Highway-Rail Grade Crossing 

and Trespass Prevention: 

Compliance, Procedures, and 

Programs Manual 

October 2019 

Office of Railroad Safety 
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Contents 

Chapter 1 – General ....................................................................................... 1

Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 1

Purpose ........................................................................................................................................ 1

Program Goals ............................................................................................................................ 2

Personal Safety ........................................................................................................................... 2

On-the-Job Training (OJT) Program .......................................................................................... 3

Railroad Crossing Safety and Trespass Prevention Resources ................................................... 4

Chapter 2 – Personnel .................................................................................. 5

HRGX&TP Headquarters (HQ) Division Staff (RRS-23) ......................................................... 5

HRGX&TP Staff Director ...................................................................................................... 5

HRGX&TP HQ Transportation Analyst (Railroad Trespassing) ........................................... 6

HRGX&TP HQ Transportation Analyst (Train Horn) ........................................................... 7

HRGX&TP HQ Transportation Analyst (State Action Plans and Train Horn) ...................... 8

HRGX&TP HQ Program Analyst (Correspondence) ............................................................. 9

HRGX&TP HQ General Engineer (Grade Crossing Safety Engineer) ................................ 11

HRGX&TP HQ General Engineer (High Speed Rail) ......................................................... 12

HRGX&TP HQ Transportation Specialist (Inventory and ENS) ......................................... 13

HRGX&TP HQ Program Support Specialist ........................................................................ 15

HRGX&TP HQ Program Analyst ........................................................................................ 16

HRGX&TP HQ Transportation Analyst (Outreach) ............................................................ 18

HRGX&TP Regional Staff ....................................................................................................... 19

HRGX&TP Regional Specialist ........................................................................................... 19

HRGX&TP Grade Crossing Inspector (GXI) ........................................................................... 23

HRGX&TP Crossing and Trespassing Regional Manager (GS-13) ..................................... 25

HRGX&TP Crossing and Trespassing Regional Manager (GS-12) ..................................... 28

Chapter 3 – Regulations ........................................................................... 30

Basis for Regulation and Inspection ......................................................................................... 30

Statutory Authority ............................................................................................................... 30

HRGX&TP Regulations ........................................................................................................... 30

CFR Part 222—Use of Locomotive Train Horns at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings—

Overview ............................................................................................................................... 31

Title 49 CFR Section 234.11—State Action Plans—Overview ........................................... 31

Title 49 CFR Part 234, Subpart E—Emergency Notification Systems for Telephonic 

Reporting of Unsafe Conditions at Highway-Rail and Pathway Grade Crossings—Overview

............................................................................................................................................... 32

Title 49 CFR Part 234, Subpart F—Highway-Rail and Pathway Crossing Inventory 
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Reporting—Overview ........................................................................................................... 32

Chapter 4 – Railroad Trespassing ....................................................... 34

National Strategy to Prevent Trespassing on Railroad Property—Overview ........................... 34

Procedures for Conducting Railroad Trespassing Assessments ............................................... 34

Step 1. Identify the Problem ................................................................................................ 35

Step 2. Identify Resources and Stakeholders ....................................................................... 35

Step 3. Analyze the Cause ................................................................................................... 36

Step 4. Develop and Implement Trespass Mitigation Measures.......................................... 37

Step 5. Evaluate the Results ................................................................................................. 38

Step 6. Report and Document .............................................................................................. 39

FRA Headquarters is Responsible For:................................................................................. 39

FRA Regional Teams are Responsible For:.......................................................................... 39

Chapter 5 – Outreach ................................................................................. 40

Chapter 6 – Inspection and Investigation Procedures .......... 41

Inventory of Inspection Territory (Regional Inspection Points) ............................................... 41

Inspection Priorities .................................................................................................................. 41

Discipline Inspection Guidance ................................................................................................ 41

Using Data Analysis to Determine Appropriate Focus ............................................................ 42

Purpose:................................................................................................................................. 42

Inventory Inspections: ........................................................................................................... 42

Use of Locomotive Train Horns at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings ........................................ 42

State Action Plans ..................................................................................................................... 43

Emergency Notification System Inspection: ............................................................................ 44

Section 1 – Frequency of Inspections ................................................................................... 44

Section 2 – ENS Components ............................................................................................... 45

Section 3 – Inspecting ENS Signs ........................................................................................ 45

Section 4 – The Method that the Railroad Uses to Receive and Process a Telephone Call 

Reporting the Unsafe Condition ........................................................................................... 48

Section 5 – The Remedial Actions that a Railroad Takes to Address the Report of the 

Unsafe Condition and Recordkeeping .................................................................................. 48

Notice and Time of Inspections and Investigations .................................................................. 49

Time of Inspections and Investigations .................................................................................... 49

Refusal to Permit an Inspection or Investigation ...................................................................... 50

Waiver of Responsibility .......................................................................................................... 50

Unusual Problems or Incidents ................................................................................................. 50

Cooperation of Personnel with Industry and other Governmental Agencies ........................... 51

Chapter 7 – Gaining Compliance ......................................................... 52

Purpose ...................................................................................................................................... 52

Regular Inspections ................................................................................................................... 52
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Conference During and After an Inspection or Investigation ................................................... 52

Special Inspections and/or Assessments ................................................................................... 53

Accident Investigation .............................................................................................................. 53

Complaint Investigation ............................................................................................................ 54

Conducting Interviews .............................................................................................................. 55

Determining When and What Enforcement Action is Necessary ............................................. 56

Defective Conditions Not Cited as a Violation ........................................................................ 58

Defective Conditions Cited as a Violation ............................................................................... 58

Railroad Action to Correct Defective Conditions ..................................................................... 59

Written Reporting of Remedial Actions Taken ........................................................................ 59

Chapter 8 – Field Reports, Procedures, and Forms ................. 60

General Requirements ............................................................................................................... 60

Completion of Inspection Report Form, FRA F 6180.96 ......................................................... 60

Distribution of Inspection Reports ............................................................................................ 61

GXS Review of Inspection Reports .......................................................................................... 61

Completion of Violation Report Form ...................................................................................... 62

Distribution of Violation Reports ............................................................................................. 63

GXS Review of Violation Reports ........................................................................................... 63

The Quiet Zone Checklist ......................................................................................................... 64

National Safety Program Plan Status Reports .......................................................................... 74

Other Special Project Reports ................................................................................................... 74

APPENDIX A: Inspection Details for Compliance with 49 

CFR Part 234, Subpart F, Inventory .................................................. 75

Section 1 – Location for Inspecting Inventory Records ........................................................... 76

Section 2 – Railroad Data Versus State Data ........................................................................... 76

Section 3 – Inspecting Update Frequency ................................................................................ 77

3.1 New Crossings ................................................................................................................ 77

3.2 Updates to Existing Crossings ........................................................................................ 78

3.3 Closed and Grade-Separated Crossings .......................................................................... 80

Section 4 – Inspecting Railroad Data in Part I .......................................................................... 80

Section 5 – Inspecting Railroad Data in Part II ........................................................................ 86

Section 6 – Inspecting Data in Parts III, IV, and V .................................................................. 88

Section 7 – Other Inspection Items to Consider ....................................................................... 91

Section 8 – Additional Inventory Information .......................................................................... 93

APPENDIX B: Centrally Managed Data-Driven Outreach 

Recommendations for Grade Crossing Inspectors and 

Grade Crossing Trespassing Managers ............................................ 97

APPENDIX C: National Strategy for Trespass Prevention ..101

Executive Summary .............................................................................................103

Table of Contents .................................................................................................106
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Abbreviations in this Report ...............................................................................107

Introduction ..........................................................................................................109

Trespassing on Railroad Property .....................................................................110

Trespassing Defined ............................................................................................................... 110

Types of Trespass Accidents .................................................................................................. 110

The Complexities of Trespassing on Railroad Property ......................................................... 111

Scope of the Problem .............................................................................................................. 112

Location of Trespassing Accidents ......................................................................................... 113

FRA Efforts to Address Trespassing ...................................................................................... 116

The Costs and Effects of Railroad Trespassing ...................................................................... 117

FRA’s Field Survey - Site Review Team Executive Summaries .....................120

Potential Causal Factors ......................................................................................123

Conclusion .............................................................................................................124

National Strategy to Prevent Trespassing on Railroad Property ...................125

The Four Strategic Areas of the National Strategy ................................................................. 126

Metrics for Success ................................................................................................................. 127

Implementation Milestones and Timeline by Strategic Area ................................................. 128
1 

Chapter 1 – General 

Introduction 

This Highway-Rail Grade Crossing and Trespass Prevention: Compliance, Procedures, and 

Programs Manual (HRGX&TP Compliance Manual) sets forth the methods, policies, and 

procedures that shall be used by Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) inspectors and State 

Inspectors1 during their inspection and investigation activities to enforce and obtain compliance 

with the regulations, laws, and orders issued by FRA, and such other activities as may be 

assigned as part of their duties. 

The directives and guidance contained in the HRGX&TP Compliance Manual are designed to 

maximize the effective use of available resources to obtain uniform application of FRA 

regulations pertaining to grade crossing safety and trespass prevention programs throughout the 

Nation. This uniformity is mandated, to the extent practicable, by the Federal Railroad Safety 

Act of 1970 and is necessary for the effective management of the National Safety Program Plan. 

The information in this compliance manual intends to provide internal guidance and does not 

provide any basis for a private party to challenge FRA’s exercise of enforcement discretion in a 

particular case. The guidance provided in the manual may be revoked or modified by FRA 

without prior notice at any time. This compliance manual supersedes all previous HRGX&TP 

enforcement and compliance manuals. 

Future editions of this manual will document new or revised Federal regulations and FRA 

policies, programs, and procedures. Any suggestions for improving the manual are welcome for 

future revisions. Comments or suggestions should be forwarded to the HRGX&TP Staff 

Director, through the respective regional grade crossing specialist and/or Regional Administrator 

or Deputy Regional Administrator. 

Purpose 

The HRGX&TP Compliance Manual is applicable to Federal and State HRGX&TP inspectors. 

All HRGX&TP personnel should refer to the manual as often as necessary to obtain a clear 

understanding of: 

(1) FRA policies, procedures, and programs; 

(2) Proper application of the regulations pertaining to grade crossing safety; and 

(3) Required conduct while enforcing FRA regulations and performing inspections and 

investigations. 

 

1 FRA State Inspectors 49CFR Part 212 
2 

If there is any doubt at any time about the intended meaning or proper application of any section 

of the manual, an inspector should ask his or her regional grade crossing specialist for 

clarification. 

The manual complements the FRA Office of Railroad Safety’s General Manual (General 

Manual). The General Manual provides detailed information about FRA’s overall operation, 

history, and statutory authority; rulemaking process; and inspection and investigation procedures. 

Both manuals are specifically intended for use by HRGX&TP safety inspectors and technical 

specialists throughout the country who monitor compliance with Federal laws and safety 

regulations for quiet zones, Emergency Notification Systems (ENS) at highway-rail and pathway 

grade crossings, and highway-rail and pathway crossing inventory reporting, as well as programs 

related to trespassers on railroad property. 

Using both this discipline-specific compliance manual and the General Manual will aid FRA and 

FRA-certified State inspectors in the performance of their duties and in the uniform application 

of Federal HRGX&TP safety laws and regulations. 

Program Goals 

The goal of the HRGX&TP safety program is to improve railroad safety by limiting the number 

of highway-rail grade crossing accidents and incidents of trespass upon railroad property or 

rights of way. The HRGX&TP safety program strives to reduce errors or defective conditions 

resulting in collisions between railroad trains or equipment and highway traffic or other road 

users (cyclists or pedestrians) at or near highway-rail and pathway grade crossings. FRA seeks 

to achieve the safety program’s goals through effective oversight of the level of compliance with 

the Federal requirements related to quiet zones, ENS signs, and crossing inventory reporting, as 

well as oversight of programs and processes aimed at reducing incidents of trespass on railroad 

property or rights of way. 

While FRA recognizes that railroads might not eliminate all possibility of collisions at grade 

crossings and incidents of trespass, FRA does believe it is possible to significantly reduce the 

number of rail-related accidents by promoting compliance with its regulations. One of FRA’s 

goals aims to significantly reduce the number of grade crossing and trespass accidents and 

incidents while also reducing their severity. 

