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FRA’s Grade Crossing Safety Program
2012 Southeastern Rail Highway Safety Conference
Charlotte, NC
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Why Is It Important?
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Rail Fatalities in 2011
Total 741
Highway-Rail Fatalities Trends
Collisions, Fatalities and Exposure
Rail (million train miles) X Hwy Volume (trillion hwy miles)
Collisions X 10Collisions X 10
Fatalities
(= quadrillion)
FRA assists the railroads in working with states and local communities to:– close crossings– plan corridor safety programs– advance public education and awareness– promote law enforcement
Issue regulations– ENS– train horn– reflectors
Federal Railroad AdministrationHighway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety
Emergency Notification System (ENS)
MUTCD Example SHSM Example
12” x 9”1” white letteringblue background
ENS Compliance Dates
July 2015 – Railroads w/no existing system
July 2017 – Railroads w/current signs that are non-compliant
Quiet Zones at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings
Train Horns & Quiet Zones
Continues to be a great deal of interest in establishing quiet zones.– News clip articles almost daily– Web/e-mail/correspondence inquiries almost
every day. 487 quiet zones in existence
– 288 – new quiet zones– 165 – pre-rule quiet zones – 70 new quiet zones established in CY 11– 34 new ones as of August 2012
Train Horns & Quiet Zones
FRA completed a study in Summer of 2011 that found no significant difference between the number of collisions before and after a quiet zone is established.
Preliminary analysis in 2012 shows the same result – no significant difference
Very few complaints about non-compliance with a quiet zone.
Some complaints about the high costs for railroad work (e.g., CWT & warning devices)
Blocked Crossings
2nd most source of complaint FRA has no regulations on the subject
– Part 234 – interference with operation Work with railroad to find resolution Usually successful
Private Crossings
No regulations on the matter “Railroad tore out my crossing”
– Enter into private crossing agreement– State laws on property access
Safety at Private Crossings Report – Feb. 2010
Need to decide on whether to take a policy or regulatory approach
National Crossing Inventory Form
Hot off the press!!!
As of October 18, 2012
Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking (NPRM)
issued.
Highlights of the NPRM
NPRM PROPOSES that:
Railroads to update every 3 years.
Applies to all public, private and pathway crossings.
Class 1’s required to submit electronically.
NPRM does not apply to States, RSIA did,
MAP-21 removed FHWA authority.
Noted proposed timelines in NPRM
3 months Certain change to the crossing (i.e. closure,
surface, added gates, sale/transfer new warning devices.)
6 months Crossings yet to be submitted Newly established crossings
3 years Existing crossings must be updated
NPRM Deadline Date
Comment period ends Dec. 17, 2012
Technical symposium
www.regulations.gov
Docket #FRA-2011-0007
Trespass Division
Workshop Seminar – St. Louis August 2012 www.fra.dot.gov/conference/trespass2012/
index.shtml
Trespasser Death Study Survey out to Medical Examiners Results to be plotted on a GIS map
