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Police presence may see upswing near rails
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The Caltrain board of directors is expected to approve three deputies from the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office to help patrol the transit agency’s tracks.
San Mateo County (Map, News) - With an average of about one death per month since 2006 on its tracks, Caltrain is addressing its primary concern of pedestrian safety by adding three San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office deputies.
Caltrain will add three full-time deputies April 1, the same day its contract with Amtrak police ends. Since 1992, any incident on the tracks has been handled by Amtrak police. The board of directors for Caltrain is expected to approve the move today.
“In order to change the culture that has developed over time of people trying to run the gates and pedestrians trying to cross the tracks, we need appropriate enforcement,” said San Mateo County Supervisor Jerry Hill, a member of the Caltrain board of directors.
The transit agency, which has 33 stations from San Francisco to Gilroy on a span of tracks stretching for 77 miles, has implemented a number of security programs and added millions of dollars of extra fencing in recent years to help stem pedestrian fatalities on the tracks. According to Caltrain, 27 people have been struck and killed on the tracks since 2006.
With the addition of three full-time deputies, Caltrain will have 14 full-time deputies to watch over the tracks. Caltrain’s police officers, called the Transit Police, are the lead investigators and respond to any incident in which someone dies or is injured after being hit by a train or bus. Caltrain has contracted with the county Sheriff’s Office mainly because most of the stations are located within San Mateo County, officials said.
Having more full-time deputies would improve Caltrain safety, said Jonah Weinberg, spokesman for Caltrain and SamTrans, especially as ridership has jumped 21 percent since 2005. More than 36,000 riders are expected this year.
Weinberg said the Transit Police most commonly deal with passenger enforcement. Sometimes passengers refuse to pay their fares once on the train and do not cooperate with conductors. Other times, rowdy riders need to be kicked off the train. Drinking is legal on Caltrain as long as passengers are orderly.
“It’d be nice to have more enforcement on the trains,” said Alicia Watters, who hopped on a northbound train at the Millbrae station Wednesday to get to her home in San Francisco. “Sometimes there are some people who get a little out of control, especially later at night and [when people are drinking].”
The deputies will likely be contracted through mid-2011 at about $200,000 apiece annually. The new deputies will also help patrol SamTrans buses, which are run by the San Mateo County Transit District.
Common reports by transit police
» Reports of trespassers cutting across tracks
» Passengers who refuse to pay for ticket
» Passengers who are too rowdy
» Injuries that occur onboard trains and buses
» Cars that hit buses
» Annual rail crossing citations program in May
» Responding to incidents at major transit centers
Deaths on the tracks
» 10: People hit and killed by Caltrains in 2007/08
» 17: People hit and killed by Caltrains in 2006
*Source: San Mateo County Transportation Authority
Comments from Examiner Readers
1:39 PM MST on Sat., Aug. 9, 2008 re: "Caltrain covets cyclists’ cash"
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8:58 AM MST on Fri., Aug. 8, 2008
re: "Caltrain covets cyclists’ cash"
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5:26 PM MST on Sun., Jul. 27, 2008
re: "Rail plan on track to eminent domain"
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1:31 PM MST on Sat., Jun. 28, 2008
re: "Caltrain leaving bicyclists out in the cold"
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11:43 AM MST on Tue., Apr. 29, 2008
re: "Teen’s death on tracks makes five this year"
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11:59 AM MST on Wed., Apr. 23, 2008
re: "Teen’s death on tracks makes five this year"
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11:21 PM MST on Tue., Apr. 22, 2008
re: "Pedestrian fatality on Caltrain tracks delays train service"
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11:19 PM MST on Tue., Apr. 22, 2008
re: "Pedestrian fatality on Caltrain tracks delays train service"
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10:13 PM MST on Mon., Apr. 21, 2008
re: "Teen’s death on tracks makes five this year"
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12:32 PM MST on Mon., Apr. 21, 2008
re: "Teen’s death on tracks makes five this year"
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12:13 AM MST on Wed., Apr. 9, 2008
re: "Pedestrian fatality on Caltrain tracks delays train service"
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12:08 AM MST on Wed., Apr. 9, 2008
re: "Caltrain back on time after fatal accident"
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12:48 PM MST on Tue., Apr. 8, 2008
re: "Pedestrian fatality on Caltrain tracks delays train service"
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3:46 PM MST on Fri., Feb. 29, 2008
re: "Caltrain back on time after fatal accident"
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11:10 AM MST on Fri., Feb. 29, 2008
re: "Two Caltrain incidents tie up commute for riders"
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9:01 PM MST on Thu., Jan. 17, 2008
re: "Amtrak strike would derail Caltrain service"
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12:01 AM MST on Fri., Dec. 7, 2007
re: "Caltrain to add two evening trains"
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5:30 PM MST on Thu., Dec. 6, 2007
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7:22 PM MST on Wed., Nov. 21, 2007
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2:17 AM MST on Fri., Sep. 7, 2007
re: "Caltrain back on time after fatal accident"
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Professor DeBreeze said:
That guy in the bicycle helmet is super cute.
