Auburn, Washington: State approves level crossing upgrades

The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WaUTC) has approved funding from the State’s Grade Crossing Protection Fund (GCPF) which will allow the City of Auburn to improve safety at three level crossings. The US$0.02m funding from the GCPF will part fund battery backup power systems to be installed between the level crossing controls and nearby co-acting road traffic signals. The balance of the estimated US$0.04m cost of the battery back up systems and any cost overruns will be met by the City of Auburn.

Each of the locations at which the battery backup systems are to be installed is where the road traffic signals are within 50 metres of a level crossing of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) right of way. The level crossings are located on Auburn’s West Main Street and C Street SW; 3rd Street and C Street NW; and, 37th Street and B Street NW.

The upgrades must be completed by December 31st, 2010.

(February 26th, 2010)

Oxnard, California: Crossing closure proposal angers businesses

Plans to close the Colonia Road level crossing in Oxnard, California, has raised the ire of businessmen concerned that they will see less trade. The concern centres on the loss of passing trade if Colonia Road is severed and the ease with which customers might find alternative more accessible businesses.

Although there is opposition it is important that it is seen in the context of the wider US$20m project being pursued by the City Council which will address safety at level crossings across the City. The wider project which is known as BRITE (Boulevard Rail Improvements and Transportation Enhancements) targets seven level crossing, three of which are in the La Colonia district affected by the postulated Colonia Road closure.

Closing off Colonia Road would be in the context of a new level crossing linking Camino Del Sol with Oxnard Boulevard. However, there is an alternative scenario which would spare Colonia Road and close nearby Cooper Road. Either of these closures would achieve the policy objective of not increasing the number of level crossings.

These scenarios are seen by the City Council as a better position than originally advanced buy regulator California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) which had sought closure of both Colonia and Cooper Roads in exchange for the approval of the level crossing on Camino Del Sol.

Elsewhere in Oxnard, the BRITE project would include improvements to level crossings at Rice and Fifth, Rose and Fifth and Vineyard and Saint Mary’s.

Those who support retention of the Colonia Road level crossing point out that it doesn’t have a poor safety record unlike the Rica and Rose Avenue level crossings where thee have been three fatal accidents in the last five years. However, the risk being addressed if the Colonia Road level crossing is as real because there is a history of traffic blocking back over the level crossing when trucks are negotiating the access into a nearby commercial premises.

(February 24th, 2010)

Wheaton, Illinois: Crossing closure to improve UP operations

Union Pacific (UP) has approached the City of Wheaton to secure approval for the closure of the Chase Street level crossing to allow them to improve operating efficiency. UP’s plans are to install crossover tracks and to provide a grade separated pedestrian underpass at Chase Street. However, vehicular traffic will be diverted.

The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) is supportive of the proposal because it facilitates their objective to, where possible, close level crossings. ICC has offered to contribute US$1m towards the cost of the Chase Street closure. The balance of funds will need to be provided by UP and Metra, the Chicago area commuter railway operator, will be expected to fund the balance as they are the beneficiaries of being able to improve their operational efficiency by virtue of the new crossover tracks.

Subject to City Council support, the work to construct the pedestrian underpass could begin later in 2010.

(February 23rd, 2010)

Vancouver, British Columbia: Collision on Olympic Line

The temporary streetcar line installed for the duration of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games experienced a kevel crossing accident late in the evening of February 19th, 2010. The accident which occurred at the highway intersection of the Olympic Line at Moberly Street and West 6th Avenue involved a SUV and did not result in any injuries.

Extensive awareness raising was undertaken before the Olympic Line debuted shortly before the start of the Winter Olympics. Indeed, “flag people” were deployed at this and other level crossings to warn motorists. However, all this was to no avail as the motorist ignored the no right turn sign and crossed into the path of the approaching streetcar as a result of habituation because right turns have only been suspended until the Olympic Line closes shortly after the Winter Olympics conclude.

(February 20th, 2010)

Britt, Iowa: City ponders a better class of upgrade

City fathers in Britt, Iowa, are pondering whether they, in conjunction with Hancock County, should fund a longer lasting road surface treatment at three level crossings. The opportunity to do this has been presented by the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad’s (DM&E) plan to install continuously welded rail on its right of way through Britt.

Normally, DM&E would install a timber surface with a life of about ten years costing US$1-3k. However, for an additional US$10-12k a modular concrete roadway can be provided to give a life of around 20 years. Now, the City must decide if it is prepared to pick up the tab for the higher priced option which in addition to its longer life provides a higher quality surface.

