GOSHEN —
Operation Lifesaver volunteers want to make railroad crossings safer for both drivers and pedestrians, and frequently speak to the public about rail safety.
Thursday a local crew of Norfolk Southern employees who are volunteers for the non-profit Operation Lifesaver organization visited the crossings at East Lincoln Avenue and Ninth Street, handing out safety information to nearly 400 people.
Mark Belmonte, a train engineer from Elkhart, said the group visits with the public at crossings such as this about five times a year. This is the second visit to Lincoln Avenue this year, he said.
The Lifesaver volunteers urge residents to learn safe habits around highway-rail intersections and to stay away from railroad rights-of-way. Many of the railroad workers are certified presenters who are available to speak to the public.
Thursday the volunteers thanked and praised pedestrians who crossed the tracks at sidewalks and crosswalks, and had other words for those who walked between tracks or crossed at more dangerous locations.
Mike Johnson, a Goshen schools resource officer, said just last week he made his first announcement at the high school about the pedestrian crossings at railroads. He said those who walk along railroad tracks are subject to arrest on charges of trespassing.
Johnson said he usually gives a first offender a verbal warning, but is not above arresting a trespasser and citing him into juvenile court.
The Lifesaver volunteers have visited Goshen the past four or five years, and are seeing an improvement in pedestrians obeying the law.
“The response is tremendous,” Belmonte said.
He said Indiana is fourth in the nation in the number of rail crossing incidents, including vehicles and pedestrians. Only Texas, California and Illinois have worse records.
But the rail workers speak to the public about rail safety to reduce injuries and deaths because of these incidents.
Scott Felton, an engineer at Elkhart, said the crew spoke with an estimated 400 people Thursday afternoon at Goshen, including drivers and pedestrians.
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Operation Lifesaver volunteers Mark Belmonte, Elkhart, left, and Juan Garcia, Goshen, at right, speak with Tyler LaBar, a Goshen ninth grader, who crossed the railroad tracks at Ninth Street Thursday. The Norfolk Southern workers spoke with nearly 400 people about rail safety at the East Lincoln Avenue and Ninth Street area Thursday. ROD ROWE | THE GOSHEN NEWS
Railroad employees educate pedestrians, drivers about safety
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VIDEO: Fairfield High School Press Box
The building trades program at Fairfield High School is tackling a different project this winter, as they construct the school’s new press box for their football field.
According to teacher Jeff McClure, this is different from other years.
“Normally we build a house every year, but in this case, we didn’t have a house to build this year, due to the economy and all,” he said.
So instead the school gave the class the press box project.
According to principal Ben Tonagel, the project is a “win-win” for both the school and the students.
“Our students get to learn and contribute something to the school corporation,” he said.
Tonagel said that community fundraising and donations of building supplies also helped and has allowed the school to replace it’s old, aging press box.
Students work on the project daily, in two shifts, in the morning and in the afternoon.
For students it is not only a learning opportunity, but a chance to get real world experience, as well as give back to their school.
“This is pretty much just what is going to happen on a construction site, if they get out there and it’s hands on, they like that, they get to do, rather than just learn from a book or video,” McClure said,
“I like [being a part of the construction],” Austin Bontrager, a senior in the class said. “I’ll come to games and say ‘hey, I built that.’”
Junior Travis Eicker agrees.
“Building something on school property, [that] you’ll be able to point out that you built it, that’s a pretty cool experience,” he said.
For the students, they may get more benefits, other than just bragging about being a part of the construtction.
“Maybe they’ll let me sit in it a couple times during football games,” Bontrager said, “[But] I don’t know if they’ll let me.” -
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