ORANGE, Calif., Aug. 28, 2019 / -- In recognition of September Rail Safety Month and U.S. Rail Safety Week, the Amtrak® Pacific Surfliner® will highlight the importance of safety around train tracks with a public education and outreach event on September 1 in collaboration with California Operation Lifesaver (CAOL) and the Los Angeles Angels.
The Pacific Surfliner will host a booth featuring rail safety experts from CAOL at Angel Stadium prior to the Angels game. Attendees will learn valuable tips for staying safe around railroad tracks, including those used by the Pacific Surfliner between San Diego, Los Angeles and San Luis Obispo.
Andrew Heaney, a starting pitcher for the Angels, recently recorded a rail safety radio spot in partnership with the Pacific Surfliner encouraging fans to follow rail safety rules. "There are certain things that fans can't do in baseball, like interfering with a ball in play," Heaney says in the radio spot. "When it comes to rail safety, there are rules too." The radio spot will run through September on Angels Radio 830AM KLAA.
September is Rail Safety Month in California, and September 22 – 28, 2019 is U.S. Rail Safety Week across the nation. California leads the nation in annual fatalities due to highway-rail grade crossing and trespassing incidents, according to CAOL and the Federal Railroad Administration.
Most incidents are preventable by following simple safety rules, including:
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Never walk on or along train tracks; it's illegal trespassing and highly dangerous.
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Remember to cross train tracks only at designated pedestrian or roadway crossings, and obey all warning signs and signals posted there.
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Stay alert around railroad tracks. No texting, headphones or other distractions that would prevent you from hearing an approaching train; never mix rails and recreation.
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When boarding the Pacific Surfliner, remember to stay behind the marked safety line on the station platform and use handholds as you board.
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Report suspicious items, persons, or activity immediately to the Amtrak Police Department by approaching a uniformed officer, calling (800) 331-0008, sending a text to APD11 (27311), or by calling 911. Enter these numbers in your cellphone.
"Every year, hundreds of people die needlessly on or near California's railroad tracks," said Nancy Sheehan-McCulloch, Executive Director of California Operation Lifesaver. "It's critical that we keep educating the public about the dangers of walking, jogging, and taking pictures on or near the tracks, which is not only illegal, but also very dangerous."
For more information or to request a free rail safety presentation, visit http://www.pacificsurfliner.com/safety, http://www.caol.us, or https://oli.org.
About the Pacific Surfliner
The Pacific Surfliner travels along a 351-mile coastal rail route through San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo counties, serving 27 stations. It is the busiest state-supported intercity passenger rail route in the United States with 24 daily trains and annual ridership of nearly 3 million. To learn more and plan a trip, visit PacificSurfliner.com.
About the LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency
The Los Angeles – San Diego – San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency (Agency) is a joint powers authority composed of rail owners, operators, and planning agencies along the entire LOSSAN rail corridor. In addition to working to improve passenger rail ridership, revenue, on-time performance, operational flexibility, and safety, the LOSSAN Agency assumed management responsibility for the Pacific Surfliner service in July 2015, following the execution of an interagency transfer agreement with the state of California. For more information, visit lossan.org.
About the Los Angeles Angels
The Los Angeles Angels joined Major League Baseball as an expansion team in 1961 and have since gone on to win nine American League Western Division Championships, host three All-Star games and capture the 2002 World Series Championship. Over its 59-year history, the franchise also boasts four MVP’s, two Cy Young winners, three Rookie of the Year winners, 38 Rawlings Gold Glove winners and 156 All-Stars. Visit the Angels online at Angels.com, follow on Twitter and Instagram @Angels and like on Facebook at facebook.com/Angels. For media information, visit angelspressbox.com.
Media Contact:
Nicole Freeman, The ACE Agency, nicole@theaceagency.com
