LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) Metrolink Bureau partnered with local law enforcement agencies to perform multiple railroad crossing enforcement events throughout Metrolink’s service area. The targeted enforcements are organized by Metrolink in conjunction with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) in observation of Rail Safety Month in September.
“At Metrolink, safety is foundational and at the core of all we do, each and every day of the year,” said Frank Castellon, Metrolink’s chief safety, security and compliance officer. “As part of our ongoing efforts to maintain the highest standards of safety, we are committed to educating drivers and the public about the vital importance of being alert and avoiding dangerous behaviors around railroad tracks.”
Education, rather than punishment, is the primary purpose of the operation. Drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists must always be careful around trains and rail crossings.
“For the month, law enforcement arrested two trespassers and issued 19 citations,” said Sergeant James M. Eggers of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Metrolink Bureau. “By issuing warnings and citations for dangerous crossing violations, law enforcement can increase safety awareness and save lives.”
Rail Safety Month and Railroad Trespassing and Suicide Prevention Summit
During Rail Safety Month and throughout the year, Metrolink is reminding riders, pedestrians and motorists, that rail safety is everyone’s daily responsibility. In addition to participating in outreach events and conducting railroad crossing enforcements across Metrolink’s service area, Metrolink shared life-saving safety tips through social media, on our website, and with our many community and business partners.
On Sept. 21, Metrolink hosted the 2022 Railroad Trespassing and Suicide Prevention Summit for transportation leaders to share knowledge and best practices about enhancing safety along the railroad. Keynote speakers included FRA Chief Counsel Allison Ishihara Fultz and CalSTA Secretary Toks Omishakin, while Board Chair Ara Najarian, Vice Chair Larry McCallon and Board Members Kathryn Barger, Paul Krekorian and Dr. Maria Morales served as speakers and moderators.
The summit featured subject matter experts from the Federal Railroad Administration, Metrolink, Operation Lifesaver, and Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services. For more information about Metrolink and rail safety, visit www.metrolinktrains.com/rail-safety.
About Metrolink (metrolinktrains.com)
Metrolink is Southern California’s regional passenger rail service providing reliable, safe, affordable and environmentally sustainable transportation that connects people, communities and businesses to greater opportunity. The Agency’s 538 miles of track and 62 stations across Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties serve as an essential link in the region’s mobility network, enabling people to connect to their jobs and explore all that the region has to offer. Prior to the pandemic, Metrolink had nearly 12 million annual boardings from people who choose to ride the train to avoid gridlock, removing an estimated 9.3 million vehicles from the roads and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 130,000 metric tons each year with its fleet of Tier 4 locomotives.
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