Personal Safety 

Federal and State Inspectors and Grade Crossing and Trespassing Regional personnel must make 

a conscious effort to maintain their personal safety and the safety of those with whom they are 

working. Inspectors should watch for and voice a cautionary warning if they see any train 

movement or any condition that might imperil members of the inspection group. Inspectors 

should be especially alert and attentive when riding on the rails in hi-rail vehicles. The safety of 

everyone in the vehicle makes it imperative that each person aboard understands the railroad 

operating rules and authority limitations under which they operate. Each person must be aware 

that their actions and vehicle movements must comply with railroad operating rules and 
3 

authorities. They must be particularly wary when inspections or investigations are being 

performed on or around multiple track main lines or an electrified third rail. 

If the inspectors have their own safety equipment, they shall use it. If the railroad provides other 

additional safety equipment and requests that it be used, inspectors shall comply with the 

railroad’s request. 

On-the-Job Training (OJT) Program 

The HRGX&TP OJT program is the consensus product of the Technical Training Standards 

Division (TTSD). The methodology used in development of the program includes validation of 

the standards against the inspection program activity codes, as well as the policies and guidelines 

available in the enforcement manuals and technical bulletins. These standards supersede any 

previous methods the organization has used to evaluate proficiency levels of new 

inspectors. The HRGX&TP OJT program includes the following standards/duties: 

 Apply 49 CFR Part 222, Use of Locomotive Horns at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings 

 Apply 49 CFR § 229.129, Locomotive Horn – Testing and Measurement Standards for 

Train Horn 

 Apply 49 CFR Part 234, Subpart E – Systems for Telephonic Notification of Unsafe 

Conditions at Highway-Rail and Pathway Grade Crossings 

 Apply 49 CFR Part 234, Subpart F – National Highway-Rail and Pathway Crossing 

Inventory Reporting Requirements 

 Perform Complaint Investigations 

 Conduct Inspections and complete Railroad Inspector Information System (RISPC) 

6180.96 inspection reports 

 Identify and Investigate High Trespass Activity locations and Propose mitigation 

measures 

The OJT process is described in Field Orientation Training Guide (OJT); Highway-Rail Crossing 

and Trespass Programs Discipline Grade Crossing Inspector, and those involved in the process 

should note the “Conditions” column, which places responsibility on the organization to provide 

the tools, equipment, documentation, and practice necessary for a new inspector to achieve the 

standards. The HRGX&TP OJT standards are intended for Federal Highway-Rail Grade 

Crossing Inspectors. 

The HRGX&TP regional grade crossing specialists and inspectors should become familiar with 

the instructions and guidelines associated with the OJT program and ensure that the standards are 

followed regarding new Highway-Rail Grade Crossing inspectors. HRGX&TP personnel should 

become familiar with the section of the OJT Manual that outlines roles and responsibilities. 
4 

Computerized versions of the OJT Manual and the training verification forms can be obtained by 

contacting TTSD personnel or visiting the GXTP internal homepage at 

https://franetcms.fra.dot.gov/FRA-Offices/Office-of-Railroad-Safety-RRS/Office-of-SafetyAnalysis-RRS-20/Trespass-Resources-Hub/Overview 

Railroad Crossing Safety and Trespass Prevention Resources 

The following materials can be accessed on the Grade Crossing Safety and Trespass Programs 

Division SharePoint site and/or FRA’s external website, www.fra.dot.gov: 

 FRA Office of Railroad Safety General Manual 

 Compilation of State Laws and Regulations Affecting Highway-Rail Grade Crossings, 

Sixth Edition (2013) 

 FRA Right-of-way Fatality and Trespass Prevention Workshop reports (2012, 2013, and 

2015) 

 Rails-with-Trails: Lessons Learned 

 Secretary’s Action Plan on Highway-Rail Crossing Safety and Trespass Prevention 

(2004) 

 Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices 

 FHWA Railroad-Highway Grade Crossing Handbook (2007) 

 Guide for Preparing U.S. DOT Crossing Inventory Forms 

 Compilation of Pedestrian Safety Devices in Use at Grade Crossings 

 FRA’s GX Dash! Data Visualization Tool 

 FRA’s Trespass and Suicide Dashboard 
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Chapter 2 – Personnel 

HRGX&TP Headquarters (HQ) Division Staff (RRS-23)

The FRA Headquarters (HQ) staff is comprised of a Staff Director, four Transportation Analysts, 

two General Engineers, and a Program Specialist. The Transportation Analyst and 

General Engineers, also referred to as HQ staff members, are responsible for the technical 

oversight of all HRGX&TP discipline functions and outcomes within the Nation in the 

categories that are specifically assigned to them by the Staff Director. HQ staff members are 

also responsible for providing the associated guidance necessary to achieve the highest possible 

level of uniform application of Federal rail safety laws, regulations, procedures and orders 

pertaining to the HRGX&TP Division. HQ staff members serve as the nationwide technical 

experts and advisors on specific HRGX&TP matters as assigned by the Staff Director. 

HRGX&TP Staff Director 

The Staff Director provides general technical review, evaluation, and analysis of the activities 

and outcomes of all inspection, enforcement, and investigation functions of the respective 

discipline. The Staff Director assigns and coordinates this oversight by specific category among 

HQ staff members. 

Major Responsibilities and Duties

In this capacity, the Staff Director performs the following duties: 

 Provides guidance, direction, and advice to all personnel of the discipline to obtain the 

highest possible level of uniform application of HRGX&TP regulations. 

 Directs the implementation of national enforcement policies and programs and assists in 

determining compliance with Federal railroad safety regulations, laws, and standards 

involving HRGX&TP discipline matters. 

 Appropriately advises and involves field personnel on projects within RRS-23 and 

provides the guidance necessary for their development and implementation. 

 Advises FRA senior leadership on railroad safety issues or concerns related to 

HRGX&TP discipline matters having railroad system, regional, or national impact, and 

makes suggestions or recommendations regarding the revision of agency policies, 

procedures, and specific activities included in the National Safety Program Plan (NSPP) 

or the National Inspection Plan (NIP). 

 Represents FRA in contact with the railroad industry, other governmental agencies, 

unions, and civic and private groups related to all HRGX&TP discipline matters. 

Through these contacts, FRA can evaluate assigned activities and ensure that the railroad 
6 

industry and the public have a better understanding of FRA’s HRGX&TP programs and 

functions. 

HRGX&TP HQ Transportation Analyst (Railroad Trespassing) 

The two Transportation Analysts for railroad trespassing serve as senior staff analysts and 

advisors for FRA and provide initiative and leadership in the planning, development, 

implementation, assessment, and coordination of Federal, State, and industry programs that 

address grade crossing safety and trespass prevention. The two Transportation Analysts’ work 

focuses on railroad trespassing and projects stemming from the Secretary of Transportation’s 

Action Plan on Highway-Rail Crossing Safety and Trespass Prevention. 

Major Responsibilities and Duties 

In this capacity, the Transportation Analyst performs the following duties: 

 Reviews and analyzes current regulations to recommend any needed changes and develop 

new regulatory initiatives. 

 Analyzes proposals for high-speed rail corridors and new technology facilities and makes 

recommendations to ensure that they include crossing safety and trespass prevention 

considerations; liaises and coordinates with promoters, Federal and State government 

offices, and industry, academic, and public interest groups; and makes recommendations 

to assure acceptance and compliance for appropriate Federal Regulations. 

 Makes recommendations for and coordinates programs with FRA’s Office of Research, 

Development & Technology (RD&T) and other research entities. 

 Writes a variety of draft materials for review such as reports, briefing materials for the 

FRA Administrator, and legislative proposals. 

 

 Initiates and coordinates programs promoting safety initiatives to advance the objectives 

in the Secretary’s Action Plan on Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety and Trespass 

Prevention. 

 Develops, implements, coordinates, and monitors FRA involvement in programs intended 

to prevent or reduce trespassing and trespasser casualties on railroad properties and 

programs designed to improve highway-rail grade crossing safety. 

 Provides liaison, coordination, and assistance in obtaining public answers or information 

on trespasser and grade crossing safety programs for officials from the rail industry, 

suppliers, law firms, labor, all departments and branches of government (including FRA 

Regional Offices), research organizations, the academic community, and the public. 

 Coordinates grade crossing safety and trespass prevention elements of special 

assessments and corridor review programs. 
7 

 Gives presentations at meetings and regional and national conferences of transportation, 

law enforcement, and national associations interested in railroad safety. 

 Represents FRA on the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Crossing Safety 

Improvement Team and in liaison activities with other Federal and national entities. 

 Facilitates communication between railroads and Federal, State, and local government 

offices when necessary. 

 

 Working through FRA’s Regional Managers and Grade Crossing Inspectors for Crossing 

Safety and Trespass Prevention Programs, monitors and facilitates the participation of 

State and local governments, and especially small railroads, ensuring their awareness of 

programs, options, and resources, including training and inclusion in Federal, State, and 

industry trespasser prevention and crossing safety-related programs. 

HRGX&TP HQ Transportation Analyst (Train Horn) 

The Transportation Analyst for train horns identifies and defines internal and external 

requirements and strategies for implementation of FRA’s regulation on the Use of Locomotive 

Horns at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings (Train Horn Rule), in addition to mediating solutions to 

Train Horn Rule concerns and issues. 

Major Responsibilities and Duties 

In this capacity, the Transportation Analyst performs the following duties: 

 Provides guidance on implementing the Train Horn Rule, serves as team lead for any 

review and revision, and updates the Train Horn Rule section of the FRA website with 

new developments. 

 Maintains the Train Horn Rule electronic database. Continuously analyzes issues, 

concepts, and data to determine methods to improve railroad, highway, and pedestrian 

safety and ensure compliance with the Train Horn Rule. 

 Serves as the point of contact for the GAO audit on FRA’s implementation of 49 CFR 

Part 222, Use of Locomotive Horns at Public Highway-Rail Grade Crossings. 

 Reviews and analyzes quiet zone applications proposing the use of Alternative Safety 

Measures in lieu of Supplemental Safety Measures. 

 Analyzes the effects of quiet zone implementation on safety and periodically conducts 

evaluations of the effectiveness of supplemental safety measures. 

 Ensures that the Nationwide Significant Risk Threshold (NSRT) is periodically 

recalculated and a Federal Register Notice is published annually. 
8 

 Ensures that the Quiet Zone Risk Index is recalculated annually for quiet zones that have 

been established in relationship to the NSRT. 

 Participates in outreach communications to ensure that quiet zone communities are 

well-informed of any deadlines related to the Train Horn Rule. 

 Conducts analyses on the impact of various safety initiatives, strategies, and procedures 

designed to improve grade crossing safety. Provides innovative solutions, where 

appropriate, to enhance safety. 

HRGX&TP HQ Transportation Analyst (State Action Plans and Train Horn) 

The Transportation Analyst serves as a senior staff analyst/advisor to assist with implementation 

of FRA’s regulation on the Train Horn Rule, coordinates the development of new outreach 

materials, assists with Rail Safety Improvement Act (RSIA08) requirements, and works on 

commercial motor vehicle crossing safety issues.

Major Responsibilities and Duties 

In this capacity, the Transportation Analyst performs the following duties: 

 Initiates and coordinates programs to promote the advancement of the objectives in the 

Secretary's Action Plan on Highway-Rail Crossing Safety and Trespass Prevention and 

crossing safety and trespass prevention activities. 

 Plans, analyzes, and executes new and existing programs of outreach initiatives, 

including the identification of a program’s objectives, policy assumptions, priorities, 

management methods, and achievements. 

 Reviews and analyzes current safety initiatives and FRA regulations to recommend 

needed changes and develops new initiatives or research efforts. 

 

 Conducts analyses and provides recommendations, information, and guidance to senior 

FRA leadership regarding program initiatives. 

 Provides program advice and assistance to the Staff Director for Highway-Rail Grade 

Crossing Safety and Trespass Prevention. 

 Engages in extensive coordination with high-level officials within FRA, Federal, State, 

and local government agencies, the railroad industry, labor, and the public regarding 

safety initiatives, regulations, and Congressional mandates designed to reduce injuries 

and fatalities at grade crossings and along railroad rights-of-way. 

 
9 

 Serves as an expert in the administration of the Train Horn Rule: 

o Identifies and defines internal and external requirements and strategies for 

implementation of the Train Horn Rule; 

o Analyzes data on implementation of the Train Horn Rule and forecasts its impact 

upon railroad carriers, the industry, and the general public; and 

o Develops, implements, coordinates, and monitors FRA involvement in programs 

intended to ensure compliance with the Train Horn Rule’s provisions, with efforts 

designed for Federal, State and local government agencies, and with the railroad 

industry, labor, and the public. 

 Serves as the principal point of contact for the Highway-Rail Grade Crossing and 

Trespass Prevention Division to develop and market public outreach material based on 

targeted audiences. 

 Serves as the Regional point of contact to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration for the Staff Director for Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety and 

Trespass Prevention. 

