Railroads: Don’t take photos on train tracks
This is an image from Union Pacific's safety cmpaign urging people not to take photos on train tracks.
The graphic shows the number of train-related fatal accidents in the last few years. Suicides not included.
Railroad tracks are a popular location for photographs.
Aside from a symbol of history, the tracks provide the beauty of the vanishing point, which makes the background of the photo seem endless.
However, railroad officials want people to seek alternatives when it comes to taking family and senior portraits.
Officials remind the public to stay off of the railroad tracks.
To drive that point home, Union Pacific Railroad officials launched a new social media campaign, which urges photographers and high school seniors to not take pictures on or near train tracks.
“This issue of photographers on railroad tracks is not new,” said Francisco Castillo, Union Pacific spokesman. “Tracks have always been a popular place to take photos. We want to educate individuals about trespassing and how it’s not safe.”
Castillo said every three hours, a person or a vehicle is hit by a train in the United States.
However, people see photos of people on the track on social media and think it is a good idea, but Castillo assures the public that it is illegal and dangerous.
According to the Federal Railroad Administration, more than 500 people in the United States were killed in 2014 while walking or standing on railroad property.
“We’re aiming to spread wide awareness,” Castillo said.
Through a series of videos, the campaign compares the dangers of snapping photos on the tracks to posing for senior pictures on a busy highway. Neither are safe locations. The campaign launched on social media channels Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
The problems of being on the tracks goes beyond taking a picture. Castillo said people use the tracks as shortcuts, not realizing how dangerous it can be.
People assume that locomotives are loud and slow.
However, especially in rural areas, Castillo said the trains move quickly and surprisingly quietly. Before a person notices, it is too late.
“Everyone should assume that a train can come at any time,” Castillo said.
Utah train tracks are not only used for moving freight. FrontRunner zips north and south carrying commuters.
Utah Transit Authority spokesman Remi Barron said overall accidents in Utah are running about the same as last year.
Luckily, there has not been a fatal accident within the entire UTA system in the past year and a half, he said.
UTA asks motorists to be extra cautious when approaching railroad crossings and that pedestrians should stay off the tracks entirely, except when using a designated crossing — when it is safe to do so.
People need to obey the traffic signals and look both ways before crossing, as well as pay attention.
Distractions are dangerous around railroad tracks, so UTA officials ask that people refrain from texting and talking on the phone and that they remove earbuds when crossing.
When UTA officials talk to groups or schools about rail safety, they point out the dangers of “handhelds, hoodies and headphones,” which can all be dangerous to use around railroad tracks.
Weber County Sheriff’s Lt. Lane Findlay said for his department, the biggest concern is along west 12th Street, where the Weber River goes under a bridge. The area is known as Three Mile Bridge, because of its proximity to mile marker 3, and is a popular site for swimming and fishing.
“It’s kind of a cool old bridge that goes across the river,” Findlay said. “Most of the time, they stay down by the river, but sometimes we’ll get people on the tracks.”
So far, Findlay is not aware of anyone getting hurt, but there is always that potential
“It just falls into that category of general safety, of using common sense,” Findlay said. “You have a large train that can’t stop on a dime.”
In the end, people just need to realize that tracks are not a place to play on, and they need to respect the fact that it is private property.
“Just stay off of the tracks, plain and simple, and I think most people understand that.”
Aside from local law enforcement, Union Pacific has its own police department that patrols the 32,000 miles of track in 23 states, especially hot spots.
They have the right to issue citations, which can be about $300 or more for trespassing.
“When they do issue a citation, we hope they are saving someone’s life,” Castillo said. “Safety is the highest priority at Union Pacific.”
As high schoolers prepare for the next school year, Castillo said Union Pacific hopes they and their photographers choose different locations for their school portraits.
Union Pacific invites photographers and the class of 2016 to share the Senior Photo Safety videos available at www.up.com/PhotoSafety with the hashtag #TracksAreForTrains.
As an incentive, photographers and the class of 2016 can share their senior photos taken in creative locations using the hashtag #SafeSeniorPhoto.
“Being a senior in high school should be a milestone for a teen,” Castillo said, “not one that changes their lives forever.”
Contact Jesus Lopez Jr. at 801-625-4239 or jlopez@standard.net. Follow him on Twitter at @jesuslopezSE and like him on Facebook at facebook.com/JesusLopezSE.