City, railroad: Careful near tracks
The latest pedestrian death near the Callahan Street crossing occurred April 3.
Despite three pedestrian deaths on or near the railroad crossing on Callahan Street since 2013, city of Rome and Norfolk Southern Railway officials say they don’t see any easy way to make the crossing any safer than it already is.
Pedestrians, officials said, need to use common sense and stay off railroad property.
Dale R. Frix, 49, of 2008 Woodward St., was the latest casualty near the atgrade crossing in North Rome on April 3.
Frix was walking on the tracks near the crossing when he was struck and killed by a train around 10 p.m. Police said he tried to get out of the way of the train.
Rick Harris, director of communications for Norfolk Southern, said the
railroad’s right of way generally extends from the center of the tracks to 50 feet on either side.
“If you’re walking on the tracks or even on the rocks you are trespassing and are on railroad property,” Harris said.
The crossing, which is clearly marked, has safety arms that rise and fall along with flashing lights and bells.
Kirk Milam, Rome’s public services manager, said there’s no way the crossing arms can keep a pedestrian from walking underneath or around them.
He suggested that many pedestrians use the tracks as the shortest route between two points.
The tracks that cross Callahan Street can be used as an unsafe path from North Broad Street to Hicks Drive and the Home Depot area.
Other incidents at or near the crossing include:
May 4, 2016: A Rome woman survived after crawling out of her car window after it stalled on the tracks at Callahan Street.
Yvonnia McCray told police she
had just gotten the battery replaced in her Honda Fit when the car stopped on the tracks.
Aug. 7, 2015: Mark Anthony Whatley, 44, was killed trying to cross the tracks at Callahan Street.
He lived at 2205 Southern St. in Rome.
Deputy Coroner Gene Proctor said it appeared Whatley was trying to cross the tracks from east to
west when he was struck by a northbound train.
May 12, 2013: Malik Cortez-Lidal Johnson, 17, was killed around midnight.
Police at the time said it appeared Johnson and others were playing chicken, laying on the tracks and seeing who would be the last one to get up before the train came.