QUOTE: CSX President Michael Ward's Response Yesterday and today, the New York Times published lengthy articles on grade crossing safety and accident reporting by U.S. railroads, focusing primarily on Union Pacific and CSX Transportation. For those of you who have not seen the articles, you can read them at the New York Times' website at www.nytimes.com <http://www.nytimes.com>. Today's story highlights certain issues that should have been handled better by our company related to a 1997 grade crossing fatality involving 17-year-old Hilary Feaster. And while those issues did not lead to the tragic death of Miss Feaster, we do believe they led to her family's anger and sorrow over the tragedy, and we deeply and sincerely regret that. At the same time, CSXT has done exactly what responsible and decent companies do when they make mistakes - we have learned and improved; and that is what is missing from today's story. As each of you know, CSXT is dedicated to safety in all aspects of operations, and to preventing grade crossing collisions. The results of our efforts speak for themselves: In the last 10 years, train miles on CSXT have increased 62% and vehicle miles traveled in the United States have increased 26%. Yet during the same period, grade crossing accidents on CSXT have decreased 34%. Our efforts are working. Last year, CSXT spent over $70 million in grade crossing and signal maintenance and conducted more than 14,000 man-hours of training for our more than 1,000 professionals who inspect and maintain grade crossing signals. And in the last three years, long before the Times began its inquiry, we have further strengthened our grade crossing and public safety efforts with these programs: * Clear Cutting of Vegetation: We have spent nearly $30 million to clear trees and vegetation along CSX's right-of-way, at public grade crossings equipped with so-called "passive" traffic control devices (commonly referred to as "crossbucks"). The program's goal is to further enhance visibility for the motoring public. * Key FRA Reporting Shifted to Audit: Reporting of key incidents to the Federal Railroad Administration has been shifted from the Operations group to Internal Audit to ensure independence and to take advantage of Audit's analytical tools. That shift covers employee injury reporting, train accident reporting and grade crossing collision reporting. * Public Safety Communications: In addition to support of Operation Lifesaver, in which many of you and our retired employees participate, we have recently launched a high-impact advertising campaign on crossing safety. Last week, The Wall Street Journal praised the campaign. We have also distributed a new videotape to driver and bus driver education programs throughout our system. In addition, CSXT has worked with local and state governments to close duplicative or otherwise unnecessary crossings, and that effort continues today. We have also prevented collisions with the industry's first installation of stalled vehicle signs at all of our crossings. These signs provide the direct toll-free line to our Police Communications Center, which has been co-located at the Operations Center for better coordination and communication. Other railroads have now installed their own stalled vehicle signs to enhance crossing safety. These efforts are consistent with meeting our responsibilities at grade crossings and in reporting all accidents in accordance with federal regulations and in an accurate and timely fashion. They also represent the continued evolution of our reporting and safety practices. I am sure there will be systems in place five years from now that are not in place today - just as there are processes in place now that weren't in place five years ago. That is because we are always on a path of continuous improvement. All of this is the work of a company and an industry that cares about safety - about the safety of its employees, the residents of communities in which we operate, and certainly the motoring public. I am disappointed that the New York Times chose to highlight isolated cases and examples that are not consistent with the overall performance, practices and grade crossing safety record of our company. Critical stories like these in newspapers as prominent as the New York Times are always difficult, particularly for a company that is as committed to safety as we are. But it does not diminish our commitment to safety nor the results we have achieved together. Thank for your daily focus on employee and public safety and for the job you are doing for our company everyday. Michael
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
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Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
"We have met the enemy and he is us." Pogo Possum "We have met the anemone... and he is Russ." Bucky Katt "Prediction is very difficult, especially if it's about the future." Niels Bohr, Nobel laureate in physics
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