By admin 
The media rode along on a Union Pacific Railroad locomotive to stress the need for safety at street crossings.
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Wednesday’s event in Stockton also involved the Amtrak Gold Runner and Altamont Corridor Express passenger lines. Both of them count on drivers and pedestrians to respect the crossing arms as they move between the Central Valley and Bay Area.
The gathering was at the joint Amtrak/ACE depot on the east side of downtown. UP ran its freight locomotive along nearby streets.
“You can’t really guess when that train is going to arrive,” said Peggy Ygbuhay, senior director of public affairs for UP. “… Use some patience, and we’ll all be safe out there.”
The event, part of National Rail Safety Month, also urged help for people thinking of ending their lives on the tracks. They can call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, in English and Spanish around the clock.
Ignoring the crossing arms can be fatal
Rail crossings have warning lights and bells for approaching trains, and arms that swing down to block cars. They must activate at least 20 seconds in advance. The engineer must sound the horn at least a quarter-mile ahead of each intersection.
Driving around a crossing arm is illegal, and was fatal to a motorist suspected of doing this in Empire in June 2025. The nation had a total of 285 rail-crossing deaths last year, according to the Federal Railroad Administration.
UP has a busy line roughly parallel to Highway 99. It passes through the downtowns of Modesto, Ceres and Turlock on its way south.
A corridor to the east serves the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, including Riverbank, east Modesto, Empire and Denair. Amtrak has two stations along the stretch.
Long, slow freight trains might be annoying, but the traffic would be far worse if all of that cargo were on separate trucks. And rail is essential to the Valley’s vast food and beverage industries.
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Aiding people in crisis along tracks
The event featured Operation Lifesaver, a national rail safety program, and a pledge to spread the word by the local partners. Chris Orlando, chief executive officer for both passenger lines, mentioned the 988 line.
“Looking out for one another means making sure anyone who is struggling or in crisis knows help is available,” he said.
The Gold Runner offers seven daily round trips between Bakersfield and Sacramento or Oakland. ACE has four weekday trips for commuters to parts of the Bay Area.
Passenger trains would nearly double with the planned expansion of Amtrak and ACE. The effort has been delayed by cost and design challenges.
Crossing arms no longer are needed if the street gets an overpass or underpass at the tracks. This has been done at numerous locations, enhancing safety while reducing train horn noise.
A long stretch of such improvements could allow a train to exceed the current federal speed limit of 79 mph. Amtrak and ACE already use locomotives that can reach 125 mph.
The limit will be 220 mph on the high-speed system under construction between Madera and Kern counties. It is designed to be completely separate from freight trains and to connect with Amtrak and ACE.
This story was originally published September 25, 2026 at 2:55 PM with the headline “Trains can kill as they move Valley freight, people. Railroad urges safety at crossings.”
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