Released on May 3, 2012
Effort to Support Public-Rail Safety Week
Highways and Infrastructure Minister Jim Reiter is sharing an important rail safety message today by handing out Train Safety Activity Books to Grade 4 students at Regina's McLurg Elementary School. It's one of 100 Saskatchewan elementary schools to receive the annual free publication.
"Trains are often fascinating to children, but what most don't understand is that trains can be very dangerous," Reiter said. "It's important children know they should never, ever play on or near the tracks. Our ministry is being proactive in raising public awareness by distributing these train safety books, so children will learn what to do when near trains, railway crossings and tracks."
The 2012 edition of the Train Safety Activity Booklet and companion Teacher's Guide, produced by the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure, in partnership with the Saskatchewan Shortline Railway Association, will be sent to Grade 4 students living in communities near Saskatchewan's shortline railway network. The booklets are available in English and French, thanks to assistance from the Government of Saskatchewan's Francophone Affairs Branch.
"Our shortline network in Saskatchewan continues to expand and these activity books will help get an important safety message out to children in the communities where our members operate," Saskatchewan Shortline Railway Association President Conrad Johnson said.
In addition to actively participating in awareness programs, the province supports shortline railways with other rail safety initiatives. It includes providing free reflective tape for locomotives, regular review of safety management plans, routine safety inspections of shortline locomotives and the nearly 1,026 provincially-regulated shortline crossings.
Public-Rail Safety Week's objective is to help reduce crossing collisions and trespassing incidents along railways and is an annual initiative of Operation Lifesaver, a national rail safety organization.
Saskatchewan has 12 privately-owned shortline railways that can operate on about 2,250 km of provincially-regulated track. These provincial shortlines connect to about 6,200 km of federally-regulated rail lines in Saskatchewan.
The annual publication is available for anyone who wants to download them in both languages in PDF format at http://www.highways.gov.sk.ca/sask-rail/shortlinesafety/. The website also has a link to Operation Lifesaver's website where other learning resources are available.
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For more information, contact:
Steve Shaheen
Highways and Infrastructure
Regina
Phone: 306-787-4867