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What he saw outside his restaurant, which is situated alongside the Lake Road train tracks, shocked him.
A car, sideswiped by an oncoming train, was sitting in the ditch. The train was halted across Lake Road. An elderly woman, who had been planning on joining friends at Adler's restaurant, had been pulled to safety. She was sitting in a police cruiser, shaken but unscathed.
"I'm in the hospitality business," said Adler, who opened his restaurant six weeks ago. "I don't want people getting hurt."
On Saturday night, it happened again. Another car ended up on the tracks. No one was hurt but the car was hit.
In both cases, said Clarkstown Officer Peter Walker, the cars were traveling westbound in the right hand lane, and intended on turning right onto Rockland Avenue, the street where Adler's restaurant is located.
In the first instance, Clarkstown police had some warning, and had been on the phone with CSX attempting to stop the train, but "there wasn't enough time," Walker said. In the second instance, Clarkstown police had no advance warning.
Walker said there have been four incidents at this crossing since 2007, with no injuries.
Rob Doolittle, CSX spokesman, said CSX officials are meeting with Clarkstown police tomorrow to see what can be done to improve safety at the crossing. "This is a collaborative process," said Doolittle. "Everyone has the same goal. Safety."
The problem seems to be that GPS tells people to turn and they're accidentally turning onto Rockland Avenue, he said, adding "the department realizes there are safety issues and we are investigating."
Shaking his head, Steve Goeller, tending bar at the Last Chance Saloon Monday, said "They've gotta make the road better to see."
Clarkstown Supervisor-elect George Hoehmann said "something needs to be done. Maybe more lighting, better signage - we're reaching out to CSX and the State Department of Transportation."
Sen. David Carlucci introduced a bill last spring that would direct the state DOT to conduct a comprehensive study to evaluate whether adequate safety measures exist at rail crossings.
"The collisions that occurred at a rail crossing in Congers last week are exactly why we need a comprehensive, statewide study conducted by the Department of Transportation," said Sen. David Carlucci (D). "If a rail crossing needs additional lights or signage, this study will give us a definitive answer."
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