New FRA Report Assesses Real-Time Crossing Information System Safety Benefits

The study (download below) focuses on reducing first responder delays at rail crossings, which the FRA says, “have become increasingly critical due to the rise in average train lengths in the United States.”

The primary objectives of the research, which was funded by the FRA, was conducted by TRAINFO between October 2018 and June 2023 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Houston, Texas; and Charleston County, S.C., were to “quantify the risk of responders being exposed to active crossings, evaluate the effectiveness of in-vehicle systems, and assess dispatcher tactical maps in reducing these risks.”

The study involved the installation of TRAINFO sensors to collect real-time rail crossing data, which was then integrated into in-vehicle systems and dispatcher tactical maps. The findings, FRA says, indicate that more than 90% of responder delays at rail crossings can be eliminated using real-time and predictive rail crossing information. However, “the effectiveness of these systems is limited by human factors, such as available responder attention and the complexity of dispatcher workflows,” according to the study. The report concludes that integrating rail crossing information into Computer-Aided-Dispatch (CAD) software “could provide a more consistent and effective solution to mitigate responder delays.”