A video showing pedestrians hopping over a stopped train is prompting officials to remind Calgarian‘s that saving a few minutes by climbing overtrain it’s a bad idea.
Video posted on social media on Thursday shows a CP Rail train stopped at 11 Street S.W., blocking vehicles and pedestrians from crossing the tracks.
More than a dozen people can be seen climbing up and over an empty flatbed train car, using the ladders to get up and down.
Even though the train was stationary, Sgt. Rupert Sutherland with the Canadian Pacific Police Service said the danger is still present.
Kennedy Rhodes is all too familiar with the dangers of trains. She lost her leg train hopping when she was 13 and is warning people of the consequences.
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“Seeing that video, it upsets me,” Rhodes said. “I feel like they don’t necessarily know what they could be getting into or what the consequences could be.”‘
She said no amount of time saved is worth the risk.
“Even being on the train for three seconds could change your life.”
Police spent time at the intersection after the video was posted, talking to people who were crossing while the barriers were down.
Officers were also letting pedestrians know the penalty for trespassing on CP rail property starts at $287.
Sutherland said the type of offense seen in the video could also warrant further Criminal Code charges under the Railway Safety Act which means a mandatory court appearance.
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