HEIRLOOM TRAIN CARRIES MESSAGE.

Byline: Bhavna Mistry Staff Writer

Several hundred people were treated to rides Monday morning on a vintage Union Pacific train that has been traveling the Western United States promoting train safety.

During a 40-minute ride from Lancaster to Palmdale and back, passengers on the Operation Lifesaver Union Pacific Special were shown videos and public service announcements, given presentations on train safety and got a chance to view a monitor that showed what the engineer sees.

``We want to educate the residents so that they see through the engineer's eyes,'' said Lois Cunning, chairwoman of the Southern Region of California Operation Lifesaver. ``In the event that there's a trespasser, you can see that they're not going to win.''

The train is spending eight days in California doing similar presentations throughout the state, which has the highest number of train-vs.-auto and train-vs.-pedestrian fatalities in the nation.

Riders including elementary school pupils and business people watched monitors as sheriff's deputies in patrol cars and on motorcycles ticketed motorists violating railroad safety laws.

Four people were cited, including one man who drove around lowered crossing arms at Avenue R. Sheriff's officials said the man was driving on a suspended license. They had his car towed away.

Last year in California, 32 people died in collisions with trains.

Although railroad officials could not provide statistics for crashes along the tracks that run through the Antelope Valley, the valley is no stranger to train-auto crashes.

In May 1996, 79-year-old Glen McKie of Lancaster was killed at the railroad crossing on Sierra Highway south of Avenue P-8. His Toyota Celica crashed through the lowered crossing arms and was struck by a Metrolink train traveling 79 mph.

At the same crossing in 1991, Jean S. Dukes, 67, of Palmdale apparently saw the crossing arm and the train at the last minute and braked too late to avoid colliding with the first engine, authorities said.

In June 1995, four young people were killed on their way to a birthday party when their car traveled around the crossing arms at 40th Street East and was hit by a train.

There have been no deaths so far this year.

``Stay off the tracks, stay away and stay alive. That's what we want to get across,'' Cunning said. ``We are hoping to save lives.''

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo: A car negotiates a railroad crossing on Avenue R in Lancaster, where participants in a program were taught train safety Monday.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer

Box: Safety tips