[Quietcars] Fwd: Crossing light rail tracks

[David Andrews]

Debbie:

We have light rail here in the Twin Cities.  I personally haven't 
found it to be a problem, the train makes some noise, there is rail 
noise and they tend to ring bells at intersections.  I know though 
that there have been a couple incidents of people getting hit who 
didn't hear the train.  They weren't blind either.  If you don't jay 
walk etc., I think the problems would be minimal, but not necessarily 
non-existent.  Your schedule solution really wouldn't work for 
commuter-type systems that have trains every few minutes.

Dave

At 11:21 PM 11/19/2008, you wrote:


>In our discussions about quiet cars, we've often been careful to 
>refer to "quiet vehicles," to encompass trucks and buses as 
>well.  If light rail trains are truly silent, as silent as the cars 
>we're concerned about, then they *should* make a noise!  For 
>generations bells have sounded at railroad crossings to warn drivers 
>and pedestrians that a train is approaching. Pedestrians and drivers 
>will need such warnings about light rail trains too.
>
>In the meantime, blind travelers better study up on the train 
>schedules and hope the trains stick with them!
>
>Debbie
>
>----- Original Message ----- From: "Corbb O'Connor" <corbbo at gmail.com>
>To: "Discussion of new quiet cars and pedestrian safety" 
><quietcars at nfbnet.org>
>Cc: <ben.j.bloomgren at gmail.com>
>Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2008 7:12 PM
>Subject: [Quietcars] Fwd: Crossing light rail tracks
>
>
>>Good day my quiet car friends.
>>
>>I send this query from Ben on the NABS list with the hope that some 
>>of you hear might be able to help. As Michael Townsend has said in 
>>the  past on this list, guide dogs may help reduce (though not 
>>eliminate)  the dangers posed by light rail trains at 
>>intersections, I'm curious  as to how a cane user would make this 
>>crossing safely. I haven't been  to an NFB training center, but 
>>would be curious as to the considered  opinion of those centers on 
>>the best way to do this -- other than, of  course, for the train to 
>>sound like a train and make some noise!
>>
>>Many thanks in advance,
>>Corbb
>>
>>-----
>>Corbb O'Connor
>>studying at the National University of Ireland, Galway
>>
>>Begin forwarded message:
>>
>>From: "Ben J. Bloomgren" <ben.j.bloomgren at gmail.com>
>>Date: November 19, 2008 9:17:57 PM GMT
>>To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> >
>>Subject: [nabs-l] Crossing light rail tracks
>>Reply-To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list 
>><nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> >
>>
>>Hello all,
>>
>>On December 27, the Phoenix area gets its first taste (hopefully) 
>>of light rail transit. The ads are already warning about the 
>>quietness of the trains and advising pedestrians to look both ways 
>>before crossing.  My question is this:  How do blind people cross 
>>the street when there  are tracks?
>>
>>Ben
>>
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>>
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