U.S. Department of Transportatio

U.S. Department of Transportation

Federal Railroad Administration

NCByTrain.org/BeRailSafe

November 1–3, 2022

North Carolina State University

Duke Energy Hall at James B. Hunt Jr. Library

1070 Partners Way, Raleigh, NC 27606

North Carolina 

Department of Transportation
Trespassing along railroad rights-of-way is the leading cause of rail-related deaths in the United 

States. Railroad crossing incidents are the second leading cause. 

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is committed to preventing and reducing grade crossing 

and trespassing incidents.

Workshop Goals

One goal is to identify existing and emerging technology designed and used to mitigate, reduce, 

and ultimately eliminate highway-rail grade crossing and trespasser incidents. Other goals are to 

raise awareness of the dangers and effects of highway-rail grade crossing and trespasser incidents, 

to seek out low-cost solutions, and to discuss practicable ideas for technological improvements for 

vehicular and pedestrian safety at highway-rail grade crossings.

Thank you to our Sponsors

Parking courtesy of

Food and refreshments courtesy of
Nov. 1 – Trespasser Prevention

7:30 AM–5:00 PM: Registration

James B. Hunt Jr. Library, Duke Energy Hall Auditorium Foyer

8:30–9:15 AM: Welcome and Introductions

•Safety briefing

Michail Grizkewitsch, Transportation Specialist – FRA

•Agenda, goals, introductions

James Payne, Staff Director – FRA

Jahmal Pullen, Engineering Coordination and Safety Manager, Rail Division – NCDOT

•Welcoming remarks

Eric Boyette, Secretary – North Carolina Transportation Secretary

9:15–10:00 AM: Data Analysis of Area of Trespasser Incidents

Moderator: Monica Shaw, Transportation Specialist – FRA 

FRA

•Overview of railroad grade crossing and trespassing data analysis

Michail Grizkewitsch – FRA 

•Data analysis of NC area 

Roger Smock, Rail Safety Consultant – NCDOT, WGI

NCDOT

•Comprehensive cost of rail incidents in North Carolina

Steve Bert, Policy Assessment Group – ITRE at NC State University

•Reduction in railroad right-of-way trespassing incidents

Chris Cunningham, Director, Highway Systems Research Coordinator – ITRE at NC State University

 10:00–10:15 AM Break

10:15 AM–Noon Local Railroad Trespassing Mitigation Strategies 

Moderator: Francesco Bedini Jacobini, Program Manager – FRA

FRA

•Overview of railroad trespassing issues and prevention strategies

Marco daSilva, Mechanical Engineer – Volpe Center

NCDOT

•Strategies for Deterring Trespassing on Rail Transit and Commuter Rail 

Rights-of-Way, Volume 2

Jahmal Pullen – NCDOT

Metra

•Commuter Railroad and Suicide Prevention Perspective

Hilary Konczal, Chief Safety and Environmental Officer – Metra

FRA 

•Trespass & Suicide Prevention Toolkit

Dr. Shala Blue, Engineering Psychologist – FRA

 Noon-1:30 PM Lunch (On Your Own)
1:30–3:00 PM Community and Public Outreach Engagement 

Moderator: Roger Smock, Rail Safety Consultant – NCDOT, WGI

Greensboro, NC Police Department 

•Overview of Railroad Trespassing Enforcement Program

Greensboro Police Department 

University of North Carolina - Charlotte

•Investigating public’s perceptions toward railroad safety on social media

Dr. Yuting “Tina” Chen, Assistant Professor – UNC-Charlotte

Operation Lifesaver, Inc.

•North Carolina Operation Lifesaver - Overview of railroad trespassing educational 

and prevention strategies

Margaret Cannell, State Coordinator – NCOL

•Florida Operation Lifesaver - Overview of railroad trespassing educational and 

prevention strategies 

Rob Stapleton, Rail Manager – CTS Engineering, Inc.

 3:00–3:15 PM Break

3:15–4:30 PM Innovation

Moderator: Daniel J. Findley, PhD., Associate Director, Education and Training – ITRE at NC State University

NCDOT 

•Modeling the Effects of Rail Noise Propagation on Pedestrians in NC Railroad 

Environments

Dr. Rongfang (Rachel) Liu, Endowed Professor, Director of Transportation Institute – North Carolina 

Agricultural and Technical State University 

Rutgers

•Exploring trespassing issues through the Rutgers MBS externship

R. Michael White – Global Information Systems, LLC 

NOVOAGLOBAL

•Brightline detection technologies 

Carlos Löfstedt, President, CEO – NOVOAGLOBAL, Inc

Safe House

•One App, Any Crisis

Eliza Conley-Lepene, Founder, CEO, President – Safe House

4:30–5:00pm Wrap-Up and Next Steps

Monica Shaw & Michail Grizkewitsch – FRA

•Feedback on Trespasser Prevention Discussions

Francesco Bedini Jacobini – FRA 

•Day 2 Grade Crossing Introduction

Debra Chappell, Transportation Specialist – FRA
 Nov. 2 – Grade Crossing

7:30 AM–5:00 PM Registration

James B. Hunt Jr. Library, Duke Energy Hall Auditorium Foyer

8:30–8:45 AM Welcome and Introductions

•Safety briefing

•Agenda, goals, introductions

•Welcoming remarks

Debra Chappell – FRA

•Grade crossing data – national and local

James Payne – FRA

8:45–9:45 AM Grade Crossings and Trespassing

Moderator: Brad Hibbs, Operations Engineer – FHWA 

FRA/FHWA 

•Updated railway-highway crossings program guidance under the Bipartisan 

Infrastructure Law

Esther Strawder, Rail Highway Crossings Program Manager – FHWA 

NCDOT

•Back Creek Church Road (Charlotte, NC)