 

 Works with other team members and safety partners to coordinate the development of 

educational and outreach materials, facilitate the production of those materials, and 

identify resources, which may include multimedia public awareness campaigns, speeches, 

news releases, presentations, articles, letters, brochures, displays, testimony, briefings, 

educational handouts, training videos, and web-based applications. 

 Gives presentations at meetings and regional and national conferences of transportation, 

law enforcement, and national associations interested in promoting railroad safety 

programs. 

HRGX&TP HQ Program Analyst (Correspondence) 

The Program Analyst for Correspondence manages correspondence assigned to the 

Highway-Rail Crossing Safety and Trespass Prevention Program team (RRS-23). He or she 

composes responses to written letters and emails that are processed through the controlled 

correspondence program and ensures that responses are comprehensive, concise, and contain a 

minimum of grammatical, punctuation, and spelling errors. The Program Analyst for 

Correspondence updates iCMS records, provides teammates with a list of overdue reports, and 

maintains contact with the correspondence team and other RRS-23 employees to ensure that 

responses are accounted for and that they move through the proper channels in a timely manner. 

Major Responsibilities and Duties 

In this capacity, the Program Analyst performs the following duties: 
10 

 Manages correspondence assigned to RRS-23. 

 Delivers correspondence to staff via letter and emails in advance of due dates assigned. 

 Updates iCMS records, provides teammates with a list of overdue reports, maintains 

contact with correspondence team and other RRS-23 employees to ensure responses are 

accounted for and moved through the proper channels in a timely manner. 

 Forwards controls needing regional investigation or input, and drafts an interim response 

within two working days of receipt. 

 Updates Staff Director on a weekly basis on the status of controls. 

 Researches requested Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) documentation in iCMS 

database. 

 Assists with the maintenance of the Grade Crossing Inventory System (GCIS or Crossing 

Inventory), and helps update GCIS records. 

 Provides assistance to cities and municipalities with updating the Crossing Inventory. 

 Provides annual and mid-year reports regarding the status of Crossing Inventory data. 

 Oversees monthly and semi-monthly reports for submission to the Crossing Inventory 

contractor to ensure accuracy of their inventory database. 

 Reviews and revises the Inventory Program Website information as issues change or need 

updating. 

 Tracks the input of quiet zone data to ensure all information submitted by states and 

municipalities is complete and correctly entered into the iCMS database before 

submitting to the contractor. 

 Reviews incoming Inventory update submittals, both from regular Inventory update 

submitters and those connected with quiet zones, for correctness and proper format that is 

required for processing by the data processing contractor. 

 Contacts cities and municipalities about errors found in quiet zone inventory forms. 

Forwards updated inventory forms to the contractor to ensure that Crossing Inventory 

records are updated and processed for submission in a timely manner. 
11 

HRGX&TP HQ General Engineer (Grade Crossing Safety Engineer) 

One of the Division’s authorized General Engineers serves as an advisor for FRA by providing 

initiative, leadership, and expertise in engineering review and guidance. The General Engineer 

works with localities that desire to establish quiet zones, and on issues arising in other railroad 

corridors, pedestrian or pathway crossings, or in high-hazard crossings and high-speed passenger 

rail corridors.

Responsibilities and Duties 

In this capacity, the General Engineer performs the following duties: 

 Serves as team lead for addressing engineering solutions for the improvement of crossing 

safety and trespass prevention. 

 Develops safety standards for passive highway-rail grade crossing safety devices, 

including highway signs, and pavement markings, in partnership with transportation 

industry experts, safety advocates, and State and Federal transportation agencies. 

 Develops and implements safety strategies for use in quiet zone and other railroad 

corridors, pedestrian or pathway crossings, and at high-hazard crossings and high-speed 

passenger rail corridors. 

 Evaluates the usefulness of safety data and the existing engineering practices for private 

highway-rail grade crossings. 

 Monitors and ensures that National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) 

recommendations are responded to within FRA guidelines. 

 Examines the various causes of blocked grade crossings and explores possible mitigation 

strategies to prevent or reduce the impact of such events. 

 Enhances agency trespass prevention efforts through the technical review of proposed 

trespass prevention programs, documents, and outreach efforts. 

 Develops and disseminates engineering guidance and advice on site-specific safety 

mitigation efforts within quiet zones. 

 Promotes increased awareness of FRA trespass prevention and law enforcement 

principles through outreach efforts and educational opportunities created through 

participation in industry advisory groups and national committees. 

 

 Increases awareness of grade crossing closure and consolidation strategies through 

cooperative efforts with localities, states, railroad companies, and associations to 

disseminate and promote best practices and success stories within the industry. 
12 

 Represents the Office of Railroad Safety on the DOT Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety and 

Accommodations Team. 

 Participates with industry and governmental partners in the development and 

implementation of guidance on strategies to prevent pedestrian accidents and fatalities at 

or near passenger stations. 

 Participates in national and international working groups, including the 

National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and the Institute of 

Transportation Engineers. 

HRGX&TP HQ General Engineer (High Speed Rail) 

One of the Division’s authorized General Engineers serves as an advisor for FRA by providing 

initiative, leadership, and expertise for FRA High Speed Rail Grade Crossing Projects. The 

General Engineer focuses on engineering solutions for at grade highway-rail grade crossings or 

high-hazard crossings within an established or new high-speed rail corridor(s). 

Responsibilities and Duties 

In this capacity, the General Engineer performs the following duties: 

 Promotes corridor review programs with state and national highway engineering groups 

and provides site and traffic engineering technical advice to corridor and crossing 

consolidation projects and trespass prevention efforts on High-Speed Rail (HSR). 

 Provides advice on the design of highway-rail grade crossing safety improvements and 

installations, including signage, highway approaches, crossing surfaces, automatic 

warning devices, warning/barrier systems, and grade separation structures. 

 Participates in joint investigations with FRA’s Signal & Train Control personnel 

concerning highway-rail grade crossing active warning systems and related user needs for 

HSR applications. 

 Prepares replies to correspondence from members of Congress, railroads, labor 

organizations, FRA regional personnel, other agencies, and the public pertaining 

primarily to highway-rail grade crossing signage, highway approaches, crossing surfaces, 

automatic warning devices, warning/barrier systems, and grade separation structures and 

crossing safety issues on HSR lines. 

 Promotes highway-rail grade crossing safety with state and national highway engineering 

groups and the railroad industry. 

 Initiates and coordinates programs with RD&T and other research entities (e.g., Federal 

Highway Administration (FHWA), Federal Transit Administration (FTA), National 

Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the VOLPE National Transportation 
13 

Systems Center, and the Transportation Research Board) to define problems and develop 

solutions. 

HRGX&TP HQ Transportation Specialist (Inventory and ENS) 

The Transportation Specialist serves as the senior advisor to FRA overseeing the U.S. DOT 

National Highway-Rail Crossing Inventory Program and ENS. 

Major Responsibilities and Duties 

In this capacity, the Transportation Specialist performs the following duties: 

 As the program expert on 49 CFR Part 234, Subpart E and Subpart F, provides 

information for mandatory updating of the Inventory by railroads and for Emergency 

Notification System (ENS) compliance. 

 Makes database queries to analyze the data quality of the Inventory File using available 

software or by working with other staff data processors. 

 Works with the Railroad Safety Information Management System to direct the data 

processing contractor for inventory data processing, maintenance, and application efforts 

to meet the requirements of the Inventory rule and develop required solutions. 

 Provides technical direction through the Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative 

(COTR) for processing crossing Inventory updates and submittals to ensure the best 

possible accuracy and quality of the data. 

 Provides an annual report regarding the status of crossing Inventory data and national 

summaries of the crossing data. 

 Provides an annual summary of railroads that are not in compliance of 49 CFR Part 234 

Subpart E and F. 

 Reviews incoming inventory update submittals, for both regular Inventory update 

submitters and those connected with quiet zones, for correctness and proper format 

required for processing by the data processing contractor. 

 Prepares correspondence, data, studies, work statements, program and specifications, 

policies, procedures, and instructions requiring significant technical and policy 

knowledge to efficiently operate the Crossing Inventory program and ENS. 

 Responds to stakeholders’ questions and concerns about Crossing Inventory data and 

ENS and assists stakeholders in obtaining information regarding the Inventory program 

and data from highway-rail Crossing Inventory data file, including accessing data on the 

FRA website or by special computer queries. 
14 

 Responds to inquiries and correspondence from all stakeholders, providing answers and 

information regarding the background, status, and scope of the Crossing Inventory 

program and other crossing safety and trespass prevention programs. 

 Gathers feedback from States and railroads to determine the greatest needs and 

difficulties for compliance with FRA’s Inventory and ENS regulations and develops 

strategies for stakeholders to address these issues. 

 Prepares clear and concise descriptions, assessments, and rationale for recommendations 

to improve the data quality of the Inventory Program and Data File, and provides 

direction to the data processing contractor or other supporting contractors for 

improvements or correction. 

 Reviews and revises the Inventory Program Website information as issues change or need 

updating. 

 Performs an annual review and update to the State and Railroad Inventory Contacts on 

the FRA website and updates individual contact information when notified by the States 

and railroads. 

 Monitors R&D projects. 

 Directs contractors in the development of tools for operations, research, and statistical 

modeling.

 Serves as the Program Manager for the Grade Crossing Task Force. 

 Assists in the development, monitoring, promotion, and assessment of Departmental 

initiatives regarding highway-rail crossing and pedestrian safety and trespass prevention 

programs, goals, objectives, and requirements. 

 As necessary, assists with the implementation and promotion of the nationwide 

ENS Program. 

 Prepares and reviews correspondence, data, and studies requiring technical and policy 

knowledge relating to FRA Crossing Safety Programs and plans. 

 Participates and performs on teams(s) and/or committee(s) to promote crossing safety, 

including industry conference planning committees, internal DOT or FRA team groups, 

externally-established committees for the improvement of crossing safety, and/or 

professional committees. 

 Attends conference(s) with external partners (such as railroads and State DOTs) to 

provide presentations on the requirements of FRA’s Crossing Inventory regulations in 49 

CFR Part 234, Subpart F, and the functionality of the Grade Crossing Inventory System. 
15 

HRGX&TP HQ Program Support Specialist 

Major Responsibilities and Duties 

In this capacity, the Program Support Specialist performs the following duties: 

 Collects and evaluates data from the regions on their program activities and makes 

recommendations in writing, including identifying the “best practices” that should be 

expanded and the activities that should be improved or discontinued. Provides 

recommendations to the Division Specialists and Division Director. 

 Establishes contacts with groups, such as transportation associations and trade 

associations, among others, to explain the Division’s activities and programs to promote 

and improve safety at highway-rail grade crossings and on railroad property. Makes 

suggestions to groups on activities they can undertake in information, education, and 

outreach and provides information and support, as requested. 

 Represents the FRA and Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OL) as a certified OL Presenter by 

giving presentations to elementary school students throughout the State of Maryland and 

the District of Columbia concerning grade crossing safety and trespasser prevention. 

 Reviews, analyzes, and categorizes public comments on various Division Programs and 

presents these comments with an assessment of pertinence and validity to a Division 

Specialist or the Division Director. 

 Tracks the Division’s designated budget for public awareness and outreach activities, 

information processing, research, law enforcement, and trespasser prevention initiatives. 

Monitors the use of the funds in these areas and reconciles the figures with the Office of 

Railroad Safety’s Fund Administrator. 

 Coordinates the Office of Railroad Safety’s highway-rail grade crossing exhibit during 

Public Service Recognition Week each year, highlighting the work and accomplishments 

of the program. 

 Makes all logistical arrangements for conferences, to include coordinating with OL staff 

when necessary on the content of displays and arranging for participation from regional 

offices. Attends meetings and conferences to set up displays and answer questions from 

participants about FRA and OL activities to promote safety at highway-rail crossings and 

to reduce incidents involving trespassers on rail property. 

 Distributes and maintains supplies of promotional and display materials about the 

Division’s programs and updates conference displays as needed. 

 Provides required clerical and administrative office assistance and support, including, but 

not limited to, the following: 
16 

o Receives and screens all incoming mail for the Division. 

o Receives, tabulates, and distributes telephone messages to appropriate staff members 

in a timely fashion. 

o When possible, handles requests for information and assistance. 

o Prepares routine tasking directives or forwards endorsements without direction, based 

upon knowledge of office operations. 

o On own initiative, determines information needed for reply to inquiries on 

administrative matters and office procedures. 

o Drafts correspondence in final form by adapting, consolidating, and highlighting 

information into a format which most effectively answers inquiries. 

