Author: Not Identified

Date of Publication:  August 1975

Sponsoring Agency:  California State Public Utilities Commission

Performing Organization:  Railroad Operations and Safety Branch, Traffic Engineering Section

Abstract:

To assist the California Public Utilities Commission in performing its duties related to grade crossing regulation, the Office of Traffic Safety has sponsored this project to determine the scope of the vehicle-train accident problem in California, to gauge the effectiveness of various types of protection devices being currently advocated by the Commission, and to critically investigate the possible use of warrants or criteria to assist in recommending where monies should be spent on railroad-highway grade crossing protection improvements. Not only will this project assist the Commission, but it should also inform local governmental agencies as to the magnitude of expected benefits.  The study provides information regarding the installation of various protection devices and the cost to the public. The project was segregated into four separate studies based upon : (1) a questionnaire mailed to all cities and counties in California, (2) an examination of the before-and -after accident histories of 1,552 grade crossings currently protected by automatic devices, (3) a summary of the actual and estimated costs of installing automatic protection devices at 1,296 locations, and (4) an examination of the feasibility of using warrants or criteria to assist in placing grade crossing protection devices.
 

No. of Pages:  221