Gates would save pedestrians' lives
The death count rises while Metra and local officials argue about who should be responsible for installing gates at pedestrian walkways in passenger train stations. Meanwhile, the public is again tragically reminded of the need for such gates. The two men recently struck and killed by Metra trains are only two of the many whose lives could have been saved had gates at pedestrian walkways been in place in all Metra stations.
Ten-year-old Michael S. Delarco was killed by a Metra express train on Feb. 23, 2004. He, his family, and the rest of the passengers who had disembarked from their eastbound train, attempted to cross the tracks via a pedestrian walkway at the River Grove station. Engineers of the train from which Michael and the other passengers had disembarked began, in violation of Metra safety rules, to move out of the station. This left Michael, his family, and the other passengers vulnerable to extreme danger. However, they had no way of knowing their lives were threatened as they proceeded to cross the tracks via the pedestrian walkway. Had a gate been in place at the walkway, it would have been down as were the gates at the vehicle crossing, thereby, blocking Michael and the others from crossing t he tracks. Without the gate, Michael and the others had no protection against the express train that came barreling through the station. The engineer of the express train was also found in violation of Metra's safety rules.
Downed gates, especially at busy train stations, serve as a warning to most people to stop and assess the situation ahead.
Metra has maintained its position against gates at pedestrian walkways. Metra responds to requests for these gates with the opinion that people will walk across the tracks in spite of them.
Those who are careless or bent on committing suicide may cross the tracks in spite of the gates, but if one life could be saved, Metra would gain the respect of the public, and a family would be spared the never ending anguish of losing a loved one.
Mary E. Keenan
Schaumburg