 

 Implements the Division’s records management program in accordance with procedures 

established by the Administrative Assistant to the Director, Office of Safety Analysis, 

and with directives and policies established by the Office of Railroad Safety Records 

Manager. 

 

 Maintains office files and reference materials in accordance with established procedures. 

Maintains, updates, files, and purges appropriate reference materials, such as Federal and 

Departmental regulations, policies, and directives for use in the performance of the office 

mission. 

 Prepares requests for personnel action, including employee performance appraisals, 

award nominations, training requests, and other tasks. Reviews prepared material for 

accuracy of form and completion. 

 Proficient in the Division’s word processing network system, can input, edit, or retrieve 

correspondence or material on short notice. Functions as the network’s systems 

administrator to ensure proper functioning and to assist and train other employees in the 

office. Proficient in spreadsheet software, such as Excel, monitors expenditures or 

performs other administrative or program purposes. 

HRGX&TP HQ Program Analyst 

The Program Analyst serves as a staff analyst/advisor for the agency and provides analytical and 

evaluative work in the planning, development, implementation, assessment, and coordination of 

Federal, State, and industry programs that address grade crossing safety and trespasser 

prevention safety and regulatory issues. 
17 

Major Responsibilities and Duties 

In this capacity, the Program Analyst performs the following duties: 

 Using statistical analysis and modeling, evaluates the effects of changes in highway-rail 

grade crossing safety and trespass prevention within the National Railroad System (NRS) 

that might affect system factors such as safety, costs, efficiency, and service. 

 Implements new and improved ways of using accident/incident data and computerized 

technology to improve highway-rail grade crossing and trespass prevention safety. 

 Develops and specifies methods, techniques, and instruments to be used in the study of 

safety regulations for the Highway-Rail Crossing and Trespass Programs Division. 

 Expands and enhances new methods, particularly ones that utilize statistical skills (e.g., 

risk, probability theory, performance-based risk analysis, measurement of central 

tendency, dispersion, skewness, sampling error, simple and multiple correlation, analysis 

of variance, and tests of significance) to be employed when the information available is 

inadequate. 

 Leads subject-matter teams and provides technical direction to contract personnel. 

Develops creative solutions for challenges faced by subject-matter and contract teams. 

 Obtains information for model inputs and determines appropriate measures for model 

variables. 

 Prepares, develops, and drafts technical reports and Congressional inquiries related to the 

causes of highway-rail grade crossing and trespass accidents. 

 Plans and designs studies and conducts analysis to determine the feasibility of proposed 

changes and their effects on highway-rail grade crossing and trespass prevention control 

strategies and procedures within the NRS. Determines actions required to improve 

highway-rail grade crossing and trespass prevention safety performance. 

 Studies, analyzes, recommends, and implements new and improved ways of using 

accident/incident data and computerized technology to foster improvements in highwayrail grade crossing and trespass prevention safety. Makes recommendations that enable 

FRA management, Federal and State agencies, and the railroad safety community to 

evaluate data and to generate analytical reports. 

 Collects, collates, maintains, and disseminates information, data, files, and procedures in 

support of Federal, State, and industry highway-rail crossing and pedestrian safety, 

trespass prevention, and casualty prevention programs. 

 Develops and reviews proposals and reports and participates in the definition of research 

needs and project descriptions regarding safety at highway-rail crossings. Monitors 
18 

research activities of agency contractors, other Federal and State government offices, and 

industry and academic entities. 

 Participates in the establishment and development of highway-rail crossing and 

pedestrian safety and trespass prevention programs by the industry and States. 

HRGX&TP HQ Transportation Analyst (Outreach) 

The Transportation Analyst assists in the initiation and coordination of programs to advance the 

objectives in the Secretary’s Action Plan on Highway-Rail Crossing Safety and Trespass 

Prevention and crossing safety and trespass prevention activities required in RSIA08 and the 

Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. Reviews and analyzes current safety 

initiatives, recommends improvements, and develops new initiatives or research efforts. 

Produces a wide variety of materials, including reports, briefing materials for the FRA 

Administrator, and legislative proposals. Coordinates with officials within FRA, Federal, State, 

and local government agencies, as well as the railroad industry, labor, and the public concerning 

the Secretary’s Action Plan, RSIA08, and the FAST Act. 

Major Responsibilities and Duties 

In this capacity, the Transportation Analyst performs the following duties: 

 Reviews and monitors the promotion of on-going safety programs in the Division to 

assure proper application and utilization of agency resources. Makes recommendations 

based on findings and experience, and as required, prepares a variety of formal and 

informal proposals and reports pertaining to such activities. 

 Serves as a point of contact for program outreach initiatives. Initiates public awareness 

opportunities with Operation Lifesaver, Inc., the transportation industry, DOT modes, 

Federal, State, and local agencies, Congress, safety associations, media, schools, and the 

general public by: 

o Serving as the principal Point of Contact for the Highway-Rail Grade Crossing and 

Trespass Prevention Division for developing and marketing public outreach material 

based on targeted audiences. 

o Working with other team members and safety partners to coordinate the development 

or editing of educational and marketing materials. 

o Facilitating the production of materials, including multimedia public awareness 

campaigns, speeches, news releases, presentations, articles, letters, brochures, 

displays, testimony, briefings, educational handouts, training videos, and web-based 

applications. 
19 

o Coordinating the development and distribution of national public outreach materials 

for use by FRA’s Highway-Rail Grade Crossing and Trespass Prevention Programs 

Division. 

o Presenting on railroad safety at regional and national meetings and conferences for 

transportation stakeholders, law enforcement, and other interested national entities. 

 Plans and executes information strategies to disseminate results of successful projects, 

individual success stories from the field, and proposals to further the highway-rail 

crossing safety and trespass prevention program. 

 Identifies, summarizes, and analyzes public comments submitted on national, regional, 

and local highway-rail crossing safety and trespass prevention programs with the 

assistance of the Crossing Managers and under the oversight of the Staff Director. 

 Advises Staff Director and other interested or involved FRA/DOT personnel on 

responses received from various customers, partners, or the general public. 

 Participates in the establishment and development of highway-rail crossing and 

pedestrian safety and trespass prevention programs by the industry and States. 

 

 Serves as an active member of the Highway-Rail Crossing Safety and Trespass 

Prevention Team, which proposes, establishes, maintains, and disseminates safety 

measures, trends, and thresholds. 

 Implements new and improved ways of using accident/incident data and computerized 

technology to improve railroad industry highway-rail grade crossing and trespass 

prevention safety. 

HRGX&TP Regional Staff 

Each regional safety office consists of a Grade Crossing Specialist along with several Grade 

Crossing Inspectors (GXI) and a Crossing and Trespassing Regional Manager who collectively 

are responsible for administering the NIP and NSPP and the overall planning, direction, 

organization, management of resources, and administration of Grade Crossing and Trespassing 

regional assigned safety programs, throughout the region. Each region within the assigned 

geographic jurisdiction conducts inspection activities to ensure the safe operation of railroads. 

As FRA transitions from regional grade crossing managers to grade crossing inspectors, some 

regions may employ both. These regional teams report to the Deputy Regional Administrator 

and seek guidance from HQ staff. 

HRGX&TP Regional Specialist 

The Grade Crossing Specialist (GXS) serves as first line supervisor for the GXI and a team 

leader for the Crossing and Trespassing Regional Managers. GXS communicates effectively 

with inspectors, crossing and trespassing regional managers, and trainees in a manner that fosters 
20 

a clear understanding of work assignments, responsibilities, and completion dates. The GXS 

provides direct reports with constructive, meaningful, and objective feedback utilizing the 

Inspector Competency Model. The GXS provides mentoring and coaching to inspectors and 

trainees to further their development and improve overall job performance. Additionally, the 

GXS is responsible for overseeing the investigations of trespassing incidents on railroad property 

in order to drive programs aimed at preventing future trespassing.

Major Responsibilities and Duties

In this capacity, the GXS performs the following duties: 

 Investigates Highway/Rail Grade Crossing and Trespasser accidents in line with the 

Government Performance and Results Act. 

 Conducts quarterly review of accident/incident data and provides appropriate 

recommendations to inspectors. Uses database reports and interface with inspectors and 

administrative staff to ensure data submitted by inspectors is reasonably correct. 

 Manages the regional NIP relating to Grade Crossings to ensure effective execution of 

the plan’s targets, and recommends appropriate adjustments to meet changing conditions 

and enhance railroad safety. 

 Develops and manages the region’s Grade Crossing NSPP as follows: 

o Coordinates with Grade Crossing staff director to design plans to increase grade 

crossing safety. 

o Appropriately distributes assignments so that work is effectively accomplished in a 

timely, accurate manner to maximize efficiency, responsiveness, and customer 

service. 

o Supports Office of Railroad Safety NSPP initiatives. 

o Provides appropriate and timely guidance to inspectors to supplement and enhance 

NIP and NSPP program efforts. 

 Fosters and participates in FRA risk reduction programs as opportunities arise.

 Ensures that performance plans for inspectors are aligned with FRA’s organizational 

goals and objectives and that inspectors are appraised realistically against clear, 

measurable standards of performance. 

 Monitors inspector expenditures to ensure efficient use of regional funds while 

maximizing inspection productivity. 
21 

 Communicates performance plans and ratings to employees in face-to-face meetings 

whenever possible. 

 Engages employees in interactive feedback about performance expectations, strengths and 

weaknesses, consequences of poor performance, and barriers to getting the job 

done. Submits awards and recognition requests in a timely manner in accordance with 

DOT and FRA policy. 

 Conducts face-to-face learning and development (non-punitive) core competency and 

RSIA08 discussions with each direct report at least once annually. 

 Ensures that all inspectors and trainee positions receive appropriate OJT in accordance 

with the procedures prescribed in the Training Standards developed by the Technical 

Training Standards Division (TTSD) along with annual DOT IT security training and all 

other annual training required by the Department (e.g., No-FEAR Act, Bloodborne 

Pathogens, etc.) 

 Handles requests for reasonable accommodation promptly and appropriately in 

accordance with DOT Order 1011.1, “Procedures for Processing Reasonable 

Accommodation Requests by Employees and Applicants with Disabilities,” and ensures 

compliance with Federal laws, regulations, and agency policies. 

 Fosters a working environment free from discrimination and/or harassment by: 

o Promptly responding to allegations of discrimination and/or harassment by initiating 

appropriate action to address and rectify the situation. 

o Taking timely corrective action in accordance with Departmental and Operating 

Administration policy if sexual harassment or other discriminatory/unfair treatment is 

observed, reported, or suspected. 

o Complying and cooperating with and otherwise supporting the efforts of equal 

employment opportunity counselors, mediators, investigators, and others responsible 

for processing complaints and grievances. 

 Effectively communicates to internal/external stakeholders and staff the direction of 

safety goals, initiatives, and strategies. 

 Ensures stakeholder needs and expectations are identified and considered when making 

decisions, identifying solutions, and resolving conflicts. 

 Utilizes Railroad System Oversight Managers when conducting listening sessions with 

external stakeholders. 

 Serves as FRA’s Regional Operation Lifesaver (OL) partner, which includes functioning 

as the regional liaison through which OL information, procedures, and programmatic data 
22 

are passed to appropriate FRA individuals; maintaining a close partnership with OL State 

Coordinators, providing them periodic summaries of FRA activities in their states; 

assisting in the planning and execution of OL programming, activities, workshops, and 

presentations; and ensuring appropriate FRA representation at state OL activities. 

 Determines and administers reasonable balance of inspection effort based on Regional 

Inspection Points (RIP), Railroad Inspection System for PC (RISPC) and 

Accident/Incident data, and geographical size of the districts that inspectors are required to 

cover. 

 Carefully and promptly prepares and/or reviews and evaluates technical reports 

(e.g., inspection and violation reports, complaint investigation reports, accident 

investigation reports, waiver application investigation reports, and other discipline specific 

reports) for technical completeness and accuracy and for conformity to applicable laws, 

rules, regulations, procedures, manuals, orders, published guidelines, technical bulletins, 

and other FRA policy, manuals, and guidelines. Promptly revises and/or directs the 

revision of reports when necessary, and assists inspectors in identifying needs and 

improving their report writing skills as needed. 

 Promptly and accurately prepares and transmits memoranda, documents, and close-out 

letters, and ensures the timely processing of reports in accordance with established policy, 

procedures, and timeframes. 

 Monitors FRA Dashboard bi-weekly to ensure timely correction/response to critical 

elements (e.g., remedial action status, inspection reports in error, inspector uploads, and 

missing transmittals and/or violations). 

 Effectively integrates State Participation Programs into Regional activities 

(State/FRA Safety Plans). 

