RAILROAD
GUARDIANS
Parents
of boy killed by train found Angels On Track to aid others
by
Dave Sereno
Repository Staff writer
Tuesday, February
24, 1998
Lawrence Twp. - Vicky
Moore began wearing angel pins soon after her son died
in a car-train collision.
The jewelry and
charms, which adorn every outfit, serve a dual purpose for
Mrs. Moore and her husband.
They symbolize their
belief that Ryan Moore is looking down on them from heaven.
And, the couple discovered, the pins are an instant conversation
piece, an easy introduction into their undeniable passion
for railroad crossing safety.
The Moores are hoping
to become guardian angels of sorts for all Ohio drivers.
They launched Angels
on Track, a foundation aimed at seeking protective lights
and gates and other precautions for dangerous rail intersections
in Stark County and across the state.
The effort is being
financed by $7 million the family received from a precedent-setting
lawsuit, money they only recently received after 1-1/2 years
of court appeals.
Denny Moore, Vicky's
husband, admits giving little thought to railroads before
March 25, 1995.
Ryan, 16, was riding
in a car with his brother Jason and four friends when it
was struck by a train at Deerfield Avenue NW on the Stark-Wayne
border. Also killed in the car crash were Joshua White, 17
and Alyson Ley, 16, of Clinton. White's younger sister, Rebecca,
and Jennifer Helms survived the crash, as did Jason Moore,
the driver.
"We never thought
about doing this before," the father said. "We
just can't see not doing it now."
The Moores see Angels
on Track as a financial mechanism to help budget-conscious
communities get crossing improvements that might not otherwise
qualify for federal funding. Rail intersections are governed
by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. It uses a complicated
formula to rank sites across the state and allocates federal
dollars as they become available.
The Moores say the
system is flawed, in part, because it puts the cost burden
on taxpayers rather than the rail companies using the tracks.
Angels on Track
will help cover the local match, typically 30 percent, to
help local government leaders bypass the rankings and pursue
improvements on their own. It costs an average of about $150,000
to install flashing lights and gates at a typical crossing.
The number of vehicle-train
accidents and deaths is declining in Ohio as more crossings
are upgraded, according to Dick Kimmins, PUCO spokesman.
About half of Ohio's 7,000 public rail crossings are now
equipped with flashing lights and gates.
"Money spent
to improve crossings, particularly with flashing lights and
gates, is a worthwhile expenditure,"
he said. "And it works."
However, it does
not guarantee safety.
Between
half and two-thirds of all deaths each year occur at crossings
with flashing lights and gates, meaning drivers either
miss or ignore the warnings. "We haven't found a solution for
that. In fact, there might not be a solution for that," Kimmins
said.
The Moores, realizing
they lack the political savvy needed to initiate major legislative
changes, are trying a grass-roots approach. They started
the Stark County Railroad Task Force in hopes that local
road engineers and officials can work together to identify
dangerous crossings and pursue grants and other assistance.
Wayne County has a similar task force. The Moores think the
idea has potential across Ohio.
Local
focus is needed if crossings are going to be made safer
in Stark County, a traditional leader in fatal crashes,
Mrs. Moore said. "There
is definitely a problem in Stark County,"
she said. "Something is missing somewhere. This might
be the peg to fill the hole."
Turnout at the first
meeting last month was encouraging, Mrs. Moore said, adding
the group needs volunteers. The next meeting will be 7 P.M..
March 11 at Stark County Regional Planning at 201 Third St.
NE in Canton.
The
Moores and Joshua Whiteâs family sued rail operator
Conrail, saying the accident could have been prevented
had flashing lights and gates been installed at the bottom
of the steep hill where Conrail's track crosses Deerfield.
The jury agreed.
Both families were given $1 million in damages.
The Whites were
given an additional $1 million in punitive damages. Last
week, they gave that money to the Canton YWCA. The main building
at 231 Sixth St. NE will be renamed in honor of Joshua.
Jurors
awarded Denny and Vicky an additional $7 million in damages.
That money, now at $5.3 million after attorneysâ fees,
is funding Angels on Track.
Nearly three years
after the accident, the Moores find themselves as reluctant
crusaders for rail safety. They remain dedicated to the cause,
even though it serves as a constant reminder of their loss
and places them in emotionally draining situations like posing
for media photos near the site.
They sued not for
the money, they said, but with the idea of making a difference
for other families.
"We lost our
son, and there's nothing we can do about it," Denny
said. "This can help keep the memory of him alive for
a while."
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