Whistles provide safety, save lives

To the editor:

Without the railroad river bridge and the original Cotton Belt tracks, there wouldn't even be a Scott City. The railroad has been the lifeline of Ancell, Fornfelt and Illmo -- now Scott City -- for almost 100 years.

Every day I see motorists drive around the arms that come down at railroad crossings. Whistles were put on those engines for our safety and protection. Have folks forgotten all those who have been killed on the crossings?

Forty-five years ago my family was attending church one Sunday night. A woman and her daughter asked for a ride home. We drove across the tracks to their home and came back. The crossing was blocked by a northbound train. When the train cleared the crossing, I drove onto the tracks and started to go on across the southbound tracks. A shrill train whistle made me brake suddenly, and a southbound train traveling at least 50 mph missed my front bumper by inches. We were saved by the train whistle.

Why is a 90-year-old man so upset? Because without that loud train whistle my entire family would have been destroyed. We need those warnings still today.

EARL WALKER

Scott City