 Handles complaints associated with train horn, highway-rail grade crossing, and 

trespasser issues. Makes recommendations to resolve complaint and/or improve safety. 

 Serves as the subject matter expert on 49 CFR Part 222, Train Horn/Quiet Zone Rule, and 

coordinates Regional assistance to public authorities regarding the implementation and 

maintaining quiet zones. 

 Participates in senior Class I railroad, Intercity Passenger, and regional commuter 

leadership meetings to discuss regional compliance issues and maintain open lines of 

communication. 

 Establishes and maintains effective communication with all other regional and short line 

railroad(s) senior management. 

 Participates in senior regional labor leader meetings to discuss regional compliance issues 

and maintain open lines of communication. 
23 

 Provides subject matter expertise at educational seminars with the railroad and public 

communities. 

 Supports regional start-up intercity passenger rail projects/initiatives by providing 

appropriate educational outreach with respect to FRA regulations. 

 Collaborates with Federal and State agencies regarding regional start-up intercity 

passenger rail projects/initiatives. 

HRGX&TP Grade Crossing Inspector (GXI) 

The GXI conducts enforcement and compliance safety inspections of highway-rail grade 

crossings systems and programs for the purpose of determining compliance with Federal rules 

and regulations pertaining to 49 CFR Part 222 and Subparts E and F of 49 CFR Part 234. The 

GXI writes reports of these inspections and recommends enforcement and/or compliance actions 

when violations are found. Additionally, the GXI, when instructed, is responsible for 

investigating trespassing incidents on railroad property to drive programs to prevent trespassing 

on railroad property which leads to accidents and injuries. The GXI develops and executes 

regional programs to reduce railroad grade crossing and trespassing incidents and accidents. 

Major Responsibilities and Duties 

In this capacity, the GXI performs the following duties: 

 Performs FRA enforcement and compliance Inspections for compliance with 

49 CFR Part 222, Use of Locomotive Horns at Public Highway-Rail Grade Crossings, 

and Subpart E of 49 CFR Part 234, Emergency Notification Systems for Telephonic 

Reporting of Unsafe Conditions at Highway-rail and Pathway Grade Crossings, and 

Subpart F of 49 CFR Part 234, Highway-Rail and Pathway Crossing Inventory Reporting. 

 Performs inspections of railroad ENS and timely submits railroad copies of FRA 

Inspection reports (F 6180.96) in RISPC. Also provides the responsible railroad 

official(s) with a copy of the relevant inspection report(s). 

 Performs inspections to determine compliance with FRA regulations governing reporting 

to the U.S. DOT Crossing Inventory (49 CFR Part 234, Subpart F). Timely submits 

railroad copies of FRA Inspection reports (F 6180.96) in RISPC and provides the 

responsible railroad official(s) with a copy of the relevant inspection report(s). Also 

notifies designated State DOT point of contact if there are discrepancies between actual 

conditions at the crossing and the information reflected in the State-assigned data fields 

on the Inventory Form. 

 Investigates, independently or as part of a team, grade crossing collisions and 

trespasser(s) incidents/accidents as assigned. Prepares any necessary analysis and 

recommendations to the Grade Crossing Senior Manager/Specialist. 
24 

 Performs quiet zone reviews to ensure compliance with the Train Horn/Quiet Zone Rule 

(49 CFR Part 222). Provides copy of the relevant inspection report(s) to the individual 

designated in the Notice of Quiet Zone Establishment (or his/her designee) to monitor 

quiet zone compliance with 49 CFR Part 222. 

 Where noncompliance of Federal regulations is noted, provides FRA recommendation(s) 

for corrective actions. If the condition presents a serious hazard, a violation is 

recommended. 

 Reviews and evaluates petitions for waiver of Federal regulations applicable to highwayrail crossing safety, such as 49 CFR Part 222 (Train Horn Rule) and 49 CFR Part 234, 

Subparts E and F (ENS and Crossing Inventory rules). Makes recommendations to HQ 

staff for approval or rejection of waiver petitions. 

 Participates as part of a highway-rail grade crossing corridor diagnostic team to evaluate 

improvements to highway-rail grade crossings, including recommendations for new 

installations or upgrades to warning systems and crossing closures. 

 Promotes DOT and FRA crossing safety and trespasser prevention programs and new 

initiatives within the Region’s assigned geographical area. Reviews draft FRA policy 

initiatives and provides comments and recommendations to the Deputy Regional 

Administrator and Senior Grade Crossing Manager/Specialist. 

 Serves as a subject matter expert on 49 CFR Part 222, Train Horn/Quiet Zone Rule, and 

coordinates Regional assistance to local public authorities regarding implementation of 

Train Horn/Quiet Zone Rule. 

 Investigates complaints from railroad employees, union officials, local law enforcement, 

and the public regarding unsafe highway-rail crossing conditions (e.g., vegetation and/or 

other obstructions, preemption, ENS signs, quiet zone issues) and other topics involving 

grade crossing and railroad trespassing issues (e.g., excessive use of train horns, rough 

and/or blocked highway-rail grade crossings). 

 Conducts special projects/studies regarding highway-rail grade crossing and trespasser 

issues as assigned. Contacts appropriate sources to gather data and documents, prepares 

summary of investigation and/or complaint, and makes recommendations. 

 Determines the need and conducts safety meetings and training sessions for railroad 

employees, local law enforcement, and emergency response organizations regarding 

proper actions around highway-rail crossings and at trespassing sites. 

 

 As part of the regional contribution to the national effort, assists in the development of 

new and emerging technologies for highway-rail crossing apparatuses and concepts. 

Investigates carrier and/or manufacturer development of new state-of-the-art highway-rail 

crossing apparatuses and concepts, and provides the Region’s Supervisory Grade 

Crossing Specialist an evaluation of such new developments. 
25 

 Establishes and maintains personal contacts with division level Federal Highway 

Administration (FHWA), Federal Transit Administration (FTA), National Highway 

Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Federal Motor Carrier Administration 

(FMCSA) and State and local officials to provide departmental cooperation in improving 

grade crossing safety and trespassing prevention activities. 

 Works with stakeholders on the development and implementation of highway-rail 

crossing safety and trespasser prevention programs. 

 When requested, serves as a regional subject-matter expert for the Operation Lifesaver 

program. Functions as the regional liaison through which OL information, procedures 

and program data are passed to appropriate FRA individuals. Maintains partnership with 

OL State Coordinators. Assists in the planning and execution of OL programming, 

activities, workshops and presentations. 

 Represents FRA while participating in initiatives, studies, surveys, reviews, outreach, and 

activities relating to highway-rail crossing and trespasser programs with local 

communities, States, the railroad industry, and FRA’s safety partners. 

 Represents FRA before State and local legislatures and planning bodies, as assigned, 

providing information and accurately communicating Departmental policy regarding 

grade crossing and trespasser strategies. 

HRGX&TP Crossing and Trespassing Regional Manager (GS-13) 

The Crossing and Trespassing Regional Manager supports the FRA Highway-Rail Grade 

Crossing Safety and Trespasser Prevention Programs Division and the relationship between 

the FRA Office of Safety Analysis to the Region and the individual States and districts. He 

or she is assigned to an FRA Regional Office and serves as the senior manager on grade 

crossing and trespassing issues. This position reports directly to the Deputy Regional 

Administrator and seeks guidance from HQ Staff. 

Responsibilities and Duties 

In this capacity, the Crossing and Trespassing Regional Manager performs the following duties: 

 Serves as the program manager for the highway-rail grade crossing safety and trespasser 

prevention programs division within the Region. Specifically, the Crossing and 

Trespassing Regional Manager: 

o Develops and ensures implementation of an annual comprehensive program to 

address the needs in the National Safety Program Plan and the requirements identified 

by the Regional Administrator and the Deputy Regional Administrator and provides 

guidance to Grade Crossing Inspector(s). 

o Participates in the policy and planning guidance for the Region. 
26 

o Keeps abreast of changes in planning concepts from FRA and ensures they are 

reflected in the regional operations. 

 As the FRA’s subject matter expert in the Region, the Crossing and Trespassing Regional 

Manager: 

o Promotes all DOT and FRA crossing safety and trespasser prevention programs and 

new initiatives within the Region’s assigned geographical area. 

o Reviews draft FRA policy initiatives and provides comments and recommendations 

to the Office of Safety Analysis and ensures that FRA policy is initiated in the 

Region. 

o Recommends procedures to improve the Highway-Rail Grade Crossing and Trespass 

Prevention Program. 

 Continually monitors and reviews assigned program areas. Specifically, the Crossing and 

Trespassing Regional Manager: 

o Plans and/or conducts various studies and evaluation activities in assigned segments 

of the program areas; 

 

o Obtains necessary information through on-site visits, reports, and contacts with 

appropriate sources; 

o Translates findings into specific action, including new or revised program 

requirements, guidance, or other appropriate measures; 

o Reviews and researches “best practice” techniques and practices in the field; and 

o Provides feedback to the Regional Administrator and/or Deputy Regional 

Administrator on program status and/or recommended actions. 

 Facilitates all aspects of handling complaints and investigations regarding highway-rail 

grade crossing and trespasser issues. Specifically, the Crossing and Trespassing Regional 

Manager: 

o Contacts appropriate sources to gather data and documents. 

o Prepares summary of investigation and/or complaint and makes recommendations. 

o Makes decisions regarding what actions are necessary to resolve the complaint (e.g., 

determines whether an investigation is necessary). 

o Assigns the investigation of complaints, when appropriate, monitors the timely 
27 

completion of complaints and investigations, and reviews the final reports for 

accuracy and completeness. 

 Serves as subject matter expert on 49 CFR Part 222, Train Horn Rule, and coordinates 

Regional assistance to local public authorities regarding implementation of quiet zones. 

 Establishes and maintains personal contacts with division-level FHWA, FTA, NHTSA, 

FMCSA, and State and local officials to provide departmental cooperation in improving 

grade crossing safety and transportation prevention activities. Works with stakeholders 

on the development and implementation of highway-rail crossing safety and trespasser 

prevention programs. 

 Serves as FRA’s Regional Operation Lifesaver (OL) partner by: 

o Functioning as the regional liaison through which OL information, procedures, and 

programmatic data are passed to appropriate FRA individuals; 

o Maintaining a close partnership with OL State Coordinators, providing them with 

periodic summaries of FRA activities in their states; 

o Assisting in the planning and execution of OL programming, activities, workshops, 

and presentations; and 

o Ensuring appropriate FRA representation at state OL activities. 

 Participates in assigned investigations of grade crossing collisions and trespasser 

incidents (but is not required to participate in all crossing or trespasser investigations in 

the Region). 

 Serves as subject matter expert in the review of Grade Crossing and Trespasser accident 

investigation reports in the Region. 

 Maintains files and databases to address regional safety conditions and requirements. 

 Prepares detailed analytical reports documenting program accomplishments and 

shortfalls. 

 Represents FRA and the Region while participating in initiatives, studies, surveys, 

reviews, outreach, and other activities relating to highway-rail crossing and trespasser 

programs with local communities, States, the railroad industry, and FRA’s safety 

partners. 

 Represents FRA before State and local legislatures and planning bodies, as assigned, 

providing information and accurately communicating Departmental policy regarding 

crossing and trespasser strategies. 
28 

HRGX&TP Crossing and Trespassing Regional Manager (GS-12) 

The Crossing and Trespassing General manager supports the FRA Highway-Rail Grade Crossing 

Safety and Trespasser Prevention Programs Division and the relationship between the FRA 

Office of Safety Analysis, the Region, and the individual States and districts. He or she is 

assigned to an FRA Regional Office and serves as a manager on grade crossing and trespass 

issues. The Crossing and Trespassing Regional Manager reports directly to the Deputy Regional 

Administrator and seeks guidance from HQ Staff. 

Responsibilities and Duties 

In this capacity, the Crossing and Trespassing Regional Manager performs the following duties: 

 Promotes all Department of Transportation (DOT) and FRA crossing safety and 

trespasser prevention programs and initiatives within the Region’s assigned geographical 

area. 

 Reviews draft FRA policy initiatives and provides comments/recommendations to the 

senior manager. 

 Handles complaints, investigations, and special projects and studies regarding highwayrail grade crossing and trespasser issues, as assigned. Contacts appropriate sources to 

gather data and documents, prepares summary of investigation and/or complaint, and 

makes recommendations. 

 Serves as a subject matter expert on 49 CFR Part 222, Train Horn Rule, and coordinates 

Regional assistance to local public authorities regarding the implementation of quiet 

zones. 

 Establishes and maintains personal contacts with division-level FHWA, FTA, NHTSA, 

FMCSA, and State and local officials to provide departmental cooperation in improving 

grade crossing safety and transportation prevention activities. 

