Public Safety Awareness & Property Sale Transparency
National Association of Counties Rail Conference
Naperville, Illinois – April 2011
Public Safety is Job #1 for Railroads
Every three hours, a person or vehicle is hit by a train
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Railroads therefore invest heavily in efforts to reduce grade
crossing collisions and trespass incidents
Operation Lifesaver is the Washington-based non-profit
dedicated to addressing rail safety awareness
 In 1972, when OL was created, were over 12,000 train/motor
vehicle collisions each year – by 2009, that number had
declined by 84% to about 1,900
According to USDOT’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA),
people in the 18-34 age group comprise over 40 percent of all
the rail-related pedestrian casualties
Promoting Safety Awareness to Deter Trespassers
CSX Public Safety Awareness Campaign Billboard:
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State/Local Partnerships Drive Targeted Messages
Example of Ads Placed in Washington Metro Stations
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Launch of “Common Sense” Campaign
 In partnership with USDOT and major railroad companies, in July
2009 Operation Lifesaver launched “Common Sense” public
awareness safety campaign to reduce train-related pedestrian deaths
and injuries among this demographic
 Common Sense website video:
http://www.commonsenseuseit.com/media/
 “Where’s the Best Man” video from OL website:
http://vimeo.com/18400749
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Satellite Media Tour
26 TV Station & 40 Radio Interviews
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Transparency in Property Sales & Zoning
 Communities across America have built up around
railroads
 Presents real challenges when mixing railroad
industrial use with commercial or residential
 Railroads getting more proactive in identifying conflicts
BEFORE they occur
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Case Study: Baltimore
 Baltimore is home to the oldest railroad in America –
the Baltimore & Ohio (B&O)
 Port / industrial complex increasingly being replaced
by commercial and residential – e.g. Camden Yards,
Inner Harbor, etc.
 Railroads seeking full disclosure in property sale
contracts as to railroad and industrial activities in
order to address, pro-actively and preemptively, the
juxtaposition of industrial, railroad and residential uses
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Conclusion
 Railroads impact communities and increasingly try to
address issues “head on” with creative solutions
 Activities around railroad tracks present inherent risks,
and railroads need state/local officials’ support to
encourage safety
 Where new commercial / industrial developments are
proposed adjacent to railroad tracks, we want to be
engaged
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