But in the most serious and tragic of cases, people have been struck and killed. Some cases are the result of people trying to self-harm. But others are totally avoidable, had the person not been trespassing on the tracks, or going around boom-gates which were closed. In many instances the speed and weight of the train is just too great for people to survive the impact. The last one (collision) that I had, I just lost it I was in tears George Pisani

"I remember putting my hand on the dash, and I actually burst into tears ... I'd had enough." The man Mr Pisani's train hit this particular day did survive. He had walked into the path of the oncoming train near Queens Park station by navigating around some closed boom-gates. 'His face hit the window'

"There was another guy who nearly came through my window," Mr Pisani said of another case, which turned out to be fatal. "I think about that every day. I still see his face [because] his face hit the window. "All I can do is hit the emergency brake and it's in the hands of God then." In an interview with WAtoday, Mr Pisani and Perth transit line supervisor Clinton Fernandez spoke of the tragic consequences of trespassing on train tracks and near level crossings. Jonathan Beninca, a man run over by a train in 1999, also told WAtoday about the potentially fatal results of trespassing in and around railway tracks.

The three men hope that by speaking out they can get through to those who engage in such risky behaviour and expose the psychological trauma the incidents have on so many people, from PTA staff to members of the public. George Pisani and Clinton Fernandez. have seen their fair share of near miss cases. Credit:Cameron Myles Mr Fernandez, who has been in the job 11 years, is tasked with dispatching transit officers to scenes when people have been hit by a train. It is a horrendous job. "A lot of people get affected," Mr Fernandez said. "I've attended about three or four incidents."

Mr Fernandez said he and his staff often spoke to young people on train platforms who got 'kicks' from pretending to jump or fall into the path of an oncoming train. "Whenever we speak to these people, it's just a joke for them," he said. "If you talk to them properly you can get compliance [but] it is getting difficult now; because before it used to be alcohol [related], but now it is alcohol and drugs." New figures released by the PTA show there were more than 860 incidents – including near-miss and trespass-related cases – on Perth's railway crossings and train tracks last year. The figures show there were 869 such incidents last year at level crossings, train tracks and other train property.

There were 85 cases in 2018 of a near miss with a person at a level crossing and a further 13 near-miss cases with a car. And there were a further 285 cases of a person illegally being on a level crossing and a further 486 incidents deemed trespassing on train property or trespassing close to train tracks. 'It can ruin your career' Mr Pisani said he knew of some colleagues who had not been able to return to work after a near miss or a fatality because of the psychological impact it had on them.

"One of my friends never came back," he said. "It can ruin your career ... but you learn to deal with it as best you can. "When you hear of an incident on the track ... it brings you back." 'All it is going to take is just a few moments' At the age of 19 Jonathan Beninca was run over by a train in Sydney after falling unconscious on railway tracks after a night of drinking.

Jonathan Beninca lost a leg, an arm and two fingers on his hand. Credit:PTA He'd been throwing rocks at a stationary train as he walked along the train-line, when one of the rocks re-bounded off it and knocked him out cold. A train which later came along severed a leg, an arm and two fingers on his other hand. He spent three months in hospital. For the past 15 years Mr Beninca has been telling his powerful and personal story to teenagers across the country in an effort to highlight what can happen when one engages in anti-social behaviour around train stations.

He will visit Perth later this month, where he will speak to hundreds of school children. "People become complacent, especially around the train tracks," he said. "All it is going to take is just a few moments and minutes of our time to stop and wait and cross safely. "I'd prefer to be 15 minutes late than have the police knock on the door and tell my family I've passed away because I couldn't wait a few minutes." PTA spokesman David Hynes said the agency was going to great lengths to reduce the chances of incidents like near misses happening in the first place.

"While the safety and security of anyone who interacts with our system is of utmost importance to the PTA there is an expectation that people take some responsibility for their own safety," he said. "Public transport has many built-in safety features and we go to great lengths to reduce the chance of a serious incident." Rail Tram and Bus Union PTA branch secretary Joshua Dekuyer said near misses had wide-ranging short and long-term impacts for drivers and transit officers. "Especially as every incident can be so different and always traumatic," he said. "Where transit officers have the benefit of mental preparation, drivers have the worse situation with unexpected and direct involvement.