3 agree | 4 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Caltrain is lying. Bike sharing works for short trips of an hour or less, so the bikes can be reused. Commuters take bikes all day or all night, defeating the purpose. Only one train per day is full for part of the run. Removing empty seats so passengers with bicycles can get on increases farebox revenues. If some riders need to stand for a couple of stops so that other passengers can board at all, it's an ok tradeoff. Caltrain is losing money by not providing for more bikes on trains.
5 agree | 4 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Here we go again--Eminent Domain--one way of forcing home & store owners, residences & renters alike, out of there homes & businesses without recourse. Where can all these folks & businesses relocate? Many have lived in the areas close to Caltrain tracks for years--young, middle age & seniors. The person/persons that proposed this plan isn't thinking of the thousands & thousands of folks that will be affected by this proposal. High speed train to "rush" to Los Angeles area in 2 hours? Why? Doesn't make sense. I, for one will vote NO if the proposal appears on the November ballot. Fran.
10 agree | 6 disagree
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Jonquil said:
Thanks for the article. One point to mention: Caltrain is never, as far as I know, bumping passengers at any station. That means that switching a small amount of capacity from passengers to bicycles is not actually harmful to the non-bicyclists. I, and many other bicyclists, would be happy to buy a ticket for my bicycle to compensate Caltrain for the missing passenger revenues. I need my bicycle at both ends of the commute.
8 agree | 7 disagree
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Ashley Williams said:
The second sentence first part is suppose to say" Man i would hang out with him".
6 agree | 8 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
some people who commented have no heart. a 15-year-old guy died and people seem to have no symphathy. This kid went to my school and although I agree that he shouldn't have been walking on the tracks, he still died and that changes everything. NOBODY deserves to die. This kid was in my brother's class. I can see how his death has affected the school and I wish his family comfort and all my sympathy.
4 agree | 5 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Eddie, do you have no soul? I wonder if Anthony's mom would think thats funny.
8 agree | 5 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
This is pretty scary. I am a fifteen year old boy, just like Anthony, and I take Caltrain to and from school everyday. I can't believe how some people can make sick "natural selection" jokes, if it was your family or friend, you would not.
6 agree | 5 disagree
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Kim ; Anthony's Friend said:
Rest in Paradise, Anthony Rea! We miss you & love you. We were just kickin it the day before,and I didnt know you for that long,but you were easy to click with.And you always have a smile on your face,such a nice guy.Rest in Peace! We love you.
6 agree | 5 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
In the Michael Bulnes Jr. case. The court ruled that the designated path on Caltrain land was unsafe and dangerous, but the engineer was not at fault because the train could not stop fast enough. The jury whom I assume watches too much TV, thought real live was like TV's "CSI", but its not. It appears that the higher educated the juror, the less common sense the person. It's obvious that the conductor has limited power in stopping a moving train on a dime, but that does not mean that Caltrain is not at fault. When history has repeatedly told you that the tracks are unsafe evidenced by the continual slaughtering of our families and friends, some type of light should go on in their head. There have been time tested methods of securing the tracks, but Caltrain refuses to spend the money. I'm sure many commuters agree with the cost saving measures Caltrain is taking, at least until they loose a loved one. I understand that the train is not at fault, but management is.
5 agree | 7 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Love how Mike states the train "slammed" in to the person. Great writing. These people are trespassers. It is private property not a short cut. Unfortunately some people tend to end their lives this way and involve not only crews but passengers. Remember, trains don't swerve.
8 agree | 10 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Aslong as you stay OFF the tracks you have nothing to worry about. Do you go play on the freeway?
8 agree | 6 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
This Weinberg person seems to get a personal thrill every time someone gets smashed by one of these so called miracles of transportation, an almost God like statement of... "TRESPASSER BE DAMMED" is proclaimed. I suppose the same comment would be acceptable for auto/pedestrian accidents as well? These so called baby bullet trains are a huge mistake and do not belong in a heavily populated areas.
5 agree | 6 disagree
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eddie said:
For the bleeding heart liberal who accuses train engineers of murdering tresspassers: it's not murder, it's natural selection at work.
69 agree | 72 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
"fatally killed"? What other way is there to be killed? Getting killed is always fatal. Try "fatally injured", or just "killed".
50 agree | 62 disagree
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Seven said:
Muni killing people and a potential Caltrain shutdown. I love living in this "transit first" city without a car.
99 agree | 102 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Remember the Daylight and the Lark? That was a great way to travel to LA and back. Same track as the Cal Train Commuter, brings back good memories.
129 agree | 109 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
How is it 'murder' when it takes the engineer 2 miles to stop the train? Honestly, if you saw some of the s**t that those train engineers see on a daily basis (people hopping on and off the tracks in front of approaching trains, idiots wearing headphones walking on the tracks) you'd actually start praising CalTrain for the LOW amount of deaths that occur each year.
122 agree | 130 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
All East Coast commuter railroads (NJ Transit, SEPTA, MARC, MTA) as well as Amtrak mix MU's with diesel power!
135 agree | 145 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Makes me sick how CalTrain always calls the people they kill "trespassers", as if they are not humans. CalTrain's way of deflecting responsibility for the many murders they commit each year.
243 agree | 234 disagree
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