The train on Southern Avenue makes complete stops frequently and sometimes students dirty their hands and knees by either crawling or climbing between cars. Or at least that's what a nearby neighborhood resident witnessed recently.
Following the resident's tip, Bruce Harber, The University of Memphis director of public safety, sent out a mass e-mail Wednesday afternoon urging students crossing the railroad tracks on Southern Avenue to avoid braving the train when it comes to a full stop.
In addition to a warning, Harber added statistics provided by Operation Lifesaver, a non-profit organization that works to prevent railroad fatalities and injuries.
According to the statistics, Tennessee ranked 11th in trespass fatalities in 2006. The United States had 466 reported trespassing injuries and another 530 fatalities.
For Norfolk Southern, the company that operates the railroad's corresponding yard on Southern Avenue, the issue can be treated as criminal trespass.
Robin Chapman, a spokesman speaking on behalf of Norfolk's Tennessee division, said he understands the inconvenience students face when getting stuck in front of a stopped train but cautioned it as "dangerous activity."
"There is a heightened awareness of railroad safety," he said. "We discourage that kind of thing (crawling under or between cars)."
In order to support campus police and enforce their own safety guidelines, Norfolk does have security officers stationed across the country who have the authority to arrest trespassers.
"We try to keep it to a minimum," Chapman said.
Harber said campus police are aware and concerned, but he said they could always prevent the danger. This is why, he said, campus police mainly issue safety precautions whenever a potential problem is witnessed.
However, Harber said if campus police were to catch someone in the act, then they would stop the person and warn him or her.
Despite what has been reported about nationwide railroad accidents, Harber does not remember any railroad fatalities or major accidents in recent years.
"I've been here since 2000, and I haven't heard of it happening," he said.
In the last couple of years, there have been speculations about building a walkway above or under the tracks, but University officials have cited budget as well safety concerns in doing so.
"Kevin Roper has been looking for some type of solution to the crossing," Harber said. "But you've got to be really careful when you look at solutions for tracks."
Roper, who is with government relations, could not be reached for comment Thursday afternoon.
The Memphis City Council made proposals that could at least decrease the amount of train traffic.
In February, the City Council with backing from a group of citizens proposed to either own their own rail line or move the rail yard on Southern Avenue to a different location.
However, Norfolk Southern said the move might not be possible.
In March, a spokeswoman for Norfolk said such a move would hurt the rail company's customer services.
Some University of Memphis students denied ever trying to brave the train but voiced an inconvenience that has plagued hundreds of others.
"Every time I go to class, there's a train every 30 minutes to an hour," said Anna Lansford, a senior psychology major. "It's too frequent."
Lansford added that the location of the train tracks has also surprised some of her friends who attend out-of-state colleges.
"I have friends who go to college in Arkansas who say they've never seen a railroad go through campus before," she said.
