Published: June 30, 2009 11:31 am         

NEW: Rail signals being installed after Linton woman’s plea

LINTON — Crews are installing crossing arms and flashing red lights at three rural railroad crossings in southern Indiana following a woman’s plea for safety work at the site where her great-grandson was killed last year.

Six-year-old Christopher Perez died when the car he was riding in was hit by a train at a Greene County crossing. Teddi Harmon of Linton says she heard at his funeral about many narrow escapes at that and other nearby crossings, which were only one-lane wide, with steep grades and only stop signs.

Harmon then wrote to the Indiana Department of Transportation, asking for crossing signals.

Highway department spokeswoman Valerie Cockrum says the crossings’ accident history was a factor in deciding to go ahead with the $610,000 project.