Commercial Vehicle Information
Systems and Networks
Emergency Management and
Public Safety
Highway-Rail Intersections
Intelligent Safety Systems
| Safety |
Highway-Rail Intersections
 | Highway-Rail Intersections Points-of-Contact |
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 | FRA's Intelligent Grade Crossing Website |
| This website gives the FRA's view of the potential applications of ITS at highway-rail intersections (HRIs) and briefly outlines FRA's past accomplishments, current activities, and future plans in this area. Accomplishments include the development of standards for the use of ITS-generated archived data. Current activities include development of standards for the use of ITS at highway-rail intersections and pilot deployments of Positive Train Control (PTC) technology in Michigan, Illinois, and Alaska. Future plans include field tests of prototype ITS equipment that is integrated with PTC, once the pilot deployments of PTC have been completed. Cost: Free To Access This Resource: Access the website addresses http://www.fra.dot.gov/us/content/247 or http://www.fra.dot.gov/us/content/1270. | |
 | FRA's Five-Year Strategic Plan for Railroad Research, Development, and Demonstrations (2002) |
| This document outlines a vision for the future of railroads and the emerging technologies needed to support this vision. The document presents the research, development and demonstration projects that the FRA will pursue in the next five years. The projects are divided into three main areas: railroad research and development, next-generation high-speed rail technology demonstrations, and magnetic levitation technology deployment. The document also presents the statistics-based risk analysis process used by the FRA to prioritize the projects selected, as well as FRA's available and projected funding that will support these projects. Intelligent Railroad Systems, which include ITS technologies used to improve safety and mobility at railroad grade crossings, are also described in the document. The document contains Executive Summary, Introduction, and Conclusion sections that note trends in rail technology as well as rail transportation overall. Cost: Free To Access This Resource: Access the following website addresses:
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| Advanced Warning for Railroad Delays in San Antonio: Lessons Learned from the Metropolitan Model Deployment Initiative (FHWA-OP-01-038) (2001) |
| This is one in a series that documents lessons learned from the Metropolitan Model Deployment Initiative (MMDI). This report documents the benefits of integration of traveler information and highway-rail intersections. Cost: Free To Access This Resource: Access the website address http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/jpodocs/redirect/repts_te/13284.pdf, EDL# 13284. To order a hardcopy, contact the Operations/ITS HelpLine, (866) 367-7487 or itspubs@dot.gov. | |
| Intelligent Transportation Systems at Highway-Rail Intersections: A Cross-Cutting Study (FHWA-JPO-01-149) (2001) |
| This report examines the commonalities and differences among seven projects that use ITS to improve safety and mobility at highway-rail grade crossings. For each project, the report lists what functions were tested, who were the partners involved, where the test was conducted, what was the evaluation methodology used, and what were the test results. This report also lists project costs and sources of funding, if available. Cost: Free To Access This Resource: Access the following website addresses:
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| ITS Technology at Highway-Rail Intersections: "Putting It to the Test" (2000) |
| This document serves as proceedings to the ITS Joint Program Office Highway-Rail Intersection Evaluation Workshop, held May 6-7, 1999 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. These proceedings contain summaries of the current deployment status and evaluation findings from seven projects in the U.S. that use ITS technology at highway-rail intersections (HRIs). The proceedings also summarize panel discussions of implementation issues, passive grade crossings, standards, and the Federal role in HRI-ITS deployment. Cost: Free To Access This Resource: Access the website address http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/jpodocs/redirect/proceedn/12363.pdf, EDL# 12363. | |
| Safety at Passive Grade Crossings (1998) |
| Passive highway-rail grade crossings (those without electronic traffic control devices, such as bells, gates, and lights) present a daunting safety challenge. The crash rate per vehicle miles traveled is higher at passive than at active crossings, and crashes at passive crossings are more likely to be fatal. However, the cost of eliminating a crossing or upgrading it from passive to active is very high. In this report, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) explores several alternatives to crossing elimination and upgrade that could improve safety at passive crossings. Volume 1 discusses problems drivers encounter at passive crossings, then presents the NTSB's analysis, conclusions, and recommendations. Volume 2 contains case summaries of the 60 crashes investigated by the NTSB for this study. Cost: Free To Access This Resource: Access the following website addresses:
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| Highway-Rail Intersection User Service (1996) |
| This document provides a detailed description of the highway-rail intersection ITS user service. This document serves as an addendum to the National ITS Program Plan in describing the 30th ITS user service and establishes the need for including highway-rail grade crossing safety in the National ITS Architecture. Cost: Free To Access This Resource: Access the website address http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/jpodocs/redirect/repts_pr/12503.pdf, EDL# 12503. This document is also included as an appendix in the National Intelligent Transportation Systems Program Plan: Five-Year Horizon. | |
 | Railroad-Highway Grade Crossing Improvement Program (NHI# 380005) |
| This course presents a broad overview of various options for improving highway-rail intersections, also called railroad grade crossings. The course covers historical background, definition of grade crossing components, collection and maintenance of data, assessment of crossing safety and operations, identification and selection of improvement alternatives, program and project development and implementation, maintenance, private crossings, and the Operation Lifesaver program. The workshop format enables participants to apply the material in a series of exercises. Target Audience: Representatives of Federal, state, and local transportation agencies responsible for the design, construction and maintenance of highway-rail intersections. Also, state and local traffic engineers responsible for highway-railroad grade crossing safety. Course Length: Two days. Cost: $270 per participant To Access This Resource: Access the website address http://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/training/brows_catalog.aspx and search for course number "380005." | |