Rail-Related Fatalities: The List No One Wants to be On
Multi-Agency Event Marks Third Annual National Rail Safety Week'
WHEN AND WHERE Friday, Sept. 27, 2019, 10:45 a.m. at Elmhurst Metra Station, 128 W 1st Street
WHAT Media briefing on railroad safety, followed by a demonstration ride in the cab of a locomotive
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT
Trains are part of Chicago’s landscape, yet Illinois ranks in the top five states nationwide for crossing and trespassing-related fatalities. In honor of the third annual National Rail Safety Week, Union Pacific, Safe Kids Worldwide, the National Transportation Safety Board, Metra, the DuPage Railroad Safety Council and the City of Elmhurst are holding a joint event to increase awareness and educate families about how to be safe around train tracks.
Ninety-four percent of all rail-related fatalities and injuries occur at railroad crossings or as a result of trespassing, according to the Federal Railroad Administration. Nearly all are preventable.
On Friday, Sept. 27, commuters will be reminded to put their safety first. Speaking at the event are:
Jennifer Homendy, National Transportation Safety Board Member
Liisa Stark, Union Pacific Assistant Vice President of Public Affairs
Torine Creppy, Safe Kids Worldwide President
Dr. Lanny Wilson, DuPage Railroad Safety Council Chair
Bruce Marcheschi, Metra Chief Operating Officer
Union Pacific, Metra, Safe Kids Worldwide and DuPage Railroad Safety Council will have information tables available between 9-11:30 a.m. outside the Elmhurst Police Station, 125 E 1st Street. Clifford the Big Red Dog also will be on hand to meet children and pose for photos, as well as distribute free copies of his new Scholastic book, “Clifford and the Railroad Crossing.” Following the event’s conclusion, media will be invited to ride in the locomotive cab to see first-hand what locomotive engineers and conductors experience every day.
MEDIA CONTACTS
Union Pacific: Kristen South, 402-544-3435 or kmsouth@up.com
Safe Kids Worldwide: Gary Karton, 202-662-0630 or gkarton@SafeKids.org
Metra: Michael Gillis, 312-322-6769 or mgillis@metrarr.com
NTSB: Eric Weiss, phone number or eric.weiss@ntsb.gov