NEW PROGRAMS AUTHORIZED BY RAIL SAFETY LEGISLATION

THE FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION HAS UNDERTAKEN A FIVE-YEAR RESEARCH EFFORT WHOSE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO REDUCE RAIL--HIGHWAY GRADE CROSSING ACCIDENTS BY 25%. MUCH OF THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DOUBLING OF RAILROAD ACCIDENTS FROM 1961 THROUGH 1968 IS THOUGHT TO BE TRACEABLE TO THE ABSENCE OF FEDERAL AUTHORITY TO TAKE PREVENTIVE MEASURES. THE FY 71 APPROPRIATION PROVIDES $6M FOR FRA RESEARCH, ALONG WITH AUTHORITY FOR RDT&E AND TRAINING IN ALL AREAS OF RAILROAD SAFETY. OF THE 2283 DEATHS RESULTING FROM RAIL ACCIDENTS IN 1968, 1546 WERE CAUSED BY TRAIN--MOTOR VEHICLE COLLISIONS AT GRADE CROSSINGS. OF THE 225,000 CROSSINGS IN THE US.S, 180,000 ARE UNPROTECTED. OF THESE, 30,000 ARE CONSIDERED TO JUSTIFY IMMEDIATE IMPROVEMENTS. HOWEVER, AT PRESENT THE MINIMUM COST TO INSTALL PROTECTIVE DEVICES IS $10,000 PER CROSSING. FRA RESEARCH PLANS CALL FOR INVENTORIES OF ALL GRADE CROSSINGS AND ACCIDENTS AT THESE CROSSINGS, DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS IN SEVERAL COMMUNITIES AIMED AT ELIMINATING UNNECESSARY CROSSINGS AND PROTECTING THOSE THAT ARE ALLOWED TO REMAIN. TO MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF THE DIVISION OF RESPONSIBILITY BETWEEN FRA AND THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMNISTRATION, A JOINT ACTION GROUP ON GRADE CROSSING SAFETY HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED. OTHER RESEARCH ASPECTS OF RAILROAD SAFETY COVERED IN THE APPROPRIATION ARE SHIPMENT OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, HUMAN FACTORS, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, TRACKS AND ROADWAYS, ACCIDENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS, AND CONTROL AND COMMUNICATION.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Vol 25, No 6, PP 31-34, 3 REF
• Publication Date: 1970-11-16

Media Info

• Serial:
  • Washington Science Trends
  • Publisher: Trends Publishing Incorporated

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Appropriations; Automatic train control; Control; Crashes; Fatalities; Motor vehicles; Railroad grade crossings; Railroad trains; Railroads; Research; Safety; Safety equipment
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Railroads; Research; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00225922
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 2 1972 12:00AM