City to Boost Train Safety Efforts

Responding to the death of a 12-year-old girl struck by a Metrolink train, Santa Ana officials said Wednesday they hope to launch a program aimed at educating residents on how to cross tracks safely.

Santa Ana recently received a $150,000 grant from the state aimed at pedestrian education, and traffic engineer T.C. Sutaria said his staff is now working with the city’s pedestrian task force to craft possible train safety programs. One idea is to distribute Spanish-language safety tips and warnings to youngsters through local schools.

“We will do everything in our power to ensure traffic safety,” Sutaria said.

Meanwhile, a Santa Ana police investigation into the death of Elizabeth Tepox cleared the conductor in Tuesday’s accident and found that no railroad safety equipment malfunctioned.

The Kennedy Middle School student was going home from Burger King with her older sister and young niece when she darted in front of the northbound Metrolink train shortly after 5 p.m. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police Sgt. Raul Luna said that witnesses saw lights, bells and crossing arms turned on about 30 seconds before the arrival of the train and that the girl and two others simply tried to outrun it.

Elizabeth was the third pedestrian killed by a train in Santa Ana in the last 12 months, according to police.

Officials said pedestrians trying to beat the train is a problem--much like motorists trying to make it around flashing crossing gates.

Officials said they’ve tried to increase pedestrian safety by periodically posting officers at the front of locomotives in Santa Ana and across the Southland. They watch the tracks for cars and people crossing illegally.

The busy crossing at McFadden Avenue, where Elizabeth was struck, had three accidents in five years. Forty-five trains pass the intersection each day, leading some residents to suggest erecting guards that block pedestrians from walking across sidewalks when trains come.

But Metrolink officials said such guards would present their own dangers. The arms could hit passing pedestrians and are easy to walk around, they said.

City traffic engineers also noted that currently installed traffic arms extend over the sidewalk about 3 feet, partially blocking the walkway.

Diane Winn, a member of the Santa Ana pedestrian task force, said she supports putting more emphasis on teaching pedestrians to cross the tracks safely.

“I would think this is something we should certainly address at a meeting,” said Winn, who is associate director of the Center for Pediatric Injury Prevention at UC Irvine. “It’s so life-threatening.”

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Times staff writer Jennifer Mena contributed to this report.