Re: BNSF Train Almost Hit Firefighters in Oakley, Calif (video link)
Author: CCTGM
Date: 10-14-2018 - 23:32
Let’s wait for the facts to come out. As a person who has trained 1st responders for over 30 years on railroad hazmat and railroad emergency response. One of the 1st parts of the class is on how to contact and railroad using the 800 ENS number at every crossing. We explain how to stop a train and how to go 2 miles on either side of an incident with fusees to give the proper sign to stop a train and not to foul the track until they confirm with trains are stopped. At the classes I have the phone numbers for the railroads in the area where I teach and a map showing the rail lines in the area and how to tell from the ENS number and sign which railroad it is. Oakley is only a BNSF point and while Contra Costa fire has UP lines in the county if the fire crew gave a crossing ID number that would Identify the location for the railroad. Both UP and BNSF emergency numbers when called will always ask for an crossing ID number off the ENS sign so there is no confusion about which railroad. We need to know how long between the call and when the track was fouled until when the train arrived as it take a few minutes from the Railroads emergency call center to get the information relayed to the correct dispatchers desk. So again before any one blames anyone lets wait for the facts. I have taught classes in Contra Costa County and always were very attentive in the classes and great to work with as are all the 1st responders I have worked with over the years.