Don't blame railroad for Waukesha truck-train accident; Railroads need to spend more on safety devices I encourage the efforts of the state railroad commissioner in seeking additional state funding for automatic gates at dangerous crossings throughout the state. I am also aware of crossing upgrades in Waukesha funded by the federal government that propose to increase motorist safety. While this constitutes good safety efforts by these tax-funded agencies, it's only half the way toward optimal railroad crossing safety. Railroad companies such as Wisconsin Central Ltd. have substantially increased train speed and train volume in the Waukesha rail corridor throughout the 1990s. They have done so at an increase in profits without a commensurate expenditure for increased safety devices. For example, Wisconsin statutes permit a railroad to conduct safety studies, reduce train speed and travel times, petition for upgrades and even pay for crossing protections. Instead, the railroads wait for the taxpayers to foot the bill rather than funding gates or signals while motorists are injured and killed at hazardous crossings. In the early 1900s, railroads were considered primarily responsible for safety at crossings. Sadly, this is not the case today since state and federal agencies have accepted part of the responsibility and allowed railroads to reduce their fair share. Aren't railroads really in the best position to assess crossing safety since they control their trains' volume and speed? This is not to say that motorists shouldn't exercise care in traveling over crossings. Most do, and it is hard to conceive of a truck driver willingly putting himself and his pregnant wife in harm's way. But the simple fact remains that many crossings are ill-conceived and poorly designed so as not to afford the unsuspecting motorist much warning of oncoming trains. Flashing lights do not have the visibility or voltage that other traffic signals do. Gates have been known to reduce train-vehicle accidents by 90%. Waukesha, according to your interview with the commissioner, has two of the 10 most dangerous crossings in the entire state. The population of drivers is growing immensely, and the railroad is running numerous trains per day over crossings designed for the safety of a fraction thereof. Jay A. Urban Milwaukee; Blame truck driver for train derailment In your article about the train wreck at Waukesha, I found it most interesting that you wish to blame the railroad for this wreck, because of the increase in train traffic. Would having only one train per day have avoided this incident? Not if a semi-truck pulled out in front of it. State law gives the train the full right of way. The railroad has been there since the 1880s, contributing significantly to Wisconsin's economy. People live near railroads because of the economy they bring, not the noise, pollution or traffic tie-ups. Believe me, if the original Wisconsin Central Railroad had never been built, many of the towns along the line would not be there today. This concept is nothing new. Railroads will always be there, as long as there are companies that need to ship goods. The accident could have been avoided if the truck driver had acted responsibly. This driver allegedly risked the life of his pregnant wife and his own to save maybe five minutes of travel time. His alleged irresponsibility resulted in near gridlock on the streets of Waukesha. Red lights mean stop. Erik Coleman Champaign, Ill.; How many others? There is nothing wrong with a railroad crossing that has a flashing red light or a stop sign. The problem comes in when you have a driver who has taught himself or herself that one doesn't have to stop for a flashing red light. Instead of fixing the crossing, how are you going to fix someone who has taught his or her subconscious mind that speed limits and flashing red lights aren't important? Would anyone like to hazard a guess as to how many more are driving with the same mindset? John Hickey Sr. Milwaukee Editor's note: The articles on the derailment made it clear that officials said the truck driver apparently ignored the flashing red lights at the crossing and caused the derailment. A police captain was quoted as saying the driver may have been guilty of "brain-damaged thinking." The driver has said he thought the warning device was triggered by a work crew. The driver has since been cited for ignoring a signal.