In 2023 alone there 67 deaths from people trespassing on railroad property, according to the Transport Safety Board of Canada. Train safety is important. Don’t be stupid around trains. You will get hurt or mauled or worse. If you want to live to see another day while train spotting don’t play on the tracks, stop, look and listen at railway crossings and treat trains with respect. A lot of people die from their own stupidity every year. Learning about railway safety is one way to prevent accidents. Getting hit by a train is a horrible way to go out. You can enjoy trains safely if you obey these rules.
Maybe you think playing on the tracks is fun? Maybe you have nothing better to do? Don’t be an idiot! How about that? Go bungee jumping, rock climbing, ride a roller coaster! Do anything but play on the railroad tracks. You are going to get mauled. So many things could happen. You might get hit by a train. If you think you can hear it coming, think again. Trains are a lot quieter when they are going fast. Even though they are huge and noisy they can sneak up on you. They are fast. Think 100km/hr fast. For context, the Trans Canada Hwy speed limit is 90-100km/hr fast. This means they can not stop quickly or easily. Depending on the load, it could take 5-10 minutes to come to a complete stop. By then the coroner will be putting you back together like a soggy thousand piece puzzle. If you think you can just hop off the track before you get hit, be aware that it is really easy to trip and fall on tracks. The tracks are uneven and there is loose ballast (stones). When you see a stopped train do not go between or under them. They could move at any time. Also do not forget that inertia exists. When a train starts moving it will not be smooth and the cars will bump into each other. If you’re stuck in between them, then it is Pancake City. Death by physics. Tracks are not straight and clear. They could be obscured by weeds, sharp curves, bridges, tunnels etc. Speaking of bridges and tunnels. They are for trains, not YOU! The only time that walking on tracks is acceptable is when they are no longer in use or abandoned. You will only know that they are abandoned if they are covered in a thick layer of rust. Even then, make sure to double, triple and quadruple check on the internet. I enjoy walking on the E&N abandoned railroad tracks on Vancouver Island. It is peaceful, fun and safe because I checked and checked and checked that it was abandoned.
Oh, so you’re still not convinced? Think you can beat a train in a race eh? Well think again fool. Stop, look and listen at railway crossings is a basic rule everyone should know. At a railway crossing, if the bells ring, lights flash, the gates come down, stop and wait for the train to pass. Should you stop in a car? Should you stop with a jar? Should you stop on a bike? Should you stop on a trike? Should stop on your feet? Should you stop while you Tweet? The answer is yes. Do not try to beat the train across, you will get hit. Even if it looks like there is no train coming. Occasionally engines are painted dark green and camouflaged into the foliage or the darkness. Search up train vs car accidents and you will see a plethora of idiots losing that bet for all the world to see. Don’t be one of those people.
Alright, if you’re still not convinced, this will convince you to treat trains with respect. Do not train surf. You could get decapitated by a tunnel, low hanging branches, signal gantries, low bridges, etc. Do not pull train stunts for views. Engines are heavy metal monsters that weigh several dozen tonnes. You will get killed. If you die on camera, YouTube will pull your monetization. Trains don’t care how many subscribers you have. I have seen people do some really dumb things for clout. There was this one kid who rode trains like he was California surfer and another that derailed a train just for clicks. Only two engines and a bunch of cars were damaged but that’s still a lot of money. I wouldn’t want to explain that to my parents.
Everyone knows that train safety is important. You can be safe by following the rules and your gut. If your gut tells you, you are doing something stupid, chances are you are doing something stupid. Remember to not play on the tracks, stop, look and listen at railway crossings and treat trains with respect. By now you should be convinced. If not, you might have a serious lack of self preservation. That Darwin Award is on it’s way.