Barbara Boxer: “today in Glendale, CA, there was a tragic commuter train crash. All of the details of the crash are not available at…”

“today in Glendale, CA, there was a tragic commuter train crash. All of the details of the crash are not available at this moment. However, at least 10 people were killed and over 100 injured. The National Transportation Safety Board has already sent a team to investigate. I have been talking about the problem of grade crossings and the need for grade separations for several years. According to the Federal Railroad Administration, "grade crossings are the site of the greatest number of collisions and injuries" in the railroad industry. In 2000, there were 3,502 incidents at grade crossings. In addition, the large volume of freight train traffic from California's ports to the rest of the Nation is a public safety hazard on many communities in California where traffic, including emergency vehicles, is severely delayed at these grade crossings. In Riverside, CA, from January 2001 to January 2003, trains delayed ambulance and fire protection 88 times. This translates into more people possibly dying from health emergencies such as heart attacks and larger and more deadly fires. If there is another terrorist attack, imagine what would happen if emergency first responders could not get across the tracks. To address the safety problem of accidents and other safety hazards at grade crossings, I am introducing the Rail Crossing Safety Act, part of which passed the Senate twice in the last Congress as part larger railroad bills considered in the Commerce Committee.”