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One important improvement for achieving greater effectiveness in train-activated warning systems at railroad-highway grade crossings (RHGC) would be to provide a constant warning time (CWT) to the motorist of the impending arrival of a train. This report describes an investigation that was...
The Highway Safety Acts of 1973 and 1976, and the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1978, provide funding authorizations to individual states to improve safety at public rail-highway crossings. The installation of active motorist warning devices, such as flashing lights or flashing lights...
This report examines five factors affecting the safety impact and costs associated with application of retroreflective materials to railroad freight cars to reduce the number of rail-highway crossing accidents in which motorists run into the side of a train in darkness. Measurements and...
The U.S. Department of Transprotation, Research and Special Programs Administration, Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, in support of the Federal Railroad Administration is conducting a research program with the goal of reducing the number of fatalities and injuries at higway-railroad...
The railroad signal community and the grade crossing equipment suppliers have reported an increase in the occurrence of loss of shunt on railroad grade crossing island circuits, as confirmed through an October 1990 Association of American Railroads’ (AAR) survey of railroad signal officers. Loss...
A national study examined the accident histories of grade crossings with whistle bans. Findings suggest that whistle bans increase the risk of accidents at crossings.
As part of FRA Task Order 114, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) Transportation Technology Center (TTC), Pueblo, Colorado, completed testing of Vehicle Proximity Alert System (VP AS) system 1. VP AS systems are designed to give priority vehicle operators (emergency, police, school...
The FRA has identified several types of auxiliary external alerting light arrangements as acceptable locomotive conspicuity measures and issued two Interim Rules in 1993 and 1994. This study investigated the performance of currently available external visual alerting devices for installation on...
In Section I, the basic model of SDT is described with reference to a driver approaching a grade crossing with a train also approaching. The driver's task is to decide if he can cross the tracks safely or if he must stop. The treatment employs some mathematics, which can be omitted without...
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) recognizes the importance and function of a strong safety culture to railroad safety. Since 2014, FRA’s Office of Research, Development and Technology (RD&T) has supported the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) in its...