Historically, highway-railroad grade crossings have represented a major hazard to motor vehicle drivers. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has initiated a comprehensive research program to address grade crossing safety issues in order to redue the number of train-motor vehicle collisions. One area of study concerns measures to improve the ability of motorists to detect the approach of the train at grade crossings by enhancing train conspicuity. In support of the FRA, the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center) evaluated the performance of currently available auxiliary external alerting devices which may improve locomotive visibility at grade crossings. A variety of external visual alerting devices was reviewed and evaluated; these devices included various light systems, paint schemes, and reflective materials. The overall results of the study indicate that the use of selected alerting light systems, rather than use of the standard headlight alone, can improve locomotive conspicuity, and suggest a potential for significant accident rate reduction with a minimum in capital costs, maintenance requirements, and operational concerns. The FRA has been directed by law to develop a final rule for enhanced locomotive conspicuity. The results of the evaluation effort described in this report are intended to assist the FRA in the development of provisions for auxiliary external alerting light standards.
Safety of Highway-Railroad Grade Crossings. Use of Auxiliary External Alerting Devices to Improve Locomotive Conspicuity
1995
192 pages
Report
No indication
English
Road Transportation , Railroad Transportation , Transportation & Traffic Planning , Transportation , Railroad grade crossings , Highways , Signal devices , Traffic safety , Intersections , Visibility , Warning signs , Accident prevention , Locomotives , Lights , Paints , Reflectivity , Motor vehicle control , Traffic signals
Safety of Highway-Railroad Grade Crossings
NTIS | 1999
|Do Stop Signs Improve Safety at Highway-Railroad Grade Crossings?
Online Contents | 2010
|Safeguarding of highway railroad grade crossings
Engineering Index Backfile | 1939
|