The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "rail crossings" ...
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Terror on the Tracks
"Terror on the Tracks" exposes major gaps in freight rail security. We spent months criss-crossing the state gathering undercover video of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway trains carrying hazardous cargo. We found locomotives idling, unlocked, unmanned, unguarded - with the key, called a reverser, inside. The reverser makes the train move forward or backward on the track. The presence of the reverser would allow any intruder with basic knowledge to steal the train - potentially making them easy targets for terrorists. Our sources - current engineers and conductors working for BNSF with everything to lose by talking to us - say the trains are much more vulnerable than the company or the government is willing to admit. During our investigation we discovered trains had been stolen before - mostly by joy riders - all across the country.
Tags: freight rail security; terrorists; hazardous; cargo; engineers; conductors
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Cross at Your Own Risk: Rails pose deadly threat
This investigation reveals a number of statistics from "nearly 3,000 public rail crossings" in Louisiana. Along with these statistics, it also reveals the people behind the numbers and how it has impacted dozens of lives. Some of the major statistics found are "nearly 1,500 defects statewide, some rail crossings haven’t been inspected over the 10-year period studied, few safety violations resulted in a fine or other penalty, and despite the denials drivers were not always responsible for the accidents."
Tags: FOIA; Federal Railroad Administration (FRA); Louisiana; railroads; rail crossings; safety equipment; accidents
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42 percent of rail crossings unmarked. But safety devices are often ignored.
According to the article, "Forty-two percent of the 3,270 railroad tracks that cross streets and highways throughout Colorado have no warning signs, lights or gates, according to a Denver Post analysis. Some 1,368 of the street-level crossings are not equipped with any type of warning device. Just 12 percent have safety gates, and only 7.5 percent have flashing lights."
Tags: railroads; trains; safety; Denver; gates; railroad tracks
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On the Borderline: Nafta Reality Check: Trucks, Trains, Ships Face Costly Delays
The Journal reports that "trade among the U.S., Canada and Mexico under the North American Free Trade Agreement is hitting a giant pothole: There aren't enough bridges, rails and docks to handle the goods, and the existing structures are often in the wrong places, mired in the traffic of busy downtowns. The result can be hours-long delays for billions of dollars of goods crossing North American borders."
Tags: cargo; infrastructure; ports; Mexico; Veracruz; transportation; international trading
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No title (id: 10545)
The Lansing (MI) State Journal reports on the state of railroad crossings in the state. The process through which transportation officials inspect railroad crossings and recommend repairs and the addition of safety equipment is a lengthy one. The reporter interviewed both engineers and car drivers to get different points of views on the cause of accidents. Laws pending in the legislature could lead to a reduction in fatalities. Mar. 28, Mar. 29, Oct. 13, Dec. 13, 1993.