Please use additional care when approaching or crossing railroad tracks. Rail traffic in Montana is on the rise. The rise in traffic has also resulted in a rise in motorist near misses and collisions at railroad grade crossings.
Last Friday, a unit from the Frenchtown Fire Department collided with a Montana Rail Link Train. Luckily there were no injuries in the incident. However, a valuable piece of emergency response equipment has been taken out of service possibly needing to be totally replaced.
The speed and distance of a train are very hard to judge. Trains can require a mile or more to stop. A last minute decision to cross the tracks can result in a collision or derailment.
Plan your route to eliminate or reduce crossing tracks. If you must cross railroad tracks, make sure that everyone on the vehicle acknowledges the way is clear before proceeding.