The TrackSAFE Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation established to reduce collisions, injuries and fatalities on the rail lines.

The calls come after new legislation passed in the Western Australian Parliament.

Western Australia's Transport Minister The Hon. Rita Saffioti MLA introduced the Government Railways Amendment Bill 2019 to state parliament to increase fines for trespass offenders on the tracks from $200 to a maximum of $5000.

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In Victoria, the penalty for a minor for trespassing on the tracks is $83, and for an adult it is $330.

The penalty for travelling on a part of a train not meant for travel - such as with train surfing - is the same for a minor but $413 for an adult.

TrackSAFE executive director Naomi Frauenfelder said people didn't realise how dangerous being on the tracks could be.

"We see literally thousands of incidents every year across the country and it can be a range of things," she said.

"There are reports of youths train surfing and holding onto the front and back of trains and trams. There's people strolling onto level crossings while looking at their mobile phones."

Incidents resulting from these sorts of actions can result in "real and lasting trauma" to rail employees.

Ms Frauenfelder said the problem was exacerbated by people posing for photos on railway tracks and then uploading them to social media.

"People that go train surfing and put it on social media are enticing others to do the same thing and it is just such a dangerous activity and it can obviously cause injury or death, and trauma to the rail employees and community members that might witness this kind of act."

Ms Frauenfelder said the idea that someone can just jump of the track in the face of an oncoming train was another aspect to this behaviour.

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"Trains move much faster than you realise," she said.

"They come from either direction at any time - they are not always on a timetable.

"It's just not worth the risk. We would love to see an increase in penalties ... so they are raised to more adequately reflect what can go wrong."

-Ararat Advertiser

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