 Works with stakeholders on the development and implementation of highway-rail 

crossing safety and trespasser prevention programs. 

 Serves as FRA’s Regional Operation Lifesaver (OL) partner by: 

o Functioning as the regional liaison through which OL information, procedures, and 

programmatic data are passed to appropriate FRA individuals; 

o Maintaining a close partnership with OL State Coordinators, providing them with 

periodic summaries of FRA activities in their States; 

o Assisting in the planning and execution of OL programming, activities, workshops, 

and presentations; and 
29 

o Ensuring appropriate FRA representation at State OL activities. 

 Participates in assigned investigations of grade crossing collisions and trespasser 

incidents. Prepares any necessary analysis and sends recommendations to the senior 

manager. 

 Maintains files and databases needed to address regional safety conditions and 

requirements. 

 Prepares detailed analytical reports documenting program accomplishments and 

shortfalls. 

 Represents FRA while participating in initiatives, studies, surveys, reviews, outreach, and 

other activities related to highway-rail crossing and trespasser programs with local 

communities, States, the railroad industry, and FRA’s safety partners. 

 Represents FRA before State and local legislatures and planning bodies, as assigned, 

providing information and accurately communicating Departmental policy regarding 

crossing and trespasser strategies. 

 
30 

Chapter 3 – Regulations 

Basis for Regulation and Inspection 

Statutory Authority 

FRA’s authority to promulgate and enforce rail safety regulations generally derives from the 

Federal rail safety laws in 49 U.S.C. §§ 20101-21311. 

Here is the statutory authority for the specific FRA regulations enforced by HRGX&TP 

personnel: 

 Train Horn/Quiet Zone Rule (49 CFR Part 222): The statutory authority for these 

regulations can be found in 49 U.S.C. § 20153. 

 State Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Action Plans (49 CFR § 234.11): The statutory 

authority for this regulation can be found in Section 11401 of the Fixing America’s 

Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act), Public Law 114-94. 

 Emergency Notification Systems (49 CFR Part 234, Subpart E): The statutory authority 

for these regulations can found in 49 U.S.C. § 20152. 

 Crossing Inventory (49 CFR Part 234, Subpart F): The statutory authority for these 

regulations can be found in 49 U.S.C. § 20160. 

HRGX&TP Regulations 

HRGX&TP personnel enforce FRA regulations that: 

 Require train crews to sound the locomotive horn when approaching and traveling 

through public highway-rail grade crossings. FRA regulations also allow public 

authorities to establish a quiet zone within which routine sounding of locomotive horns at 

public highway-rail grade crossings is prohibited. However, the engineer or conductor is 

allowed to use the train horn at his/her discretion if warranted based on obstruction, 

emergency, or any other instance in which they feel it is necessary. 

 Require States to submit and/or update highway-rail grade crossing safety action plans. 

 Require railroads to submit and periodically update railroad-related crossing data in the 

Crossing Inventory. 

 Require railroads to post ENS signs on each approach to highway-rail and pathway grade 

crossings. ENS signs must contain a telephone number that would allow a member of the 

public to report unsafe conditions at highway-rail and pathway crossings to the railroad. 
31 

CFR Part 222—Use of Locomotive Train Horns at Highway-Rail Grade 

Crossings—Overview 

Under the Train Horn Rule, locomotive engineers must begin to sound train horns at least 15 

seconds, and no more than 20 seconds, in advance of all public grade crossings. If a train is 

traveling faster than 60 mph, engineers must not sound the horn until it is within 1⁄4 mile of the 

crossing, even if the advance warning is less than 15 seconds. There is a “good faith” exception 

for locations where engineers cannot precisely estimate their arrival at a crossing and begin to 

sound the horn no more than 25 seconds before arriving at the crossing. Train horns must be 

sounded in a standardized pattern of 2 long, 1 short, and 1 long blasts. The pattern must be 

repeated or prolonged until the lead locomotive or lead cab car occupies the grade crossing. The 

rule does not stipulate the durations of long and short blasts. The maximum volume level for the 

train horn is 110 decibels, while the minimum sound level is 96 decibels. To view the entire 

locomotive train horn rule, visit: https://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0889. 

Establishing Quiet Zones 

The final rule also provides an opportunity for localities nationwide to mitigate the effects of 

train horn noise by establishing “Quiet Zones.” “No horn” restrictions, which existed on October 

9, 1996 and on December 18, 2003 may qualify to be “Pre-Rule Quiet Zones.” In a quiet zone, 

railroads have been directed to cease the required routine sounding of their train horns when 

approaching highway-rail and pedestrian grade crossings. Train horns may still be used in 

emergency situations or to comply with other Federal regulations or railroad operating 

rules. Localities desiring to establish a quiet zone are first required to mitigate any increased risk 

caused by the absence of a horn. For further information on how to establish a quiet zone, visit: 

https://www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/details/L03055. 

Title 49 CFR Section 234.11—State Action Plans—Overview 

A State Action Plan for highway-rail grade crossings (SAP) is an important part of the grade 

crossing program management process. The SAP provides a vehicle for States to use a datadriven approach to identify specific strategies for improving safety at their highway-rail grade 

crossings. However, the SAP can also be adjusted based on, but not limited to, context-sensitive 

data, incident trends, and regulatory and legislative requirements that apply to highway-rail grade 

crossings. 

Regulatory requirements for the SAP were initially required by Section 202 of the Rail Safety 

Improvement Act of 2008 (RSIA08), for the 10 States identified with the highest number of 

reported highway-rail grade crossing collisions from 2006 through 2008. Subsequent to the 

RSIA08, Section 11401 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) 

required that (1) 40 States and the District of Columbia develop and implement an SAP, and (2) 

each of the 10 States previously required to develop SAPs update their previously submitted 

SAPs and submit reports to FRA describing actions they have taken to implement them. 
32 

Title 49 CFR Part 234, Subpart E—Emergency Notification Systems for Telephonic 

Reporting of Unsafe Conditions at Highway-Rail and Pathway Grade Crossings—

Overview 

An Emergency Notification System (ENS) is a system through which a railroad receives, 

processes, and responds to telephonic reports of unsafe conditions at highway-rail and pathway 

grade crossings. An ENS system includes the following components: 

(1) The signs placed and maintained at grade crossings that display the information necessary 

for the public to report an unsafe condition at the crossing to the dispatching railroad by 

telephone; 

(2) The method that the railroad uses to receive and process a telephone call reporting the 

unsafe condition; 

(3) The remedial actions that a railroad takes to address the report of the unsafe condition; 

and 

(4) The recordkeeping conducted by a railroad in response to the report of the unsafe 

condition at the grade crossing. 

The ENS Regulations were published in 49 CFR 234, Subpart E on March 15, 2013. The 

compliance dates related to ENS system implementation have passed. Therefore, railroads 

should have ENS systems that conform to the regulations. ENS is generally required at all atgrade crossings including: 

 Public highway-rail grade crossings 

 Private highway-rail grade crossings 

 Pedestrian/pathway crossings (public and private) 

 Farm crossings 

 Grade crossings located within a railroad yard, or certain port or dock facilities 

Title 49 CFR Part 234, Subpart F—Highway-Rail and Pathway Crossing Inventory 

Reporting—Overview 

The U.S. DOT National Highway-Rail Crossing Inventory (Inventory) contains detailed 

information on highway-rail and pathway crossings in the United States. The Inventory has 

records for all types of crossings including public, private, at grade, and grade-separated 

crossings. 

The Inventory began as a voluntary effort in the 1970s by the railroads and FRA. Congress later 

passed legislation, the RSIA08, requiring FRA to develop regulations that made Inventory 
33 

reporting and updating mandatory for railroads. The regulations were published in 2015 in Title 

49 CFR Part 234, Subpart F. States also report a significant portion of the data in the Inventory, 

but FRA regulations do not require States to report or update crossing data in the Inventory. 

The Inventory data is important for States when programming and prioritizing improvement 

funds for crossings, such as the Section 130 Program. It is also important for other uses, such as 

academic research projects. 

Detailed instructions for inspecting the Inventory for compliance can be found in Appendix A: 

Inspection Details for Compliance with 49 CFR Part 234, Subpart F, Inventory. 
34 

Chapter 4 – Railroad Trespassing

Trespassing on railroad property is the leading cause of all rail-related deaths in the 

United States. More people are struck and killed by trains each year while trespassing—illegally 

entering or remaining on a railroad right-of-way—than in motor vehicle collisions with trains at 

highway-rail grade crossings. Between 2009 and 2018, the annual number of trespass-related 

pedestrian fatalities increased by 39 percent, from 416 in 2009 to 580 in 2017. In calendar year 

2019, 181 pedestrian trespass fatalities had occurred by March 31. Data indicates that the 

number of trespassing occurrences on railroad property each year far exceeds the number of 

fatalities and injuries. This raises the serious concern of the greater potential for even more 

trespasser accidents. For more information, visit: https://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0846. 

National Strategy to Prevent Trespassing on Railroad Property—Overview 

In its report on the Fiscal Year 2018 Department of Transportation appropriation, the U.S. House 

of Representatives Committee on Appropriations requested FRA to identify and study the causal 

factors that lead to trespassing incidents on railroad property and develop a National 

Strategy. FRA’s National Strategy to prevent trespassing on railroad property includes four 

strategic focus areas: data gathering and analysis, community site visits, funding, and 

partnerships with stakeholders. Data gathering and analysis of trespass incidents and close-calls 

will enable FRA to target its resources to trespassing “hot spots.” Conducting community site 

visits will help FRA to learn more about the specific local circumstances that contribute to 

trespassing and work with partners to help implement and evaluate targeted mitigation 

strategies. Requesting and providing funding will support community-based efforts to deter 

trespassing. Finally, building strong and enduring partnerships with communities, law 

enforcement, railroads, and other organizations with a shared interest in saving lives will enable 

FRA to leverage and concentrate available resources, expertise, and local knowledge to combat 

trespassing. To access the full report, please visit Appendix C: National Strategy for Trespass 

Prevention or our website at: https://www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/Details/L19817.

Procedures for Conducting Railroad Trespassing Assessments 

FRA regional teams will use a data-driven program to support trespassing prevention activates. 

FRA expects regional teams to transition into a centrally managed data-driven team by following 

the milestones outlined in the Guidelines for Transitioning into a Central Managed Team listed 

in Appendix B: Centrally Managed Data-Driven Outreach Recommendations for Grade Crossing 

Inspectors and Grade Crossing Trespassing Managers. FRA regional teams will use current, 

relevant data and analysis to identify systematically high-risk areas for trespassing incidents. 

Armed with the data, the teams will identify and collaborate with railroads, city leaders, schools, 

transit systems, law enforcement, social service agencies, and other stakeholders to determine the 

underlying causes of railroad trespassing. FRA regional teams will work to develop and 

facilitate implementation of specific mitigation strategies to reduce or eliminate railroad 

trespassing. Based on what is learned about underlying issues, the teams will identify resources 

in the community that may be able to assist in the problem-solving process (e.g., parents, 

neighborhood groups, community organizations, law enforcement, and railroad safety 

representatives). FRA regional teams will facilitate problem-solving trespasser risk assessments 
35 

and community meetings to discuss the issues and develop an action plan for the community 

with the railroads. FRA regional teams will document and report their findings and activities to 

FRA headquarters (HQ). FRA regional teams will, when feasible, follow the Community, 

Analysis, Response, and Evaluation (CARE) model when addressing a trespassing problem in a 

community. 

The CARE model provides a step-by-step process for addressing a trespassing problem in a 

community. An abbreviated version is listed below. To see the entire version, visit: 

https://www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/Details/L02620. 

Step 1. Identify the Problem 

 Identify the trespassing problem in a community in general terms, and identify potential 

community stakeholders who can assist in your problem-solving efforts. 

 Develop a general statement to describe the problem (e.g., “Children are crossing the 

railway tracks where 8th Street dead ends at the tracks”). 

Step 2. Identify Resources and Stakeholders 

 Based on what you already know about the problem, identify resources in the community 

that may be able to assist in the problem-solving process (e.g., parents, neighborhood 

groups, community organizations, law enforcement, and/or railroad safety 

representatives). 

 Identify stakeholders (e.g., local authorities, abutting landowners, etc.). 

 Organize a problem-solving meeting with community resources, stakeholders, and related 

groups to discuss the issue and develop an action plan for the community. 

 
36 

Step 3. Analyze the Cause 

(1) Collect detailed information about the trespassing problem and determine its underlying 

causes through problem analysis, by: 

 Gathering incident data from the community, law enforcement reports, and State, 

County, Municipal, and railroad police. 

