HIGHWAY-RAIL GRADE CROSSING SAFETY ENHANCED WITH NEW RULE TO MAKE TRAINS MORE VISIBLE TO MOTORISTS

Institute of Transportation Engineers. ITE Journal, Feb 2005

Under a Final Rule published by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) in the Federal Register, reflective materials will be installed on the sides of locomotives and freight rail cars as a safety measure to make trains more visible to motorists at railroad crossings.

Nearly one-quarter of all highwayrail grade crossing collisions involve motor vehicles running into trains occupying grade crossings. The large size and dark colorization of trains, in combination with poor lighting or limited visibility, may contribute to motorists' difficulty detecting a train in their path. The reflective material will help reduce the occurrence and severity of this type of accident by giving motorists an additional visual warning of the presence of a train.

Reflectorization has become an indispensable tool for enhancing visibility and safety in virtually all modes of transportation. Extending the benefits of reflective materials to railroads will improve highway-rail grade crossing safety and prevent many avoidable accidents.

The Final Rule on Reflectorization of Rail Freight Rolling Stock requires railroads to install yellow or white reflective materials on locomotives over a 5-year time frame and on freight rail cars over a 10-year period. The reflective materials will be installed on all newly constructed locomotives and freight rail cars and on existing ones during periodic maintenance or repair, unless alternate implementation plans have been developed that meet the requisite timetables. The effective date of the rule is March 4, 2005.

The Final Rule is the most recent effort by FRA to increase the visibility of trains at highway-rail grade crossings. Previously, FRA issued a regulation requiring locomotives to have headlamps and auxiliary lights to help motorists better judge the distance and speed of approaching trains.

These and many other initiatives by FRA, the rail industry, states and local communities have dramatically improved highway-rail grade crossing safety. Since 1994, the number of vehicle-train collisions at highway-rail grade crossings has decreased by 41 percent and the number of fatalities has decreased by 47 percent.