Brian Gackstetter, Senior Project Engineer, Rail Division – NCDOT 

 9:45–10:00 AM Break

10:00–11:00 AM Highway Design

Moderator: Randy Brown, Project Manager, Southeast High-Speed Rail – FRA 

FRA/NCDOT

•NCDOT Traffic Separation Study on and off the sealed corridor – How did NCDOT do it? 

Jahmal Pullen –NCDOT

•King’s Mountain Case Study

Melissa B. Toth, National Director, ITS & Traffic Engineering – Atkins

Alfred Benesch & Company

•Design of Pre-signals at Grade Crossings 

Rick Campbell, Senior Technical Manager – Alfred Benesch & Company

11:00 AM–Noon Innovative Technologies Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning

Moderator: Ronald Lucas, Manager – Planning and Project Development Branch, Rail Division – NCDOT

MTRI Inc. & Michigan Technological University

•Grade crossing inspections and surveys

Colin Brooks, Principal Investigator/ Senior Research Scientist – MTRI, Inc. & Michigan Technological 

University

BNSF Railway 

•Use of drones at BNSF Railway

Richard Scott, Assistant Director Public Projects – BNSF Railway or Cheryl Townlian, Assistant Director 

Public Projects – BNSF Railway
TRAINFO

•TRAINFO - Blocked crossing prediction and communication

Garreth Rempel, CEO & Co-Founder – TRAINFO

 Noon–1:30 PM Lunch (On Your Own)

1:30–2:30 PM Mitigating Highway Design Challenges at or Approaching Grade Crossings

Moderator: Howard Gillespie, Supervisory Railroad Safety Specialist – FRA

Brightline

•Grade crossing design in an urban environment

Michael Lefevre, Vice President Operations – Brightline

Elon University

•Elon, NC Trespass: Right-of-way-Fencing Partnership

Jana Lynn Patterson, Ph.D., Associate VP for Student Life and Dean of Students – Elon University

Norfolk Southern Railroad and CSX Transportation, Inc.

•Class 1 railroad activities

W. R. (Will) Miller, Public Safety Director – Norfolk Southern Railway

Mike Liebelt, Project Manager II – CSX Transportation, Inc.

2:30–3:30 PM Crossing Program Planning and Policy 

Moderator: Debra Chappell – FRA

FRA

•Emergency Notification System signs

Elizbeth Hudd, Grade Crossing Inspector – FRA

NCDOT

•Freight Rail and Rail Crossing Safety Initiative

Neil Perry, Rail Planning Manager, Rail Division – NCDOT

Mark Johnston, Rail Planning Engineer Consultant, Rail Division – NCDOT

•ENS driver education curriculum model legislation

Ike Avery, BeRailSafe Contractor, Rail Division – NCDOT

 3:30–3:45 PM Break

3:45–4:45 PM Data Collection and Analyses

Moderator Todd Meyer, Data Analysis & Inventory Manager, Rail Division – NCDOT

•North Carolina rail incident operations and call-taking survey

Roger Smock, Rail Safety Consultant – NCDOT, WGI

Daniel Findley, PhD. – ITRE at NC State University

•Pedestrian incidents at highway-rail grade crossings

Nancy Horne, Rail Signals Engineer, Rail Division – NCDOT 

Richard Mullinax, Rail Safety and Signals Consulting Engineer – Mott MacDonald

4:45–5:00 PM Wrap-Up and Next Steps 

•Feedback on Grade Crossing Discussions

Debra Chappell, Transportation Specialist – FRA

•Day 3 Research and Development Introduction

Francesco Bedini Jacobini, Program Manager – FRA

 
Nov. 3 – Research and Development and Funding Opportunities 

7:30 AM–Noon Registration

James B. Hunt Jr. Library, Duke Energy Hall Auditorium Foyer

8:30–10:00 AM Welcome and Introductions

Moderator: Francesco Bedini Jacobini– FRA

•Safety Briefing

•Agenda, goals, introductions

Francesco Bedini Jacobini– FRA

•Welcoming remarks

Marco daSilva, Mechanical Engineer – Volpe Center

FRA Research and Development

•Discussion of future research needs topics

Dr. Shala Blue, Engineering Psychologist – FRA

 10:00–10:15 AM Break

10:15 AM–Noon Funding Opportunities

Moderator: Michail Grizkewitsch – FRA 

NCDOT

•Research Process – Overview of NCDOT research and development and discussion of 

funding opportunities

Curtis Bradley, Ph.D., Research Implementation Manager – NCDOT

FRA

•FRA Civil Rights Team

FRA Civil Rights Team 

•Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grants 

FRA Grants Management Team 

Noon Recap and Next Steps

FRA and NCDOT Staff
Thank you to our Sponsors

Parking courtesy of

Food and Refreshments courtesy of