<> Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Take one firefighter or police officer and have
> them watch down the tracks
> They see a headlight, fire up a road flare or
> high powered flashlight
> Wave it in a horizontal side to side motion facing
> the on comming train
> Engineer should see it, and big hole the train
> Whats so hard about that?


While this may be obvious to most railfans, it is
not obvious to most firefighters and law enforcement
officers -- unless someone has explained it to them.

As I mentioned in an earlier thread, this is one of
the things that Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI), tries
to cover in taining sessions for emergency responders.
That group includes law enforcement, firefighters,
paramedics, et al.


As a result of the earlier discussion, I have now put
together a flagging kit which I have put in my car. It
includes three red flags, each about a foot square on an
18-inch handle. Why three flags? Because I may have
others with me who could also be sent out to try to flag
approaching trains. (And I had just enough red cloth
material to make three flags.)

I have also added information on flagging procedures
to the safety chapter in my The Basic Railfan Book
and will add it to the online version of that chapter on
my Web site in the near future.


I plan to attend a state (N.C.) quarterly OLI meeting
within the next week. I'll bring this issue up there,
too, to make sure this subject is getting adequate
coverage in training sessions. Later this year, the
N.C. chapter and NS are operating an OLI safety train,
for which a number of law enforcement and other public
officials are invited. The procedure for flagging
trains could be covered during the safety presentations
on that train, too. And, I'll suggest that it be
included.

-- Ernest