THE VISIBILITY AND AUDIBILITY OF TRAINS APPROACHING RAIL - HIGHWAY GRADE CROSSINGS

The study investigates devices and color schemes, proposed or in use on locomotives, which serve to make the train visible or audible to motorists approaching grade crossings. A color scheme using two contrasting colors, each color at least 3 1/2 x 5 feet in area, is recommended for visibility at 1000 feet. One color should be very bright, such as fluorescent or bright yellow. Two high-output xenon strobe lamps are recommended, one on each side of the cab roof, to flash alternately whenever the train is moving. At night, lighted panels are recommended as supplements to the strobe lamps. The sound level required to reliably alert a motorist was found to be 105 dB just outside the vehicle. In high speed encounters, present horns cannot reliably warn motorists early enough. A horn with enough output to be totally effective would not be an unacceptable nuisance. The report includes a bibliography and tables of required ranges. (Author)

• Supplemental Notes:
  • See also Addendum Rept. dated Jul 71, PB-202 669.
• Corporate Authors:

  Systems Consultants, Incorporated

  New York, NY  United States 
• Authors:
  • Aurelius, J P
  • Korobow, N
• Publication Date: 1971-5

Media Info

• Pagination: 163 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Auditory perception; Automobiles; Color; Highways; Horns; Intersections; Lamps; Locomotives; Prevention; Railroad grade crossings; Railroad trains; Railroads; Safety; Visibility; Warning systems
• Subject Areas: Railroads; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00039261
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: Final Rpt
• Contract Numbers: DOT-FR-00006
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 24 1976 12:00AM