 Conducting trespass site visits that include all interested parties (e.g., railroads, law 

enforcement, and city leaders). 

 Requesting information from railroad personnel or law enforcement partners about 

near-miss incidents, areas where trespassers are commonly cited, or paths that have 

been worn across the tracks. 

 Identifying locations where trespassers have received warnings or citations from law 

enforcement. 

(2) Answer the questions “who, what, when, where, why, and how?” in as much detail as 

possible. 

 Who is trespassing (e.g., age, gender, residents/nonresidents)? 

 What are they doing when they are trespassing on railroad property (e.g., walking 

between the rails (gauge); crossing the tracks between authorized crossings; walking 

along the tracks; riding a bicycle, all-terrain vehicle (ATV), or snowmobile; playing; 

drinking in the rail yard or on the tracks; or other activity)? 

 When does it happen (e.g., time, day of the week, month, and season)? 

 Where are they entering the railroad property? Where are they going? Where are 

they coming from? Where is the property line? 

 Why are they trespassing? Why are they not using the closest authorized crossing? 

 Why is this section of track or railroad property a tempting shortcut or place to play 

or loiter? 

 How are they entering the railroad property? How are they exiting the railroad 

property (e.g., crawling through a hole in a fence, climbing over a fence, jumping, 

entering at a crossing)? 

(3) Determine if there are any common factors for the railroad trespassing, such as: 

 Destination 
37 

 Origin 

 Trespasser group 

 Reason for trespassing 

 Time 

 Location 

 Point of entry 

 Point of exit 

(4) Determine the underlying cause(s) of trespassing based on an analysis of the information 

that you have collected and any common factors that you have identified. 

 Write a detailed problem statement describing the underlying cause(s) of the railroad 

trespassing (e.g., “Children are crossing the railway tracks where 8th Street dead-ends 

at the tracks.”). Then identify and develop specific strategies focused on reducing or 

eliminating railroad trespassing tied to each underlying cause. 

 Identify the scale of the problem: large-scale (whole community/many organizations 

needed to solve); medium-scale (task force can solve); or small-scale (small group or 

one to two individuals can solve). In some cases, just identifying and promoting 

awareness of railroad trespassing may help reduce its occurrence. 

 Identify measures that you will use to determine the effectiveness of your strategies 

(e.g., reduction or elimination of trespassing, increased public awareness). 

 Identify any other community resources that may be needed to help solve the problem 

recognized through your analysis. 

 Use the Railroad Inspection System for Personal Computers (RISPC) or 

FRA Trespass Site Assessment form to document all your findings and resources. 

Step 4. Develop and Implement Trespass Mitigation Measures 

Identify and/or develop measures to address the underlying cause(s) of trespassing. These 

measures will fall into one of the following categories: 

 Education: new or existing safety programs (e.g., Operation Lifesaver, www.oli.org). 

 Engineering/Environmental Design (e.g., a fencing plan, brush removal, etc.). 

 
38 

 Enforcement (e.g., use technology to detect violations, enforce local trespassing laws, 

etc.). 

 Research grant/funding opportunities. 

 Other Strategies (e.g., brainstorming with FRA and railroad personnel). 

 Once you have identified one or more appropriate measures, implement them 

Step 5. Evaluate the Results 

(1) Determine if implemented measures were effective, and why or why not. 

(2) Evaluate the effectiveness of the implemented measures based on metrics identified in the 

Step 2 analysis (see Appendix B: Centrally Managed Data-Driven Outreach 

Recommendations for Grade Crossing Inspectors and Grade Crossing Trespassing 

Managers). Consider both short- and long-term evaluations. 

(3) What was the result of your efforts? Was trespassing: 

 Displaced (i.e., Did the problem move to a different location)? 

 Reduced (i.e., Was there an overall drop in the number of trespassers)? 

 Unchanged (i.e., Did the problem remain)? 

 Eliminated (i.e., Was the problem solved)? 

(4) Evaluate the Process. 

 Were the key stakeholders and resources identified and included? 

 Were the underlying causes of the trespass problem properly identified? 

 Was the implementation process implemented as planned? If not, why not? 

 Was any part of the plan not implemented? If not, why not? 

 Based on your evaluation of both the impact and process, did you achieve the goal as 

identified? Why or why not? Is it necessary to return to the analysis step to further 

consider the problem? 

 Based on the response(s) implemented, will this project require a long-term 

commitment and monitoring? Who will need to be involved? What could happen if 

the response(s) are left in place? What could happen if they are taken away? 

 
39 

Step 6. Report and Document 

FRA regional teams will document and report their findings and activities and provide a written 

report to FRA HQ, railroads, and community partners using RISPC. 

Centrally Managed Data-Driven Outreach Recommendations for Grade Crossing 

Inspectors and Crossing and Trespassing Regional Managers

These guidelines respond to the following milestone set forth in the first strategic area of the 

National Strategy for Trespass Prevention on Railroad Property, “Transition from a regionally 

managed to a centrally managed data-driven program to support trespasser prevention activities.” 

FRA Headquarters is Responsible For: 

FRA HQ will provide quarterly reports to each region that summarize railroad trespassing 

fatalities and injuries in the region. The reports will provide information about when and where 

incidents occur, along with near-miss data when available. FRA HQ will develop and customize 

a trespasser events map using clustering, hot spots, and spatial outliers of the events. These 

events are located by using values such as “Trespassers within 500 ft. of a Crossing”; “...within 

1000 ft. of a Crossing”; “...within 1/2 mile of a Quiet Zone”; “...within 1 mile of a Public 

School,” etc. These analyses will identify patterns spatially and help to evaluate assumptions 

about trespasser events. This information will be disseminated to FRA regional offices through 

FRA GIS Online Viewer, email, or an internal trespassing dashboard. Training will be provided 

through the Technical Training Standards Division and via quarterly conference calls. FRA HQ 

will conduct quarterly conference calls or meetings with FRA regional teams to receive feedback 

on information provided to the team, review incidents, and determine if additional data or 

outreach methods need to be adjusted. 

FRA Regional Teams are Responsible For: 

FRA regional teams will use the information supplied by FRA HQ and regional data to direct 

their activities to specific areas and hot spots. Armed with the data, the teams will identify and 

collaborate with railroads, city leaders, schools, transit systems, law enforcement, social services 

agencies, and other stakeholders to determine the underlying cause of railroad trespassing. A 

general statement to describe the underlying causes and contributing factors of railroad 

trespassing will be developed in each location (e.g., shortcut to recreation facilities). Based on 

the underlying causes and contributing factors, the teams will identify resources in the 

community to address the railroad trespassing issues (e.g., parents, neighborhood groups, 

community organizations, law enforcement, and railroad safety representatives). FRA regional 

teams, in collaboration with FRA HQ, will facilitate problem-solving trespasser risk discussions 

with local stakeholders and meetings with communities and railroad representatives to discuss 

the issues and develop an action plan. FRA regional teams will document and submit a report of 

their findings and actions to community leaders and FRA HQ. 

For complete detail on this Guidance, visit: https://franetcms.fra.dot.gov/FRA-Offices/Office-ofRailroad-Safety-RRS/Office-of-Safety-Analysis-RRS-20/Trespass-Resources-Hub/Overview. 
40 

Chapter 5 – Outreach

Outreach is the practice of educating or providing educational materials to populations who 

might not otherwise have them. HRGX&TP personnel are a key component of FRA’s outreach 

team. The HRGX&TP team plays a vital role in educating the general public about the dangers 

associated with railroad operations and highway-rail grade crossing and trespassing violations. 

All HRGX&TP personnel are authorized and encouraged to provide educational outreach to any 

member of the general public about the dangers associated with railroad trespassing and 

highway-rail grade crossing safety issues. HRGX&TP personnel will only use approved safety 

brochures developed by FRA or by Operation Lifesaver Inc. (OLI). HRGX&TP personnel are 

encouraged to become active members of their home state OLI program. 

In accordance with the FRA memorandum dated June 19, 2009, Guidelines for Administration of 

Promotional Items, FRA staff may purchase or procure promotional items with otherwise 

available appropriated funds. Such promotional items include, but are not limited to, small items 

such as coloring books, key chains, hats, lapel pins, pencils, and calendars to support the 

Department of Transportation’s (DOT) and FRA’s message on railroad crossing safety and 

railroad trespass prevention. These items help DOT/FRA communicate safety information and 

warnings more effectively. FRA staff are authorized to give to the public without charge 

inexpensive railroad safety promotional items during crossing safety and trespass prevention 

outreach activities, such as presentations to school children, workshops for State or local police 

or judges, or booths at county fairs. These tokens, though inexpensive, can help save lives and 

prevent injuries by reminding children and adults, pedestrians and motorists, of what they need 

to remember and do to protect themselves and others at railroad crossings and other points on 

railroad tracks and roadbed. 

All HRGX&TP personnel who develop outreach material that has not been approved by 

FRA Headquarters or OLI must obtain prior approval to use said material. This will ensure that 

the material is consistent with the Administration’s message and meets all guidelines of the 

Department. 

 
41 

Chapter 6 – Inspection and Investigation 

Procedures

Inventory of Inspection Territory (Regional Inspection Points) 

Each Inspector will use the current Inventory records of highway-rail grade crossings located 

within his or her inspection area to assist in the planning of inspection activity. Inspectors must 

keep their Regional Inspection Points (RIP) inventory updated by using the RIP worksheet. The 

RIP worksheet should be updated when changes in the inventory occur, but not less than 

annually. When requested, the GXI will provide the Grade Crossing Specialist (GXS) with 

updated information to maintain a reliable inventory of highway-rail grade crossings (both active 

and passive), an inventory of quiet zones, and the number of highway-rail grade crossings within 

quiet zones contained in the GXI’s territory. Current grade crossing Inventory records can be 

found by visiting FRA’s safety data website at: 

https://safetydata.fra.dot.gov/OfficeofSafety/Default.aspx. 

Inspection Priorities 

The Regional Administrator, through the Regional Supervisory Specialist, will establish 

priorities appropriate to the urgency and seriousness of any alleged violation or other situation. 

If catastrophic and/or fatal accidents or complaints of a serious nature require the full use of 

existing resources, the Regional Supervisory Specialist must address those problems before 

releasing resources to resume regular inspection. 

Unless otherwise instructed, a GXI must perform his or her duties in accordance with defined 

priorities. The priorities established are as follows: 

Priority Category

 1 Accident Investigation 

 2 Complaint Investigation 

 3 BSAP/Waiver Application Investigation 

 4 Assessments/Special Inspection 

 5 Regular Inspection 

Discipline Inspection Guidance 

The following guidance was developed so that those working in the HRGX&TP discipline can 

best determine the areas on which to focus their limited resources. This guidance is intended to 

work in harmony with the allocation of resources identified in the National Inspection Plan (NIP) 

resource allocation model provided annually to each region, which the Regional Administrator 

may adjust as the need arises. This guidance may be revised as database programs or other 

applicable information or processes change. 
42 

Using Data Analysis to Determine Appropriate Focus 

Purpose: 

The purpose of using data analysis to determine appropriate areas of focus in ongoing 

HRGX&TP inspection/investigative efforts is to best determine how to apply FRA’s limited 

resources toward areas of identified concern and, therefore, increase rail safety most effectively. 

Inventory Inspections: 

In general, Regions should use the following information to determine which Inventory records 

should be inspected each year: 

 Part 225 audits that include an inspection of related Inventory records. 

 Grade crossings where collisions with injuries or fatalities have occurred (these crossings 

should be inspected within six months after the collision). 

 Crossing records that have not been updated by the railroad within the past 3 years. This 

list can be generated through the Grade Crossing Inventory System (GCIS). If the 

Regions need assistance, they can contact Headquarters (HQ) to help run the reports. 

 Each year, each Region should select approximately 10 to 20 crossings identified as highrisk based on data (e.g., the Web-Based Accident Prediction System (WBAPS)) or local 

knowledge that should be inspected. 

 Regions may inspect additional Inventory records based on their own knowledge 

of the railroads and States. For example, Regions may decide to verify Inventory records 

for public highway-rail grade crossings where construction improvements have recently 

upgraded the crossing warning devices or the roadway. 

Use of Locomotive Train Horns at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings 

Regions should use the following information to determine which quiet zones should be verified 

for compliance: 

 New quiet zones: Newly established quiet zones should be inspected within 60 days of 

the date of quiet zone establishment. 

 If the inspection is conducted before the date of quiet zone establishment, the inspection 

should be conducted after all Supplementary Safety Measures (SSMs) and 

Alternative Safety Measures (ASMs) have been installed, so that each SSM and ASM can 

be inspected to verify compliance with Appendices A and B to 49 CFR Part 222. 

