A Moment with the Mayor: Train and railway safety

As the train whistle blows, my thoughts pivot to the railway crossings that exist in our community and across the country.

Railway crossing safety is a huge issue across Canada. The railway companies, other organizations and municipalities take time in September of each year to highlight the dangers of railway tracks and crossings to the general public.

For many of us, crossings are more of an inconvenience, but in many cases, the railway tracks existed long before we arrived to cross over them. The original settlers, followed by trains of supplies, merchants and craftspeople, followed on trains. Our goods of the past and to this day move 24 hours a day on the rails, crisscrossing our country. In Western Canada, crossings exist at every road intersection with the railroad. Many crossings are marked with unlit signs and indicated by a giant X. Trains mark their approach to crossings with a distinctive horn. We are all responsible for obeying the signs and sounds of railway crossings and trains.

Please stop and give the train the right of way. At other crossings, flashing lights and bells mark the arrival of the train, even further safety enhancements such as stop arms have been added to railway crossings to help eliminate accidents. Each safety device must be obeyed to make a difference in safety.

Over the years, the Look, Listen, Live campaign has helped raise awareness about these railway crossings for those on foot, cycling or other means of transportation. As more and more individuals are using earbuds to communicate or listen to their devices, this causes us not to pay as much attention to flashing lights, bells and horns. The campaign encourages us to take a second look both ways, take a moment to remove our earbuds and listen for signs of a train approaching.

Every train engineer or conductor goes to work each day and wants an eventless day on the job. We can all help them with their goals. No matter if you drive a vehicle, walk or jog or ride a bike or scooter, please look, listen and continue to live when you approach a railway crossing in and around our community.

Thank you for making a difference in railway safety.

Mayor Gerald S. Aalbers
City of Lloydminster

All rail crossings in Lloydminster are operated by Canadian National or Canadian Pacific, which Transport Canada regulates. Neither the Province of Alberta, the Province of Saskatchewan, nor the City of Lloydminster is responsible for regulating crossings.

To report a rail crossing concern, contact Transport Canada at 1-613-998-2985 or toll-free at 1-844-897-7245. Reports can also be made by email at railsafety@tc.gc.ca.