The higher quality surface is likely to reduce the number of claims against the city when compared with the timber surface.

Plans call for the crossing surfaces to be replaced in August 2010.

(February 20th, 2010)

Three pedestrian over-bridges are to be built on the Great Western Trail in Lombard, Illinois to eliminate the at-grade conflicts with two highways and a railway. The total cost of the three bridges has been estimated to be US$5.1m. The rail corridor through Lombard that is to be bridged sees in the region of 150 trains per day comprising a mix of Metra commuter services and freight trains. As for funding, it is expected that  
The Federal Surface Transportation Program will provide US$3.8m, the Illinois Commerce Commission Grade Crossing Protection Fund US$1.2m and DuPage County US$0.2m

Timescale for the project involves completing designs in 2010 to allow construction to start in 2011 with the project completion targeted for 2012 a full eleven years since the first feasibility study considered grade separating the Great Western Trail in Lombard.

(February 20th, 2010)

Rosenburg, Texas: Train speeds up and road delays down

Union Pacific (UP) has completed an upgrade to level crossing controls in Rosenburg, Texas, which will allow train speeds to be increased and road waiting times reduced. The works at the level crossings on Junker and Scott roads allow UP to increase train speeds from 10 mph to 40 mph with increases phased in weekly 5 mph increments until the new line speed is reached on March 29th, 2010.

(February 19th, 2010

Chicago, Illinois: US$100m to improve rail operations

Federal stimulus grants totalling $US100m have been awarded to address rail related issues in the Chicago metropolitan area. The rail projects are to be handled within the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency Program, or CREATE as it is generally known (LXinfo December 2008).

This new funding will allow five long awaited projects to move ahead including the construction of an underpass on 71st Street near the 26,000 seat Toyota Park Stadium in Bridgeview. The anticipated CREATE contribution to this project is US$20m with a primary beneficiary being the thousands of sports and music fans attending events at Toyota Park. Work to deliver grade separated access to Toyota Park will begin later this year with completion scheduled for 2012.

(February 18th, 2010)

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has announced the participation of the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA), the City of West Palm Beach and other parties in south Florida in the FRA’s Trespass Prevention Research Study, a programme designed to review trespass laws and identify mitigation strategies. The goal of the project is to reduce incidents and fatalities caused by trespassing on the railway. The incidence of trespasser deaths in the SFRTA area of operations is a factor in using south Florida as the study area.

According to the FRA, the study will help the agency to better address trespassing issues and assist in the development of national guidance on trespass prevention.

The study complements other FRA efforts to prevent trespassing, such as the 2008 Trespass Demographic Study and an ongoing partnership with Operation Lifesaver to educate the public on the risks of trespassing on the railway.

(February 18th, 2010)

Monroe, Louisiana: Level crossing campaign nets other offenders

Louisiana. Monroe and Union Pacific police officers have conducted another random level crossing enforcement exercise. In the latest exercise, which ran for three hours on February 16th, 2010, officers issues citations 10 citations covering failure to obey the traffic control devices at the level crossing under surveillance and others for non-use of seat belts, driving while licence is suspended and improper overtaking. Additionally Union Pacific Police served warnings on pedestrians trespassing on the railway.

(February 17th, 2010)

Planning for a new rail spur into the Omya Quarry near Middlebury, Vermont has moved to the final design and property acquisition phase. The 3.3 mile-long line is estimated to cost US$34m, in part because of the need to grade separate the intersection between the new line and US Highway 7, Lower Foote Street and Creek Road. However, where the new line intersects Halladay Road, a level crossing js proposed.

To address noise nuisance concerns it is suggested that a quiet zone is created from the outset as the cost of this would be marginal. The rationale for the at-grade crossing of Halladay Road is that it reduces the visual impact of the new rail route on the community.

(February 16th, 2010)

Research Sponsored by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration And published within Commercial Truck and Bus Safety Synthesis Program (CTBSSP) ranks level crossings 20th in the list of 42 concerns identified in relation to school bus operations.

CTBSSP synthesis report 17 can be found online at:
http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/ctbssp/ctbssp_syn_17.pdf

(February 16th, 2010

School buses stop for crossings

Traffic congestion as a result of diversions set up to allow fire-fighters unimpeded access to a restaurant fire was a factor in a level crossing accident in Morton, Pennsylvania. The accident occurred when a car attempted to turn around on a level crossing and became stuck The motorist abandoned her car when emergency service personnel saw her plight and an approaching train. Police used their flashing traffic wands to alert the driver of the oncoming train which caused the driver to make a brake application, thereby reducing the speed of impact. This incident occurred after dark on February 12th, 2010.

