Cochrane Alberta - Next week will mark six months since Lamont Murphy was killed by a train in Cochrane and his mother, Kari, is dismayed that nothing appears to have been done since then to prevent accidents like this in the future.
 
"From that point on, my life as well as the lives of extended family, friends, and community members have been rocked with grief and anger," said Murphy, who was the second mother in Cochrane to lose a child last summer.
 
"Three weeks prior to Lamont's death, another young citizen of Cochrane, also lost his life on the same train tracks less than one kilometre from where Lamont died. I believe it's time for Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) to put money along with their pledges to safety. It is time for a change."
 
Following these accidents, CP launched their safety pledge campaign and the Town of Cochrane put renewed efforts into public education surrounding train tracks and their partnerships with local groups that work with people who have mental illnesses.
 
However, neither party was willing to contribute money to improving the local railway infrastructure and today the fences downtown, where there are any, remain in the same state of disrepair as they did when two young Cochranites were struck and killed.
 
"There are many locations where the chain link fencing is either non-existent or in need of repair," said Murphy, stressing the need for the fences to be maintained otherwise people will continue to trespass.
 
"For example, the chain link fence in the same area where my son lost his life, is today in the same state of disrepair as it was on the night when he died."
 
It's not just those who want a shortcut who are around the tracks, but homeless youth and migrant workers with no where else to go and sleep nearby.
 
Ideally a solid wall would go up as a permanent solution, which could also be used as a beautifying feature of the Historic Downtown and sound blocker, but even a chain link fence can make people use the legal crossings or make someone contemplating suicide reconsider while trying to climb a high fence topped with barbed wire.
 
"I do understand that, if a person is determined to cross the tracks in an unsafe location there is no preventing it," said Murphy, but adds that anything that can make someone reconsider or distract them from their decision can save a life.
 
"Research shows that even a short distraction can prevent a person who is contemplating suicide from attempting suicide. Walking the length of a chain link fence to a road crossing could be the five or 10 minute distraction needed to prevent a person from following through on their plan, therefore saving a life."
 
Instead of getting assurances something is being done, all Kari has heard from the Town and CP is that it is not their responsibility while stating that safety is a priority for them.
 
"No one even seems to know who's in charge of this," said Murphy.
 
"From what I can tell the thought didn't cross their mind that maybe we should do something about it. It's embarrassing that we can put up bridges over the highway for rabbits but not to put up a chain link fence," said Murphy, noting that too many people are able to access the tracks running through downtown, especially students and people leaving the local bars.
 
"I think we're at an information gathering point now," said MP Blake Richards, who had met Lamont a few times and has been in touch with Kari, who he is glad to see championing better railway safety in town.
 
David Feil.