INNOVATIVE MEASURES TO REDUCE CRASH OCCURRENCE AND SEVERE INJURY RISK AT PASSIVE RAILROAD CROSSINGS

With some 6000 passive crossings in Australia (and over 120,000 in the USA), low cost measures aimed at crash prevention as well as reduction in crash severity are needed if we are to reduce the toll at these crossings. This paper examines two options for addressing these requirements. The first relates to the development of an active tactile device (active rumble strip) which only activates when a train is approaching the crossing. Such a device would be incorporated into the roadway and provide vehicle drivers with sufficient stimulus to alert them to an approaching train. The second measure relates to dramatically improving the crashworthiness interface of the front of a train to reduce the impact severity with cars or other vehicles. The characteristics required of an inflatable airbag device (or other types of energy absorbing device) fitted to the front of train will be discussed, as will the potential effectiveness of such a device. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E207956.

• Corporate Authors:

  Monash University

  Wellington Road
  Clayton, Victoria  Australia  3800
• Authors:
  • Rechnitzer, G
• Conference:
  • INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON RAILROAD-HIGHWAY GRADE CROSSING RESEARCH AND SAFETY, 7TH, 2002, MELBOURNE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA
• Publication Date: 2002

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 6 p.
• Monograph Title: Proceedings: Seventh International Symposium on Railroad-Highway Grade Crossing Research and Safety: Getting Active at Passive Crossings: Wednesday, Thursday 20-21 February 2002, Melbourne, Australia

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air bags; Conferences; Costs; Crashes; Deformation; Energy; Prevention; Railroad grade crossings; Railroad tracks; Railroad trains; Rumble strips; Safety
• ITRD Terms: 1661: Accident prevention; 1465: Air bag (restraint system); 1631: Collision; 8525: Conference; 224: Cost; 5595: Deformation; 213: Energy; 452: Level crossing; 1062: Railway track; 2849: Rumble strip; 1268: Train
• Subject Areas: Energy; Finance; Railroads; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00940123
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• Files: ITRD, ATRI
• Created Date: Apr 4 2003 12:00AM