Reasons for whistle

In his recent letter, Roy Vail complains that train whistles at railroad crossings in his town are a disturbance to him, and asks why we need trains to whistle for a crossing “at least half a mile away.”

Allow me to explain. A train of 90 to 120 cars weighs approximately 15,000 tons, and at 45-50 mph requires a minimum, on level ground, of 1 to 1½ miles to stop. The Federal Railroad Administration requires a train to whistle for a road crossing 15 to 20 seconds before entering that crossing, giving motorists a chance to move out of harm’s way. Some don’t, and 40 percent of all railroad deaths are related to this. The rule pre-empts state and local governments from initiating a whistle ban. The only exception is where automatic road signals such as crossing lights, bells and or gates are installed. This is determined by the state and/or local government and not by the railroad.

I suggest that Mr. Vail contact Gov. Asa Hutchinson and his local state legislators in Little Rock with his concern for automating railroad crossings in his area, while they are considering financing for future state Department of Transportation projects for 2020 and beyond.

His suggestion for equipping cars with auto-braking technology to stop at a crossing before being hit by a train is both ludicrous and impractical. Even if it were possible, by the time a car senses a train is in its path, it would be too late to avoid a collision.

Besides, the onus of responsibility for safely crossing railroad tracks at a railroad crossing is on the auto driver, not the train engineer. The train, by federal law, has the right-of-way. RICHARD SCHREIBMAN

Fayetteville