TECHNOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF PUBLIC RESPONSIBILITY FOR GRADE CROSSING PROTECTION

Recent interest in improvement of safety at railroad-highway grade crossings has been accompanied by a growing involvement of government at all levels. Public responsibility typically has been confined to providing funding, developing information, planning, and regulating; the design, installation, and maintenance of automatic protection has been exclusively a railroad activity. This paper examines the technical limitations that constrain public authorities from taking total responsibility for crossing protection devices, which are the only highway traffic control devices that are not the responsibility of highway officials. Research directed toward removal of those limitations is described. A review of the legal history and current role of governmental units precedes a description of conventional technology in terms of impact on a wider public role. Means of train detection and motorist warnings are discussed; the conclusion drawn is that the principal technological impediment to non-railroad responsibility for crossing protection is the present dependence on track circuit techniques for determination of train presence. Recent research directed at removing this constraint is presented. Analysis of system requirements and available technology has identified a discrete train detector-microwave communication link concept, and the results of field testing indicate a number of attractive features and general feasibility.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1974/514/514-004.pdf
• Summary URL:
  • http://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=TECHNOLOGICAL+ASPECTS+OF+PUBLIC+RESPONSIBILITY+FOR+GRADE+CROSSING+PROTECTION&author=J.+Hopkins&publication_year=1974
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03611981
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Highway-Railroad Grade Crossings. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Hopkins, John B
• Conference:
  • 53rd Annual Meeting of the Highway Research Board
  • Location: Washington District of Columbia, United States
  • Date: 1974-1-21 to 1974-1-25
• Publication Date: 1974

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; Photos; References;
• Pagination: pp 33-43
• Monograph Title: Traffic operations
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 514
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: At grade intersections; Automatic train location; Detectors; Districts and authorities; Feasibility analysis; Field tests; Government agencies; Governments; Grade crossing protection systems; Improvements; Legal responsibility; Microwave communication systems; Policy; Railroad grade crossings; Railroad trains; Safety; Systems analysis; Technology; Track circuits; Warning systems
• Uncontrolled Terms: Responsibilities
• Old TRIS Terms: Detecting devices; Government policies; Grade crossing protection; Microwave communication; Public
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Policy; Railroads; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00083969
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309023580
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Apr 8 1976 12:00AM