Regina police found the body of a 32-year-old man on the tracks Sunday morning - 19 Aug 2012 Don Healy.

20 August 2012

Death Spurs Train Track Fence Debate

Regina Saskatchewan - With three incidents in the last 20 months two fatal safety concerns are being raised about the Canadian Pacific Railway line near 8th Avenue and Broder Street.
 
The latest incident on Sunday morning was reported to police after a 32-year-old man was found dead on the tracks by CP workers. When the RPS officers arrived at the scene at 7:54 a.m., they concluded the man, whose name hasn't been released by police, had been dragged for about 27 metres by the train. Elizabeth Popowich, spokesperson for the Regina Police Service, said that although police previously suggested the man may have tried to jump onto the moving train, it is possible he may have not have seen the train at all.
 
With respect to safety issues, Popowich said people need to practice "good safety strategies" because trains don't have the ability to stop quickly enough to avoid colliding with a pedestrian or a motor vehicle.
 
The first fatality on the tracks was on 17 Jan 2011, when a 24-year-old woman apparently crawled underneath a train when it was stopped and was dragged once it started moving. CP employees found her remains at 1:53 a.m. Earlier this summer on 14 Jul 2012, a man was struck by a train on the tracks at around 10 p.m. He survived and was sent to hospital with minor injuries.
 
Kevin Hrysak, a CP spokesperson, said the incident is tragic and a "grim reminder" that people need to cross railway property at the designated locations and that it is unsafe to climb onto any type of rail equipment.
 
CP participates in public education campaigns such as Rail Safety Week and speaks to students at schools about rail safety, he said.
 
Signs are posted at the tracks, including at 8th Avenue, warning the public that tracks are private property and that trespassers will be prosecuted. CP police also perform "blitzes" to inform motor vehicle drivers and pedestrians about dangers and infractions of violating rail safety.
 
In terms of whether a fence should be constructed along the tracks at 8th Avenue, Hrysak points out CP has about 24,000 kilometres of tracks in its network, and can't build fences around all of it.
 
A fence at this location is something that could be discussed with the city, but Hrysak added in general a fence doesn't serve as a deterrent because "it's just cut constantly and people continue to trespass."
 
Coun. Wade Murray (Ward 6) said that it is up to CP to build a fence because it is their property, but also acknowledged that even with a fence, people who want to get onto the tracks are going to find a way to do so.
 
"The reality is how much more can we do and what should we be tasked with doing?" said Murray. "Obviously, we need to take care of people and that's our priority."
 
Terrence Mceachern.