NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) – Holyoke is known for its dinosaur tracks, but Amtrak Police are worried about another type of track near the popular park.
“In the past few weeks, we’ve stopped hundreds of people there,” explained Det. Robert Hanson of the Amtrak Police.
Amtrak Police are stopping trespassers at the train tracks near the dinosaur tracks because soon, they will be introducing a new Valley Flyer service, that will run four round-trip trains from Greenfield to New Haven, Conn. everyday. As the name says, the trains will go right through the Pioneer Valley, through farms and backyards.
“It follows the Connecticut River,” said Det. Hanson. “So, there’s a lot of blind curves where trains are coming along curves and they can’t see what’s ahead of them. we want to make sure everybody stays safe, and stays off the tracks.”
Det. Hanson told 22News that once the Valley Flyer begins, trains will be more frequent and faster moving. He said it could take them up to a mile-and-a-half to stop.
“I reckon the kids are more likely to be the ones scooting over back and forth,” said Robert Gross.
The kids are the ones that Amtrak Police are trying to educate. Det. Hanson was giving a presentation to a drivers ed. class in South Hadley because they are new drivers, and he wants to teach them good safety habits.
“When the gates come down, we want people to obey the gates,” said Hanson. “We want them to stop and look.”
As for people trespassing on the tracks, they could face a $100 fine.
