Metrolink and law enforcement agencies team up for track safety.

78 people were cited Thursday morning during Operation Lifesaver, a multi-agency effort to ensure the safety of both train travelers and motorists near Metrolink tracks.

Between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 pm, sheriff’s deputies worked with officers from the Transit Services Bureau, the CHP, Metrolink, the Union Pacific and Burlington Northern, placing units at railroad crossings to observe violations and issue citations.

Sgt. Richard Cohen, who oversaw the project, said that 109 people were stopped, with the most common violation being drivers attempting to get around crossing arms that were down or vehicles parked on the railroad tracks.

Cohen thought the operation was a success, but recalled a comment from one Metrolink official who said that a success would be for the team to write zero tickets because the driving public would be informed of the dangers of vehicle/train collisions.