High Rate of Train Accidents Sparks Police Ticketing at Metra Station

This article is part of a two-part series. Part one ran Thursday: Commuters Ignore Metra Crossing Warning Signs at Own Peril.

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Northwest Union Pacific freight trains use the same tracks as Metra commuter trains, so it’s not uncommon for a freight train to pass a Metra letting off passengers at a station. People crossing over while the alarms are going may not see or hear the train, which can be hidden by the one they just departed, and they risk being hit by the freight. 

Police monitor the station as part of an initiative by Northwest Union Pacific and Metra to keep grade railway crossings safe for motorists and pedestrians. 

Illinois ranks third in the number of fatal accidents involving trains and pedestrians or vehicles in 2009 at railway crossings, according to the Federal Railroad Administration. 

In that year, there were a total of 1,028 train accidents in Illinois, the second highest in the country. Of that number, 50 nonfatal accidents and 18 deaths occurred at railway crossings involving motorists and/or pedestrians. 

Jason Blake of Crystal Lake said he supports the efforts by police to keep the crossings and platforms safe for pedestrians. 

“I’ve seen people cross when the train is real close. I don’t think they realize how fast the train is going. If someone trips and falls, it’s all over,” he said. 

Brandon Roby of Crystal Lake is aware of police at the Metra station, although he is not a frequent commuter. 

Roby said he hadn’t seen anyone ticketed and thinks the police presence and ticketing is overkill.

“Why throw water on a fire that hasn’t happened?” he asked. 

Jerome Davis also didn’t support the ticketing. A regular commuter, he’s seen many people get ticketed for racing across the tracks at the last minute. He claims he’s seen police allow a commuter to cross and then write a ticket. 

“There must be a better use of their time and resources. I’ve never seen anyone in danger, and I think there’s probably a better way to raise public awareness,” he said.

The Lakewood resident said that people probably weren’t aware of the bright neon-colored warning sign listing the fines, which had been posted only in June, although the Metra warning signs have been there for much longer. 

Ultimately, he suspected police are guilty of excessive ticketing to increase revenue for the city.

Police Cmdr. Dan Dziewior said the city only gets a very small percentage of the fines, which goes into the city’s general fund. The majority of the fines go to county projects. 

The fines are set by the state, not police, he said. The fines are high to discourage people from risking their lives to catch a train. 

Officers stationed at the site have their videos running in the squad cars 90 percent of the time, which are submitted as evidence to the court. 

“Nobody ever disputes they broke the law,” he said. “But they don’t think they should be ticketed for it.” 

In June, Crystal Lake police joined other area communities in the International Level Crossing Awareness Day initiated by the Union Pacific Railroad Police Department to educate drivers and pedestrians to respect railroad property and become aware of the “rules of the road” when approaching or crossing railroad grade level crossings. 

Dziewior said that the effort hasn’t changed commuter’s behavior when it comes to running across the tracks when the warning signs go off. 

“Without exaggeration, every day someone gets a ticket,” he said.