ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Texas Rangers are in the early stages of installing railings throughout Rangers Ballpark in Arlington in an effort to make the park safer for fans.

Shortly after 39-year-old Brownwood firefighter Shannon Stone died from injuries suffered in a fall over a railing in left-center field on July 7, the Rangers inspected the park's railings and decided to raise them to 42 inches in the front row at all levels. The club said the entire park will have the new railings by Opening Day at a cost of approximately $1.1 million.

A few pieces of railing were installed in the outfield recently and shown to the media during a Thursday tour of ongoing construction at the park. The railings are cut out of thinner bar stock than the previous round ones. And the top is flat, but juts inward, making it even tougher for fans to lean over it.