Efforts were a part of International Level Crossing Awareness Day

LOS ANGELES - As part of International Level Crossing Awareness Day, the Southern California Rail Safety Team (SCRST) conducted a series of directed enforcements targeting all traffic/pedestrian trespasser violators along rail corridors involving the cities of Los Angeles, San Diego, Pomona, Glendale, Riverside, Jurupa, and the City of Industry on Wednesday, June 3.

The day resulted in a total of 247 citations, along with nearly 100 warnings.

Nationally and in more than 43 countries the message was the same: "Act Safely at Railroad Crossings - See Tracks, Think Train."

SCRST partners Union Pacific, Metrolink, Amtrak, BNSF Railway and Operation Lifesaver partnered with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, the California Highway Patrol, the Riverside and Pomona police departments, along with investigators from the California DMV to encourage drivers and pedestrians to engage in safe behavior at crossings.

In Riverside County 27 citations were issued, while in Pomona and along San Fernando Road an additional 13 were issued. There were also three vehicles impounded in Pomona, accompanying more than a dozen warnings, while the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department issued more than a half dozen additional citations across three various lines.

In the City of Industry, 52 citations were issued, with four warnings given.

BNSF partnered with the San Diego Police, the San Diego Harbor Police, the San Diego Sheriffs and the Amtrak Police departments to issue 187 traffic citations, 53 traffic warnings, record two misdemeanor arrests, and had two vehicles towed.

Law enforcement agencies have issued the citations to both drivers and pedestrians for rail-related code violations such as trespassing, failing to stop at railroad-crossing signals, and driving around lowered railroad-crossing gates.

The targeted set of rail and grade crossings along these corridors, used by BNSF, Amtrak, Metrolink and Union Pacific Railroad are active 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The high volume of vehicular traffic traversing these grade crossings, along with the amount of train movement, result in a high number of crossing violations where collisions have occurred.

ABOUT METROLINK (www.metrolinktrains.com)

Metrolink is Southern California's regional commuter rail service in its 23^rd year of operation. The Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA), a joint powers authority made up of an 11-member board representing the transportation commissions of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties, governs the service. Metrolink operates over seven routes through a six-county, 512 route-mile network, which includes a portion of northern San Diego County. Metrolink is the third largest commuter rail agency in the United States based on directional route miles and the eighth largest based on annual ridership.

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