Text of Senator Charles Schumer's Letter to Allan Rutter, Administrator Federal Railroad Administration

Dear Mr. Rutter:

I write to call your attention to a serious public safety concern in the Village of East Rochester, New York. On October 10, 2002, fourteen-year-old Mark Careri was struck by a passing train and killed while attempting to cross the railroad tracks near his home in East Rochester. Unfortunately, as many as six others have been killed on the same stretch of track in the past 11 years.

I am writing to ask your office to perform an investigation of the safety record of the railroad track that runs through East Rochester. Of particular concern is the half-mile stretch of track that runs parallel to Maple Avenue between the Washington Street and Lincoln Road overpasses. This is where the track runs through a densely-populated residential neighborhood, without a fence to separate the tracks from the nearby street.

Additionally, I would ask that your office perform an immediate review of the safety record of the CSX-owned tracks in East Rochester, and to recommend a plan for avoiding further tragedy at this site. I ask that a representative of the Federal Railroad Administration make a visit to the site as soon as possible to assess this pressing public safety problem.

I will also be in contact with CSX officials to alert them to this situation, and to ask them to work in concert with your agency and the village to improve the safety of this dangerous area.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter. I will contact your office in a few days to follow up on this request, and on behalf of the residents of East Rochester I thank you in advance for your assistance in resolving this issue.

Sincerely,
Charles E. Schumer
U.S. Senator