Days are lengthening, the weather is inviting us to outdoor activities and people like to go out again. Also on the Wiehltalbahn spring is demonstrating it will prevail over the winter very soon.
Any time recently Wiehltalbahn staff notices the tracks being used as hiking trail or playground with increasing frequency. Not just children and adolescents are taking prohibited paths, also adults are acting as bad models. Many are not aware of the deadly danger coming from the tracks.
Although currently there is just little traffic on the Wiehltalbahn, one has to be alert to trains anytime. If parents don't warn their children about the risks and adults do not stick to the basic rules, there will be a report about a serious accident in the media sooner or later.
Even at low speeds trains have significantly longer stopping distances than cars. When the engine driver detects an obstacle or person on the track it might already be too late and a collision is inevitable.
It is a popular game among children and adolescents to put objects on the rails. But these could damage the train or become a bullet - even way after the game is over. Furthermore, abandoned carriages also exert a magic pull on the young to explore them and to climb about on them. A fall from heights of several meters can lead to most serious injuries.
Many also don't know that the unauthorised access to railway facilities can entail substantial fines. If a train is put at risk or even damaged, the causer has to bear the repair costs in addition to the due penalty charge. Therefor the Wiehltalbahn staff urgently appeals to everybody to stick to the rules and not to endanger themselves or others.
Federal Police information on this topic can be downloaded as PDF (German only) here, as quadrilingual PDF Info brochure or as quadrilingual Info poster.