CSX Urges Extra Caution Around Railroad Tracks During Summer Travel Season

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., May 27, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As AAA projects the highest Memorial Day weekend travel rate since 2005, and schools around the country begin to release their students to the freedom of summer vacation, CSX CSX and its employees remind drivers and pedestrians to exercise extreme caution around railroad tracks.

"To help keep our neighbors and travelers safe, CSX urges everyone to always expect a train at highway-rail crossings, obey all warning signals and devices, and stay off of railroad tracks, which are designed for trains, not pedestrians," said Katie Kisner, regional manager – community affairs and safety.

CSX offers these important tips for staying safe around railroad tracks:

• Always expect a train. Freight trains do not follow set schedules. Consider all tracks actively used. A train could come by at any time and from any direction.
• Be aware that trains cannot stop quickly. A freight train moving at 55 miles per hour can take a mile or more to stop once the emergency brakes are applied – that's equivalent to 18 football fields.
• The train you see is closer than you think. If you see a train approaching, wait for it to go by before you proceed across the tracks.
• Never walk along railroad tracks – remember that trains are wider than the tracks. Freight trains can overhang the tracks by up to three feet on either side. Bridges and tunnels often are only wide enough to accommodate the train, with no extra space for anyone or anything on either side.
• Never wear headphones or text while near railroad tracks. Modern trains are quieter than most people expect. Many pedestrians don't hear a train approaching because they're listening to music or distracted by their phones.
• Never race a train to a highway-rail crossing. Even if you tie, you lose.
• Never drive around lowered gates. It's illegal and deadly. If you suspect a signal is malfunctioning, call the CSX Public Safety Coordination Center at 1-800-232-0144.

CSX actively promotes safety around railroad tracks throughout the year. The company's "Play it Safe" initiative stresses the importance of staying safe around trains and tracks through a partnership with NASCAR. NASCAR driver Chris Buescher, who drives the #34 car for Front Row Motorsports, will be racing at Charlotte Motor Speedway in North Carolina this weekend in a commemorative "Play it Safe" car.

CSX also works closely with Operation Lifesaver Inc., a nonprofit public safety education and awareness organization dedicated to reducing collisions, fatalities and injuries at highway-rail crossings and on or near railroad tracks. Operation Lifesaver provides training videos and other resources at www.oli.org.

For more information about safe rail practices and CSX's commitment to safety in the communities it serves, please visit www.csx.com/responsibility.

About CSX

CSX, based in Jacksonville, Florida, is a premier transportation company.  It provides rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services and solutions to customers across a broad array of markets, including energy, industrial, construction, agricultural, and consumer products.  For nearly 190 years, CSX has played a critical role in the nation's economic expansion and industrial development.  Its network connects every major metropolitan area in the eastern United States, where nearly two-thirds of the nation's population resides.  It also links more than 240 short-line railroads and more than 70 ocean, river and lake ports with major population centers and farming towns alike.