Woman killed by C-Train appeared distracted before being hit, say police

The woman hit and killed by a C-Train in northeast Calgary appeared to be distracted before she was struck, police officials say.

The accidenthappened near the Whitehorn station at 36th Street and Whitehorn Drive N.E. on the LRT's blue line at about 8:15 a.m. on Tuesday.

Insp. Ken Thrower says the 60-year-old woman was seen on CCTV footage walking south along the platform toward the level crossing.

A southbound trainwent by and the woman walked east across the northbound tracks.

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"She appeared to be distracted or preoccupied, not too sure," said Thrower. "She glances down at her cellphone, she almost walked out in front of the traffic on36thStreet, going northbound."

Thrower said the woman then turned around and went back across the northbound track as a train approached.

The lights were flashing warning of the approaching train, but the woman, who Thrower said appeared to be looking the wrong way, stepped in front of it and was hit.

Safety measures in place

Brian Whitelaw,superintendent of safety for Calgary Transit, said the warning lights were updated at Whitehorn station recently in response to a fatality earlier this year.

"We actually lowered the crossing lights to account for folks who may not be looking up," he said. "We were trying to lower the lights downto more eye level for people in an effort to increase awareness of approaching trains."

As well, crossing guards have been upgraded at most stationsrequiring people to "make at least two decisions," said Whitelaw, such as having to step left then right around metal bars before being able to cross the tracks.

Crossing arms like the ones used to block vehicles could be installed to block pedestrians, like the ones at Banff Trail Station.

"We haven't had any fatalities since we've had those in place," said Whitelaw.

Calgary Transit ranshuttle buses for several hoursto get passengers north and south of the Whitehorn station while the accident wasinvestigated.

Second fatality this year

Tuesday's fatality is the secondat Whitehornstation this year. On February20, a30-year-old man was struck by a train at the same crossing. Investigators believedhe was wearing headphones and was distracted by his cellphone.

Since the C-Train system launched in May 1981 there have been75deaths at or near stations. Areas adjacent to the 36th Street LRT alignment seemto have a disproportionate share of fatalities, with 20 since the northeast line opened in 1985.

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