(February 13th, 2010)

Norfolk Southern Railroad (NS) has proposed closure of the Long Avenue level crossing in Lorain, Ohio on safety grounds and offered the municipality US$10k to reflect the reduction in costs to them of maintaining the level crossing. Additionally, NS have offered to pay for the elimination of the crossing including highway treatments.

In the run-up to the Council meeting to consider the NS proposal there appeared to be support from the community including the emergency services which do not use the Long Avenue level crossing.

(February 13th, 2010)

Amtrak, America’s long distance passenger train operator, transportation agencies, and freight railroads are working with Operation Lifesaver California to take the “common sense” safety campaign (LXinfo July 2009) to the San Francisco Bay area. The rationale for the campaign in this area is that California has more railway pedestrian fatalities than any other state and a spike in fatalities around the Bay. In 2008 California had 60 train-pedestrian fatalities and 48 injuries. Through the first 11 months of 2009, preliminary figures show, 56 California pedestrians were killed in train-related incidents, compared with 53 deaths in the same period for 2008.

Roy Deitchman, Vice President, Environmental Health and Safety for Amtrak said, “Individuals must make the right decision to stay off the tracks and the Common Sense message does just that.  Through this public-private safety partnership, the Common Sense campaign will raise public awareness and understanding about the risk of trespassing.”

More information on the “Common Sense” campaign which focuses in 18 to 24-year-olds can be found online at: www.commonsenseuseit.com

(February 12th, 2010)

Common Sense campaign logo, source OLI

Ten inches of snow has been blamed for a car becoming stuck on a level crossing in Hinsdale, Illinois. The female motorist was able to escape from the car before it was struck by a train on the Stough Street level crossing during the early evening of February 10th, 2010. The motorist immediately alerted the police and left her car as she realised she could not move it before a train arrived.

Village of Hinsdale officials confirmed that a snow-plough had passed through the level crossing less than an hour before the incident, following which a further one inch (2.5 cm) of snow had fallen.

Metra, whose train was involved in the collision, confirmed that the party responsible ploughing snow on either side of the level crossing also had the responsibility to plough across the level crossing itself.                      

(February 11th, 2010)

Houston, Texas: Union Pacific to upgrade 14 roadway surfaces

Union Pacific Railroad’s (UP) project to upgrade the 23 mile-long right of way from the Washington Avenue corridor in Houston to Spring, Texas involves 90,000 tons of track ballast, 62,000 sleepers (cross-ties) and new rail. Once the new track is in place, UP will install new roadways at 14 level crossings. In total, this project has a budget of US$29m.

(February 11th, 2010)

Claridon, Ohio: Closure case headed for Supreme Court

Plans to close the Ulsh Road level crossing in Claridon Township, Ohio, are presently stalled as the Township has successfully petitioned Ohio’s Supreme Court to challenge the State’s Public Utilities Commission (PUCO) decision that CSX Transportation (CSX) could close the crossing (LXinfo November 2009). Closure of the crossing, effected by a locally provided barrier, took place on January 15th, 2010 as required by PUCO. 

Now, hopes are pinned on a forthcoming Ohio Supreme Court hearing at which Claridon Township will argue that PUCO’s decision should be reversed and the crossing reopened to allow unimpeded access for fire and other emergency services, for which it is argued it is unreasonable that they should be forced to take a longer alternative route on which there is an active level crossing of the CSX right of way.

The Ulsh Road level crossing is ranked as the 14th most dangerous of more than 6,000 in Ohio. It is little used with a road traffic count of 137 vehicles per day and 19 trains per 24 hours. ULsh Road level crossing was the scene of an injury accident in 2008 and a non-injury accident the previous year.

(February 11th, 2010)

The City Council in Loma Linda, California, has approved works at two level crossings necessary if a quiet zone is to be introduced. The project with a value of US$0.68m addresses risks arising at the Beaumont and Whittier Avenue intersections with the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) right of way.

Work covered by this City Council funded project involves the widening of both streets and construction of curbs and median strips to reduce the risk of motorists circumventing the active level crossing controls. These works have an estimated cost of US$0.119m.

