THURSTON COUNTY, Wash. -- Empty railroad tracks might look harmless, but pedestrians should treat the tracks with the same caution as Interstate 5 or an airport runway, The Olympian reports.

"Far too often, people find rail lines a tempting shortcut from point A to point B," said Gus Melonas, spokesman for Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway.

The main rail line between Portland and Everett runs through Thurston County, and smaller lines branch into the cities. The Amtrak station is just outside Lacey city limits off Yelm Highway.

The railway is cracking down on trespassers and plans to issue twice as many citations in the state as last year.

"The key message is we don't want anybody to get hurt," Melonas said.

Seventeen trespassers died when they were struck by trains last year, and at least three have died this year.

A fourth man was struck last week in Bellingham, but police are investigating whether the man already was dead when his body was placed on the tracks, Melonas said.

Another man is in serious condition after he was struck by a train in Ballard.

South Sound is not immune.

In April 1999, a 31-year-old was struck and killed near the beginning of the month in Lacey, and a 50-year-old was struck and killed near the end of the month in Lacey.

Pedestrians should stay at least 15 feet away from railroad tracks in order to be safe, but they still could be trespassing on railroad property unless they're about 50 feet away, Melonas said.

Citations cost trespassers $250.

The railroad has its own police and K-9 units. Officers are on duty 24 hours a day.

Two weeks ago, a dog found someone on top of a rail car and a group hiding in some vegetation.

Officer Russ Schafer works with a K-9 named Mickie.

When Mickie finds someone, her nose goes out like a pointer dog, Schafer said.

"The majority of the time, people say, 'I didn't know,' " Schafer said. "This is basically like Interstate 5."

Not only is it tragic when someone is struck by a train, but it is like blocking off I-5 for a couple of hours, Melonas said.

More than 3,500 rail cars travel through Thurston County each day on the main rail line.

The railway ships everything from apples to zebras.

"The freight is extremely time sensitive," Melonas said. "There is always a customer at the end of the line anxiously awaiting the train's arrival."

Since the railroad has about 2,000 miles of track in the state and 33,000 miles of track nationwide, it is impossible to put up fences or signs everywhere, Melonas said.

So the tracks should remind people that a train could be coming.

Joggers, teen-agers, people who were drunk, seniors and others have been struck on train tracks.

Freight trains can travel at a maximum speed of 60 mph, and passenger trains can travel at a maximum speed of 79 mph.

"Trains can't stop," Melonas said. "They can't swerve. "