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Burlington Northern Santa Fe's Barstow, Calif., Locomotive Maintenance Inspection Terminal and the city's California Highway Patrol (CHP) unit recently hosted a course to educate patrol officers on proper grade-crossing collision investigation techniques.


"When the CHP started asking questions about the railroad right of way and whether it's private property, I suggested training so the officers would understand how to respond properly in the event of a crossing collision," said Denise Gauthier, mechanical administrative associate and GCCI instructor, in a prepared statement.


During a field exercise, CHP officers witnessed four trespassers near a crossing and one motorist who drove around gates. Prior to the course, officers responded to three crossing incidents.


Los Angeles County Coroner's investigators also attended the course. During the past few months, investigators have responded to numerous incidents involving Metrolink, which provides commuter-rail service in the Los Angeles area via BNSF's and other freight roads' tracks.