Hunters Warned to Avoid Railroad Property
"We want to remind hunters that walking on or near railroad tracks is extremely dangerous, because you never know when a train will come along," said Robert Morrison, Union Pacific's chief of police.
Union Pacific Railroad posted an alert Oct. 7 that reminds hunters not to hunt on railroad property this season. "Wildlife will migrate and feed along the edges of freshly harvested fields, making these areas prime hunting spots. With many fields adjacent to Union Pacific tracks, hunters find it very tempting to hunt on or near the tracks," it said.
"Too many people have been injured or killed trespassing on railroad property over the years. As part of our UP CARES public safety initiative, we want to remind hunters that walking on or near railroad tracks is extremely dangerous because you never know when a train will come along," said Robert Morrison, Union Pacific's chief of police.
"It can take a mile or more to stop a train, and, by the time a locomotive engineer sees you on the track, it is too late to stop," added Dale Bray, Union Pacific's public safety director. "Locomotives and rail cars overhang the tracks by at least three feet on either side of the rail. If you are too close to the tracks, you can be hit by the locomotive or a rail car."
UP CARES is the Union Pacific Crossing Accident Reduction Education and Safety program, which works with communities to promote railroad grade crossing and pedestrian safety. UP CARES activities include:
- Grade crossing enforcement with local, county, and state law enforcement agencies
- Safety trains that provide local officials a firsthand look at what locomotive engineers see daily while they operate trains through communities
- Communication blitzes that educate the community at events or via media outreach and paid advertising
Along with hunters, hikers, bikers, fishermen, and snowmobilers also are drawn to railroad property, according to the company. In 2012, 433 people died and 411 were injured while trespassing on railroad property in the United States, according to the Federal Railroad Administration.