In addition, the City Council is to meet UP’s costs of US$0.563m to replace the existing crossing barriers and install sensors under the tracks which detect the presence of a vehicle and prevent the barriers from lowering if a vehicle is on the crossing.

Plans call for the physical works to be complete in June 2010 at which point regulatory sign-off is needed before the quiet zone can be inaugurated. There is already a quiet zone in Redlands on San Timoteo Canyon Road which s only 0.5 miles from Loma Linda’s Beaumont Avenue level crossing.

(February 10th, 2010)

A collision between a Houston Metro light rail rapid transit (LRT) train and one of their buses in which nine people were injured has been recorded on the LRT unit’s head end camera. From the head-end camera evidence Houston Metro officials have determined that the bus driver was at fault and that his actions had led to the collision which derailed the LRT unit at the St Joseph Parkway – Main Street intersection. The accident occurred during the afternoon of February 8th, 2010.

To view the head-end camera and associated footage go to: http://www.kvue.com/news/state/Metro-bus-train-collision-captured-on-cameras--84069952.html

(February 10th, 2010)

Washington, DC: FHWA releases speed management resources

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has released a CD-ROM full of speed management information resources. These resources come from a variety of sources and cover many aspects of speed management. You can search by keyword, browse by title, browse by author, or browse by topic. The topics covered include engineering, enforcement, education, safety analysis, traffic calming, and work zones.

Once you select a resource, an abstract for that resource will appear. The abstract contains the title, author, publisher, year, and description of the resource. The abstract also contains links to the resource on the CD as well as links to a web accessible location when feasible.

To learn more go to: http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/speedmgt/ref_mats/fhwasa09028/

(February 9th, 2010)

A story attributed to James Jerome Hill, the CEO of the Great Northern Railway, who died in 1916 is once again doing the rounds.

"One of our division superintendents had received numerous complaints that freight trains were in the habit of stopping on a grade crossing in a certain small town, thereby blocking travel for long periods. He issued orders, but still the complaints came in. Finally he decided to investigate personally.

A short man in size and very excitable, he went down to the crossing, and, sure enough, there stood, in defiance of his orders, a long freight train, anchored squarely across it. A brakeman who didn't know him by sight sat complacently on the top of the car.

'Move that train on!' sputtered the little 'super.' 'Get it off the crossing so people can pass. Move on, I say!'

The brakeman surveyed the tempestuous little man from head to foot. 'You go to the deuce, you little shrimp,' he replied. 'You're small enough to crawl under.'"

The moral in this tale is that crawling through a train stopped on a level crossing is as old as the railway.

(February 9th, 2010)

Shoreview, Minnesota: Administrative citations for some level crossing offences

The City of Shoreview in Minnesota has authorised the use of “administrative citations” for a range of traffic offences. The offences for which these citations carry a US$60 penalty compared with the standard US$130 penalty are essentially a road traffic misdemeanour.

The law provides for “administrative citations” to be used for speeding which is less than 10 mph over the posted limit and importantly in the level crossing context for stop line violations. The stop line violation covers both the solid white line scenario and where traffic control devices are employed when the motorist stops but not at or before the indicated point.

A stop line violation is not a failure to stop completely as directed by a stop sign or traffic control signal. A regular criminal citation must still be issued for this type of traffic violation.

(February 9th, 2010)

Lincoln, Nebraska: Improved estimation of train arrival time

Safety is always a consideration when level crossings are near a traffic signal equipped highway intersection because of the potential risk of accidents involving highway traffic and trains. Current traffic signal pre-emption strategies at these locations are based on the minimum required warning time for train arrival at a level crossing of 20 seconds for highway users provided by first-generation train detection technologies.

If train arrival times at level crossings can be accurately estimated within approximately a traffic signal cycle length ahead of train arrivals, signal pre-emption strategies may be able to be improved and highway traffic can be managed in a safer manner.

This research conducted by Diego Franca, under the supervision of Dr. Elizabeth Jones during his master’s program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, developed a method to improve the estimation of train arrival times by fusing speed data from two sensors located upstream of the studied level crossing: Doppler radar and video image detection (second generation technologies).

A Kalman filter model was used to fuse the speed data to overcome the limitations of both sensors when detecting trains on a multiple track environment. Results showed that the fused data provided better train arrival time estimations than either radar or video detection estimations alone in a multi-train, multi-track environment.

For more information contact Diego Franca at dfranca@kittelson.com or Libby Jones at ejones1@unl.edu .

(February 9th, 2010)