This page contains small videos of trains along the BNSF corridor here in Fresno including sound  Viewing these videos will give you a good perspective of why more and more residents everyday are supporting Rail Consolidation.  These videos can be viewed if your computer is equipped with Windows Media Player or Real Audio Player. Just click on the Red button to view.

Ever wonder why people in cars get hit and killed by trains at railroad crossings?  Watch this video shot at the Shaw Avenue detour on Sunday morning, 5/13/01.  The crossing arms were down, lights were flashing and the bell was ringing (as you will hear) although no train was visable.  Watch the white truck pull out of line and go around the gate.  Then from way back in the line of traffic, a black pickup crosses over into the eastbound lanes, passes everyone and whips around the crossing arms.  Turns out that the crossing arms and lights were malfunctioning but what if they weren't??

Amtrak northbound train # 713 slowly proceeds through the construction zone at Shaw Avenue.  During the construction of the Shaw Ave. railroad bridge, trains in both directions must snake their way through two switches calling for slower speeds and longer traffic delays on an already overburdened Shaw Avenue bypass.   Not seen in the video is a BN&SF intermodel freight that has been waiting on the siding for Amtrak to pass.  This is an every day occurrence as the midday Amtrak trains transit Fresno.

BN&SF intermodel freight rolls across Weldon Avenue at the entrance to Fresno City College.  This video was shot during Mike Briggs' first press conference as detailed in the "Photo" section of this website.   Over 7000 students and teachers use this dangerous crossing each weekday going  to/from Fresno City College.  It's no wonder that FCC is one of the biggest supporters of Rail Consolidation.

"Operation Lifesaver"  unveiled a new media campaign on Feb 20, 2001 at the dangerous Weldon Avenue crossing.  This video is of  Amtrak's northbound train #713.  Ironically, it was this very same train that struck a Fresno City College student a few weeks earlier as she dashed across the tracks.

When you are located close to "the main" as we were that February day during the "Operation Lifesaver" press conference, it is never a very long wait for the next train.  Less than 20 minutes after  Amtrak 713 (shown above), this  BN&SF intermodel freight rolled through.

This five engine giant south bound freight train sat just north of Shaw for twenty minutes spewing diesel pollutants into the air while awaiting the passage of a northbound Amtrak.