To help educate the public and the community about rail safety, the Essex Steam Train will hold a safety presentation on Tuesday, July 9, at 7 p.m. at the Essex Steam Train Station. The seminar will be open to all and is hosted in partnership with Operation Lifesaver, a national nonprofit dedicated to providing the public with rail safety education and ending death and injuries due to collisions on the tracks.

“Railroad track are for trains, just like highways are for cars,” said Valley Railroad Vice President for Track and Property Robert Bradway, a 25-year veteran of the company.

“Unfortunately, over the past several weeks there has been cause for concern as there has been an increase in pedestrian use of the tracks,” said Bradway. “People are walking on the tracks riding their bikes [and] pushing strollers and we have even had some young people jumping off the railroad bridges into the creeks. This is very unsafe.”

Bradway pointed to a past accident along the line.

“In the past we have had people walking their dogs on the track and a dog got loose and tragically ended up under the train,” Bradway said. “This was heartbreaking not just for the owners but for our crew members. They came back in tears that day.”

The purpose of the public safety seminar is to educate the public about railroad safety and precautions that should be taken near active rail lines. One of Valley Railroad’s part-time engineers will be giving the seminar, which Bradway thinks is great because he has a unique perspective on safety in the area and can speak to the concern he has when driving the train.

“Although our trains don’t go very fast, they don’t stop very fast either. They weigh over 700 tons and the physics are against us,” explained Bradway, who said he thinks that people just may not know they are not supposed to be on the tracks at all.

“I think this safety seminar will give us the opportunity to have a productive educational talk with the community about rail safety for our trains as well as pedestrians, bike riders, and motorists. We work in conjunction with town officials in the area to make sure that our crossings are well marked, our lights are all in working order, the trees around the crossings are cut back and that everything is as safe as it can be,” said Bradway.

Bradway noted that he has had to have conversations with local professional photographers about taking wedding pictures by the tracks.

“Although those pictures may be beautiful, they send the wrong message and, in some instances, not locally, but other places, there have been cases of kids taking selfies on the track and getting hit by trains. We don’t want that to happen here,” he said. “It’s been a very long time since our trains have hit anything and we really want to keep it that way. That’s why it is so important to us to educate the community about how to be safe around the tracks.”

“The Valley Railroad has been a part of the Essex community for almost 50 years, we are proud to have great neighbors and we want to do our part to ensure everyone is enjoying a safe summer,” said Kevin Dodd, president of the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat. “Rail safety is our number-one priority. I hope that this seminar will equip parents with the knowledge they need to ensure their children are staying safe near the rails.”

The Essex Steam Train and Riverboat, owned and operated by the Valley Railroad Company, has transported people in Connecticut since 1868, and the Valley Railroad Company has operated today’s well-known train and riverboat for more than 40 years. The steam locomotive pulls vintage coaches through the towns of Deep River and Chester, and the Becky Thatcher riverboat takes visitors past Selden Neck State Park on its way to East Haddam. Various eco-excursions, family outings, and themed events are offered throughout the year.

For more information, visit www.essexsteamtrain.com or follow the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat on Facebook at www.facebook.com/essexsteamtrain. For more information about Operation Lifesaver and for additional rail safety information, visitoli.org/about-us or call Bradway at 860-964-3422.