10 Officer Safety Tips for Railyards

From Calibre Press | calibrepress.com

Street officers and undercover operatives have been severely injured or killed when foot pursuits or investigations extended onto railroad property. Either they didn’t see or hear a train coming or they failed to take proper precautions around railway property. Officers too often complacently feel safe near railroad tracks when, in fact, the appearance of safety is deceptive. In reality, there are many hazards that create serious risks.

Here are 10 step you can take to counter them, shared by a major urban police department and a railroad company:

  1. Have your dispatcher immediately notify the railroad communications center whenever you are on railroad property for any law enforcement activity, including covert operations. In urban areas you may be able to reference nearby posted street names to establish your exact location. Along the tracks you might also find railroad mileposts. Also, periodically positioned near tracks will be railroad maintenance boxes that look like small metal sheds. These will bear signage that gives a toll-free number for the railway that operates on that track, a nearby street or road name, the nearest milepost number and the DOT ID number. Once the railroad communication center receives information on your presence, it will notify train engineers operating in the area.
  1. Be aware that trains could be on any track traveling in any direction at any time. Railroads operate 24/7, moving tons of materials with tons of equipment that is deadly to tangle with. Trains give the allusion of moving more slowly than they actually are. Also, modern equipment moves more quietly than in the past.
  1. Look along tracks and under stationary rail cars to discover or track suspicious activity rather than crawling under the cars. If absolutely necessary to cross to the other side, use ladders or handrails at the foot bridges located at the end of each car.
  1. As you’re moving near cars, be especially careful near “intermodels,” which are special freight cars that carry stacked shipping containers in which the lower container sits deep in the well of the car. The structure of these cars makes it difficult for you to look down into the well while standing at ground level. Suspects can hide in the well beside the container and from there, launch a surprise attack.
  1. When you are driving in a railroad yard or along access roads, understand that roads running parallel to tracks are often narrow and can end abruptly. This can make it difficult for you to maneuver safely along the tracks, especially at speed, or to turn around.
  1. Moving on foot, watch out for raised drain tiles, switching mechanisms and other potentially hazardous obstacles. Watch for locomotives or other moving equipment that may extend out over the rails as much as three feet. Also keep in mind that chains, cables and metal bands used to secure exposed loads on flatcars can loosen or break during travel and may hang or jut out from a passing train, capable of causing serious injury.
  1. Debris on the tracks can be a threat if you are standing or walking nearby when a train passes. Crushed by train wheels, debris can turn into deadly projectiles.
  1. When crossing tracks, avoid stepping on rails, which can be slippery when wet or icy. Especially don’t step on tracks that can move to switch trains to other rails. These are operated electronically by train dispatchers or signal tower workers who very likely are not in view of the tracks. The tracks can move and close together very quickly.
  1. Another danger point is where railroad tracks cross trestles or bridges. Few of these are built wide enough to safely accommodate a train and a person standing beside it. You could be crushed or snagged by loose clothing or your duty belt and dragged under moving equipment.
  1. If you need to signal an engineer to stop a train, stand a safe distance to the side of the tracks and move your flashlight, a flare or some other bright object side to side until the train comes to a complete halt. Don’t expect instant results. The average freight train moving at 55 mph needs a mile or more to stop. Obviously standing between the rails to signal an oncoming train is suicidal.

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