pets, riding motorcycles or other activities. The danger with these activities on or near railroad tracks is these people are concentrating on their own activities not a train! Many people who do not hear the warning fail to escape the danger. More importantly, railroad tracks, service roads, and right of way are private property and only persons authorized by the railroads can be on that property. I encourage all residents to stay safe as the Honda plant gears up for full production. Please understand that with this wonderful economic opportunity comes responsibility that we all must share. REMEMBER TO: STOP, LOOK and LISTEN! For more information about railroad safety, please log onto http://www.in.gov/indot/7115.htm. Constituents that have questions, comments, or concerns can contact State Representative Cleo Duncan at the statehouse, 200 W. Washington St., Room 401, Indianapolis, IN 46204. You can also call 1-800-382-9841, or send an e-mail to h67@iga.in.gov.
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