JO MORELAND

Staff Writer

LEUCADIA -- Officials are trying to determine if there is any way to make the Leucadia Boulevard railroad crossing safer after an Amtrak train struck a low-slung big-rig truck Saturday that got stuck on the tracks.

There are warning signs on both sides of the tracks that trucks may get their undercarriage stuck on the tracks. Authorities said truckers should heed the signs.

Manuel Diaz of Los Angeles, the owner and driver of the auto carrier that was hit Saturday night, said the warning signs need to be on Coast Highway 101 so truckers won't use Leucadia Boulevard.

"When you see the sign, you're already stuck," said Diaz.

Diaz jumped to safety just before the train sliced through his car carrier's trailer and the 2000 Cadillac that was on it. Seven people, including two children, suffered minor injuries aboard the train and in the area, officials said.

Encinitas traffic engineer Rob Blough met with sheriff's Sgt. Len Yurkus and representatives of the North County Transit District, which owns the railroad tracks, at the crossing Monday to discuss safety.

The city will check to see if more visible signs are needed for the crossing and whether the paving can be changed to make the approach less steep from the west side, which intersects with Coast Highway 101, said Blough.

"It could be very expensive," he said. "There's drainage issues. There's also safety issues. We're going to come back and talk to NCTD in two weeks. But it's a steep grade."

There were two similar accidents when car carriers got stuck on the tracks at the crossing in 1990 and 1991, Blough said.

He said the city paved the crossing then and put up more signs, but the short steep approach heading from the highway east onto the tracks has always been hazardous for low rigs.

"We'll be working hand-in-hand with the city to see if there are any possible things that can be done," said Edward Kasparik, the North County Transit District manager of rail services. "It's (crossing) a very busy place in a very tight area. It's a crossing that we keep an eye on."

Diaz said he had never used the crossing before, he was unfamiliar with the area and his customer had given him incorrect directions. He was trying to find Interstate 5 from Coast Highway 101 and turned east onto Leucadia Boulevard when he saw the freeway direction sign, he said.

Liz O'Donoghue, Amtrak spokeswoman, said the best thing could be to close the Leucadia crossing to trucks. The city already bans trucks over 7 tons on Leucadia Boulevard east of the tracks.

"We are in touch with North County Transit District," she said. "We are not making any requests."

Technically, Diaz could be cited for violating the warning sign, but the sheriff's traffic division will decide whether the trucker should be cited, said Lt. Don Fowler of the Encinitas Sheriff's Station.

"From our perspective, given what is there (at the crossing), I think all is being done that could be done," Fowler said.

Truckers or anyone else who gets stuck on the tracks can call 911 immediately and the railroad will be told to stop trains, Fowler said.

Contact staff writer Jo Moreland at (760) 901-4085 or e-mail jmoreland@nctimes.com.

7/10/01