Public Safety
Contacts
Programs
Operation Lifesaver
KCSR and KCSM are avid supporters of the Operation Lifesaver program in the U.S., as well as Mexico, where it is known as Alto Total. Operation Lifesaver is a non-profit, international continuing public education program, first established in 1972 to end collisions, deaths and injuries at places where roadways cross train tracks, and on railroad rights-of-way. Operation Lifesaver programs are sponsored cooperatively by federal, state and local government agencies; highway safety organizations and railroads.
Grade Crossing Consolidation
The public safety programs include aggressive efforts to close public, private and unauthorized grade crossings, thereby eliminating the opportunity for a collision. Crossings targeted for closure are normally those near other crossings that allow access to the same roads or areas and crossings that are not currently used or that have low traffic volumes. Closures of public crossings are organized with the cooperation of local government. In the U.S. states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas, agreements are in place to enhance the safety of entire corridors. In Mexico, a similar process is being organized.
Right of Way & Warning Device Maintenance
KCSR and KCSM invest millions of dollars annually to maintain the right of way near public crossings and to maintain the warning devices that are installed there. As much as practical, vegetation and potential obstructions on the right of way are removed. Each public at-grade crossing approach is required to have a crossbuck to warn the vehicle traffic at the crossing. If active warning devices (flashers and/or gates) have been installed by the state or roadway jurisdiction, the railroad usually maintains these devices. Additionally, active warning devices are regularly inspected, maintained and repaired to help assure proper function every time a train approaches a crossing.