Here is an article that was on another group site. It was very well done from the viewpoint of a railroad engineer. It is well worth reading
DO'S AND DON'TS AROUND TRAINS
Let's start with some DON'TS.
1) A train is really, really big. Can we all accept that? Not even your
Ram 2500 / F350 / Hummer / C3500 is a match for a locomotive. You say
you have a Cummins diesel? DuraMax? Power Stroke? /Oooooooh!, WOW!
/ Well I have an EMD 567 on a /bad/ day, and even with its pathetic
eighteen-hundred horsepower it will pound you and your gleaming pickup
into the fourth dimension, so please, STAY BEHIND THE WHITE LINE! And
don't even try to run around the gates...
2) I hate blocking crossings. Seriously, I feel like a complete pain
when I stop a train in the middle of the road and leave two dozen
motorists to ponder their lattes and ask what the hell I'm doing. The
truth is, sometimes it has to be done, so don't honk at me, flip me off,
or scream at me from the window of your Dodge Caravan as you're shooting
a U-ie. Instead, be patient and try to believe that there's a point to
what I'm doing. It's called switching, and my conductor is depending on me to
work slowly and not run his butt over..
3) Don't climb on the equipment. I hate to sound like your mother, but
you're saving me a lot of paperwork and horrifying flashbacks by staying off the
equipment. To you it might look like an abandoned train or a free ride, but when
that SOB starts to move with you on it, there's a damn good chance you won't be
able to hold on. As long as you're on Wikipedia, punch in "slack action" and see
what comes up. Also, the romance of riding freight trains is total BS. They're
really dark, really cold, really windy, and hobos are really SCARY.
4) Don't put crap on the tracks. It's dangerous to me and my conductor, and it's
ten times more dangerous for you and everyone else on the ground. If you're
wondering "can a train go over a rock?" the answer is YES. There's only one
problem. You probably haven't wondered where the million shards of rock are
going to go at four times the speed of sound, have you?
5) Stop whining about the horn. Countless accidents have been avoided
because drivers missed the flashing lights but heard the horn. You'd
have to blast Miley Cyrus and Lil' Bow Wow really,really, loud to drown
out a five-chime, and often that's the only thing that saves people.
Still, that's no reason to keep your stereo at 120 decibels as you're
rolling through a crossing at sixty without looking both ways.
6) By and large, railroad cops are major pains, so when you're
trespassing on railroad property, keep your head out of your butt. These
guys didn't make it into the real police force, and they will ream your
sorry butt inside and out to make up for it. Also, walking on bridges
and in tunnels is extremely dangerous. Ask yourself: If a train comes,
where will I go? Trains are much wider than the rails they run on, so
don't be fooled.
Now for some of the DO'S.
1) If you see a large object (like a garbage can or an F350) that's
about to get love-tapped by a hotshot freight train, get in the clear.
If the wreckage is about to fly at a railroad crossing, run to the side
of the street that the train is coming from. That way you'll be behind
the point of impact and you won't have to worry about catching that
beautiful pickup and its over-confident driver square on your shoulders.
If you run away from the train you're just putting yourself in the line
of fire, and the death toll could very possibly be increased by 1.
2) If the gates stay down and the lights stay flashing, stay where you
are. I can almost guarantee there's another train coming, and speeding
onto the tracks the moment the first train clears is a lot like
celebrating a touchdown too early. WHAM.
3) When you're waiting for a train to pass, it's a good idea to stay
back thirty or forty feet. Trains are operated by professionals, but
often they're loaded by total clowns. I've heard some real nasty stories
about payloads falling off flatcars and crushing people in their
vehicles, or doors sliding off boxcars and ripping through everything in
their path. It's rare, but it happens!
4) Always report problems or suspicious activity. If you see a
photographer with a radio scanner and a big notebook, ignore him. We
know that guy. But if there's a dude in street clothes working a
crowbar through a signal box, hit us up and tell us what the deal is.
Railroad crossings usually have signs with emergency numbers, or you can
call the non-emergency number for your local fuzz. If an accident has
already occurred or a life is at risk, call 911 instead. Pretty sure
they have our number too.
5) Last but not least, when you're inconvenienced by a train, remember
that we're pulling for you! Trains are a great way to conserve fuel,
reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and keep American jobs alive and green.
Rail technology is the best solution to our energy crisis, and as the
rail network grows in the years to come, it's important for everyone to
stay safe. Stop, Look ,Listen, *&* *LIVE ! ! !*
