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us to increase our police force because Dade and Broward Counties <br />have a crime problem, or spanking all the kids because one kid did <br />something wrong. FEC and FRA should get together with the Dade and <br />Broward County people and solve their problem down there. Trains <br />should be forced to reduce their speed. We know that the gates and <br />the lights are effective. We have plenty of proof of that. He had <br />been told by the railroad people that if there is an electrical <br />outage all the safety equipment is backed up with batteries, and if <br />there were some other types of malfunctions the gate would be <br />lowered automatically. All these backups seem to stack up in favor <br />of doing away with the horns. <br />Paul Spencer, 37 Pine Arbor Lane, Number 207, in Vista Royale <br />thought it was wonderful when they stopped blowing the whistle in <br />1987. He agreed with the previous speakers that the statistics <br />show increases pertaining to Dade and Broward Counties and involve <br />DUI or foolhardy people going around gates which are down and <br />flashing. He felt if a car goes around closed gates, the train <br />crew could blow any number of whistles in the world and you would <br />still get hit; the whistle itself is not going to stop you. <br />Accidents increase at night because during the day, normally, <br />people are working or, at least, not drinking. He did not think we <br />should have to pay for Dade and Broward problems, and he felt ` <br />reinstituting the whistle blowing has ruined the quality of life up <br />here, at least for the residents of Vista Royale. <br />Commissioner Scurlock asked if staff have the numbers in terms <br />of day trains versus night. <br />Director Davis did not have the data at hand but felt the data <br />does not represent the conclusion that reactivating the horns would <br />be that beneficial. However, there is more train traffic at night <br />than in the daytime. <br />Vice Chairman Wheeler asked how many accidents we have had <br />since we enacted the ordinance banning train whistles between 10 <br />p.m. and 6 a.m. Director Davis did not have that specific <br />information at hand but the report distributed by Mr. Corley <br />indicated six accidents; one accident between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., <br />which was in Sebastian, and five accidents during daytime hours <br />when the whistle blows. <br />Commissioner Eggert thought it interesting that the report <br />skipped all the accidents which happened in areas where the <br />whistles are blown. <br />Mr. McAndrews stated the Board cared enough to put the gates <br />and lights at the crossings, which saved lives; he asked the Board <br />to care enough to do the horns. <br />25 <br />AUG 1 1 1 BOOK tj F'AGL �, 0 <br />