Norfolk
Southern Whistle-Stop Safety Train delivers ‘See Tracks? Think Train!’ message
across the Carolinas
NORFOLK,
Va., July 29, 2015 -- Norfolk Southern brings its Whistle-Stop Safety Train to
the Carolinas this week to remind motorists and pedestrians to be safe and alert
when around railroad tracks and trains.
The
train, operated by Norfolk Southern with Operation Lifesaver, www.oli.org,
a national rail safety public education organization, is stopping in eight
cities on a three-day, 390-mile trip from Charleston, S.C., to Asheville, N.C.
“Pedestrians
and drivers often do not realize how dangerous it is to walk on or near railroad
tracks, or that it can take a mile or more for a train to come to a complete
stop,” said Cayela Wimberly, Norfolk Southern director of grade crossing safety.
“Our goal is to share information that will stop people from risking their lives
by trying to beat a train to the crossing or using railroad tracks as a
shortcut.”
Across
the U.S. last year, 267 people died in highway-rail grade crossing incidents, an
increase of 16 percent compared with 2013, and deaths due to trespassing on
train tracks jumped 22 percent to 526, according to Federal Railroad
Administration statistics.
In
South Carolina, vehicle-train collisions resulted in three fatalities and 22
injuries during 2014, and in North Carolina five people died and 27 were
injured.
Trespassing
on or near railroad tracks resulted in five deaths and eight injuries in South
Carolina last year, and in North Carolina 20 people died and 11 were
injured.
“The
use of cell phones, texting, and listening to music while driving has
contributed to people being distracted from the roadway and the warning signs
alerting them to railroad tracks,” said Janice Cowen, Operation Lifesaver South
Carolina state coordinator. “People do not realize that it is criminal
trespassing to walk on or near railroad tracks. Not only is it against the law,
you could lose your life.”
The
safety train includes two restored Pullman passenger rail cars with television
monitors showing a live video feed from a camera mounted on the lead locomotive.
Passengers see firsthand what engineers see every day from the locomotive cab.
The train also includes the Norfolk Southern Exhibit Car, which showcases the
benefits of rail freight transportation.
Invited
guests include county and municipal elected
leaders, state and local transportation officials, law enforcement officers,
emergency responders, school transportation directors, trucking officials, news
media, and others who have a vested interest in public safety.
South Carolina Highway Patrol
officers are shadowing the train as it moves through the state, arresting
violators at railroad crossings or walking along tracks.
Col. Mike Oliver of the S.C.
Highway Patrol, speaking at an NS safety rally in Columbia Tuesday, said, “This
is a great way to educate people across South Carolina about railroad safety. We
believe one life lost on the roadways or railways is one life too
many.”
South Carolina Lt. Gov. Henry
McMaster and S.C. Sen. John Courson spoke at the rally, as well, thanking NS for
bringing the safety train to the state and encouraging residents to use caution
whenever crossing railroad tracks.
Aboard the safety train, riders
are hearing firsthand about the dangers of trespassing on railroad property from
Mark Kalina Jr., who survived a 2012 pedestrian-train incident in Ohio and is
now a double amputee.
“Two years and nine months ago, I
made the biggest mistake of my life. To save five minutes, I took a shortcut on
the railroad tracks. Now I travel the country warning others never to make
the same mistake,” said Kalina, who is the spokesperson for the Operation
Lifesaver “See Tracks? Think Train!” safety campaign.
Whistle-Stop Safety Train Schedule:
< · Wednesday, July 29: Columbia-Rock Hill,
S.C.-Charlotte-Salisbury, N.C.
< · Thursday, July 30:
Salisbury-Hickory-Asheville, N.C.
Norfolk Southern also plans to run a safety train across Ohio
Aug. 4-6. The 354-mile trip will start in Cincinnati and make whistle-stops in
Dayton, Columbus, Bellevue, Cleveland, and Alliance.
About Operation Lifesaver
Operation Lifesaver is a national nonprofit
safety organization whose mission is to end collisions, deaths, and injuries at
highway-rail grade crossings and along railroad rights of way.
About
Norfolk Southern
Norfolk Southern
Corporation
(NYSE: NSC) is one of the nation’s premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk
Southern Railway Company subsidiary operates approximately 20,000
route
miles
in 22 states and the District of Columbia, serves every major container port in
the eastern United States, and provides efficient connections to other rail
carriers. Norfolk Southern operates the most extensive intermodal network in the
East and is a major transporter of coal, automotive, and industrial
products.
Operation Lifesaver
contacts:
South Carolina: Janice
Cowen, 803-206-9081 (cowen_j@bellsouth.net)
North Carolina: Margaret Canneel, 919-612-7674 (ncoperationlifesaver@outlook.com)
Media
Inquiries:
Susan Terpay, 757-823-5204 (susan.terpay@nscorp.com)
Investor Inquiries:
Katie Cook, 757-629-2861 (InvestorRelations@nscorp.com)