Safety train stops in TFalls

Every year an average of 1,000 people die from being struck by train.

Every year an average of 1,000 people die from being struck by train.

“That’s an 84 percent improvement from 1970, but still 1000 deaths a year is not acceptable because that’s not 1000 deaths, that’s one tragedy 1000 times,” said Don Matlock, Project Manager for Operation Lifesaver.

Operation Lifesaver is a nonprofit organization, which organized a project to teach the public how to safely get across railroad tracks without getting injured or killed throughout Wash., Oreg. and Mont.  Matlock is the brains behind the safety project, which is the first ever train safety project in the nation.

The Amtrak train stopped in Thompson Falls early Friday evening to give the public lessons in train safety and a detailed-tour of the Amtrak train.

“Anyone who ever crosses railroad tracks needs to hear the message. Look, listen and you’ll live to see a train again tomorrow.  Stop and let the train go by,” said Matlock who added that a person is 20 times more likely to die by a train/vehicle collision than a vehicle/vehicle collision.

“A romantic stroll on a railroad track is a very poor place to go unless you truly want to end the relationship very quickly,” said Matlock.

Part of the safety awareness talk explained that humans are not trained to gauge the speed of a large object.  When a train is traveling at a speed of 25 mph covering  37 feet per second or if it’s traveling 79 mph covering 115 per second, an individual sitting at a train crossing can not tell which speed the train is actually going and a person may not have enough time to cross safely.  Matlock said if you can see the headlights, let the train go by.

“Whenever you approach a railroad crossing, always look so you’ll live,” said Matlock.

Matlock said unless an individual is at a designated train crossing, walking along railroad tracks is illegal as railroad tracks are private property.  If a person is walking along railroad tracks having not been invited there they are trespassing making Operation Lifesavers new motto; “stay off, stay alive.”

Thompson Falls was Operation Lifesaver’s final stop in Montana.  The Sanders County town was put on the radar because it is the largest community between Missoula and Sandpoint.

Matlock said the safety project did not come cheap as fees added up for equipment, food for the 15-person crew, fuel and the use of non-Amtrak railroad tracks, however, organizations such as Amtrak, NSF Railway, Montana Rail and Link, the Federal Railway Administration and many others came together to help fund the 14-day safety project.

 “We’ve (the crew) all been working together and that’s what’s been so great. The crew has really bonded on the project, and they are guiding people through the train and talking about the safety messages and we’re all pitching in to accomplish one thing,” said Matlock.