 Existing quiet zones: Existing quiet zones should be inspected every 3 years, at a 

minimum, to verify continued compliance with 49 CFR Part 222. 
43 

FRA inspectors should promptly bring non-compliant conditions to the attention of the public 

authority and advise the public authority that failure to address the non-compliant condition(s) 

may result in the resumption of routine locomotive horn sounding and/or the loss of quiet zone 

status. A follow-up inspection should also be conducted after the initial FRA inspection to 

confirm that action has been taken to address the non-compliant condition and/or mitigate the 

potential safety concerns posed by the non-compliant condition. If the non-compliant condition 

has not been resolved and sufficient action has not been taken to mitigate potential safety 

concerns posed by the non-compliant condition after a reasonable period of time, the FRA 

inspector should consult FRA HQ for guidance on additional enforcement action(s) that should 

be pursued. 

With respect to any non-compliant highway-rail or pathway/pedestrian grade crossing warning 

systems that are identified, the inspection and enforcement of highway-rail and 

pathway/pedestrian grade crossing warning systems are Signal & Train Control (S&TC) 

functions to enforce. Therefore, if a concern is identified by the Grade Crossing Inspector (GXI) 

during an inspection, any follow up should be in conjunction with an S&TC Inspector. 

State Action Plans 

The FAST Act directs the Administrator to provide assistance to each State in developing and 

carrying out, as appropriate, the State Action Plan (SAP). In general, Regions should use the 

following information to assist States with the development of their SAPs: 

 Work with the Regional Administrator (or designee) to determine who will serve as the 

Point of Contact (POC) for each State within the Region. 

 Work with the SAP POC at HQ to determine who is the State’s SAP representative. This 

information should have been provided by the State in the SAP. 

 Contact the State’s SAP coordinator to: 

o Identify yourself as the FRA’s Regional SAP POC; 

o Offer assistance to him/her as a resource with the development and carrying out of its 

SAP, as appropriate (please provide your contact information, if necessary), and ask 

him/her to contact you if assistance is needed; 

o Inform the State SAP coordinator that the FRA SAP POCs (both in HQ and you) will 

be coordinating the review of the SAP once submitted; 

o Ask him/her to contact you about participating in any SAP meetings (as appropriate) 

or any matters related to highway-rail grade crossing safety; and 

o Inform the State SAP coordinator of the document entitled, Highway-Rail Grade 

Crossing Action Plan and Project Prioritization Noteworthy Practices Guide, which 
44 

is available for reference and can be found on the FRA webpage at: 

https://www.fra.dot.gov/modelsap. 

Once the SAP is submitted: 

 The Region POC will receive both notification of the submission from HQ and the 

document for review and comment. The HQ POC will coordinate this effort and will 

work with the Region POC. 

 Per the FAST Act, FRA will have 60 days to review and either (1) notify the State that 

the SAP has been approved, or (2) return the SAP to the State and provide comments on 

incomplete or deficient portions. 

 If FRA approves the SAP, the HQ and Region POCs will work with the FRA Webmaster 

to make the document available on the FRA website in a timely manner. 

 If FRA determines that the SAP is incomplete or deficient, the State will have 60 days to 

resolve any comments and resubmit to FRA. The Region POC should provide assistance 

to the State SAP coordinator, upon request, to help the State address the deficiencies 

identified by FRA in the SAP. 

The FAST Act does not require States to include FRA as a part of the process, but does require 

FRA to provide assistance to the States. However, every State should be encouraged to 

streamline its review process (and possibly resubmission process). 

No later than three years after the Final Rule to update 49 CFR 234.11, FRA must submit a 

Report to Congress (RTC) on the SAP. Inspectors should anticipate: 

 Occasional assistance with the development of the RTC. This assistance may consist of 

(but is not limited to): document review, development of language for the RTC, and 

reaching out to States to clarify SAP language for the RTC. 

 Occasional team meetings to discuss ongoing efforts on the RTC. 

Emergency Notification System Inspection: 

The inspection considerations in this manual supersede all previous internal guidance on 

Emergency Notification System (ENS) compliance. 

Section 1 – Frequency of Inspections 

In general, Regions should use the following information to determine which crossings should be 

verified for ENS compliance: 

 Inventory Audits where Part I, Box 33 of the Crossing Inventory Form (Emergency 

Notification Telephone No.) is inspected. 
45 

 Grade crossings where collisions occurred with a vehicle that was stuck on the tracks due 

to a traffic queue, humped crossing, or vehicle breakdown (these crossings should be 

inspected within six months after the collision). 

 Grade crossings where a warning device malfunction occurred (these crossings should be 

inspected within six months after the malfunction). 

Each year, each Region should select approximately 10 to 20 crossings where vehicles have the 

potential to become stuck on the crossing due to adjacent intersections or humped crossing 

conditions. 

The Regions may inspect additional ENS records based on their own knowledge of the 

crossings. For instance, Regions may decide to verify ENS compliance at crossings they 

encounter as part of other duties while they are in the field. Regions may also decide to verify 

ENS compliance for railroads that have had a history of ENS non-compliance. However, the 

bulleted list above provides information sources that should be used by Regions to determine the 

minimum baseline for Inventory records to be inspected each year. Any additional inspections 

for compliance, if conducted, will be decided upon by the Region based on their local 

knowledge. 

Section 2 – ENS Components 

The ENS includes the following four components, all of which should be inspected for 

compliance: 

(1) The signs, placed and maintained on each approach to highway-rail or pathway grade 

crossings that display the information necessary for the public to report an unsafe 

condition at the grade crossing to the dispatching railroad by telephone; 

(2) The method that the railroad uses to receive and process a telephone call reporting the 

unsafe condition; 

(3) The remedial actions that a railroad takes to address the report of the unsafe condition; 

and 

(4) The recordkeeping conducted by a railroad in response to the report of the unsafe 

condition at the grade crossing. 

Section 3 – Inspecting ENS Signs 

The GXI should measure the sign to ensure it conforms to the minimum size requirement of 12” 

wide by 9” high. The sign may be larger than 12” x 9”. 

The GXI should measure the text/character height to ensure it conforms to the minimum 

text/character height of 1 inch. The text may be larger than one inch. 
46 

The GXI should check to ensure that the text is legible. Some railroads hand-write or stamp the 

crossing number or other information on the sign, which can fade with time and weather 

conditions. 

Even if the text is handwritten, it must be legible. Although handwriting the crossing number 

onto the sign is allowed, it is not recommended. Individual handwriting varies considerably and 

could likely be misread in an emergency situation. 

The GXI should check to ensure that the sign has a blue background with white text and a white 

border. The crossing number itself may be black text on a white background. No other colors 

are allowed. 

The GXI should check to ensure that the sign contains the required information. The sign should 

have: 

 The toll-free telephone number (or non-toll-free telephone number as provided for in 

49 CFR § 234.303(e)) established to receive reports pursuant to 49 CFR § 234.303(a). 

Only Class II and III railroads may use non-toll free numbers with a local area code so 

that a local caller will not incur long-distance charges. 

 The purpose or explanation of the sign (e.g., “Report problem or emergency to ______”). 

As there is no defined language in the regulations, each railroad may use different text to 

explain the purpose of the sign. 

 The U.S. DOT Crossing Inventory Number. The GXI should also verify the U.S. DOT 

Crossing Inventory Number listed on the sign is correct. 

The railroad’s name is not required on the sign, although it is allowed. 

The GXI should verify the sign is retroreflective. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) 

Report Number: FHWA-HRT-08-029 provides specific details and requirements for 

retroreflectivity of blue signs. The report can be found at: 

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/08029/. However, it would be 

unreasonable to have a GXI perform a time-consuming, expensive test of retroreflectivity of each 

sign. One method is to simply check a sign at night with a flashlight to determine if the sign is 

retroreflective or if the sign has a dull non-reflective coating. Retroreflectivity does degrade 

over time with weathering, so checking retroreflectivity is important. 

The GXI should check to ensure that an ENS sign installed on its own post has a breakaway 

support. The 2004 American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials 

(AASHTO) Roadside Design Guide (Chapter 4.1, Acceptance Criteria for Breakaway Supports) 

uses the term “breakaway” to describe all types of sign, luminaire, and traffic signal supports that 

are designed to yield when impacted by a vehicle. The Roadside Design Guide also indicates 

that the criteria used to determine if a support is considered breakaway can be found in the 

AASHTO Standard Specifications for Structural Supports for Highway Signs, Luminaires, and 

Traffic Signals. The AASHTO specifications have been revised so that the breakaway 
47 

requirements are identical to the crashworthiness requirements in National Cooperative Highway 

Research Program (NCHRP) Report 350 found at: 

http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/nchrp/nchrp_rpt_350-a.pdf. If the GXI is unsure if the sign 

post is a breakaway support, they may work with the Safety Engineer at the FHWA State 

Division Office. 

The GXI should check to ensure that ENS signs are located on each approach to a crossing. For 

most crossings, there would be two signs, one for each direction. However, the regulations 

contain some exceptions:

 At a railroad yard, port, or dock area, the railroad must place one sign on each vehicular 

entrance to the facility instead of at each crossing within the facility. 

 At a farm grade crossing, the railroad may place only one sign. 

The GXI should ensure the sign meets the placement requirements under 49 CFR 

§ 234.311(b)(1): 

(i) Is conspicuous to users of the roadway or pathway by day and night; 

(ii) Does not obstruct any other sign or traffic control device at the crossing; 

(iii) Does not limit the view of a train approaching the highway-rail or pathway grade 

crossing; and 

(iv) If mounted on a post, has supports that are crashworthy (i.e., breakaway or yielding). 

The word “conspicuous” in the regulations is not more clearly defined, and the orientation of the 

sign parallel or perpendicular to the roadway is not a requirement. However, the GXI may make 

the following considerations: 

 All letters and numerals of the sign should be visible and should not be hidden behind 

gate equipment, flashing lights, other signs, or any other obstructions. 

 Although the height of the sign is not specified in the regulations, the sign should not be 

too high or too low. If the sign is too high, the text may be difficult to read. If the sign is 

too low near the ground, it may not be conspicuous at night, as headlights or flashlights 

may not illuminate it and take advantage of the retroreflectivity. 

If the sign is found to be missing, damaged, or unusable, it must be repaired or replaced by the 

railroad within 30 calendar days from the time of the detection. 

 
48 

Section 4 – The Method that the Railroad Uses to Receive and Process a Telephone 

Call Reporting the Unsafe Condition 

The Dispatching Railroad is responsible for receiving calls made through the ENS phone 

number. The GXI should ensure that the calls are being received by placing a phone call (and 

informing the person answering that they are an FRA inspector checking for ENS compliance). 

The railroad must answer the call directly and promptly by a live person, except for certain 

situations in which an answering machine is allowed, as described below. However, the 

inspector should note that the railroad may have, at most, one prompt for the caller. For 

instance, a caller may be asked to press a number for English or another number for another 

language. 

A railroad may use an answering machine to receive calls if: 

 The trains are authorized to travel at speeds not greater than 20 miles per hour. If the 

railroad uses an answering machine for this purpose, it must check the messages prior to 

the beginning of operations each day. If the GXI reaches an answering machine when 

calling, the GXI should leave a message informing the railroad that this is an FRA 

inspection for ENS compliance and that a return call is needed to ensure the railroad is 

checking messages prior to the start of operations. 

 The railroad operates on a seasonal or intermittent basis (such as a tourist railroad or one 

serving seasonal industries). If the railroad uses an answering machine for this purpose, 

it must check the message prior to the beginning of operations and each day. Same as 

above, if the GXI reaches an answering machine when calling, the GXI should leave a 

message informing the railroad that this is an FRA inspection for ENS compliance and 

that a return call is needed to ensure the railroad is checking messages as required. 

Section 5 – The Remedial Actions that a Railroad Takes to Address the Report of 

the Unsafe Condition and Recordkeeping 

The railroad must keep records of all calls and remedial actions for at least one year and must 

make the records available to FRA upon request. The GXI should ask for the previous 

12 months’ worth of records and ensure they contain the following required information, as 

specified in the regulations for each report received through the ENS: 

(1) The nature of the reported unsafe condition; 

(2) The location of the highway-rail or pathway grade crossing, by highway name, if 

applicable, and the U.S. DOT National Crossing Inventory number; 

(3) The time and date of receipt of the report by the railroad; 

 
49 

(4) If applicable, whether the person who provided the report was a railroad employee, law 

enforcement officer, highway traffic official, or other employee of a public agency acting 

in an official capacity; 

(5) Actions taken by the railroad prior to resolving the reported unsafe condition at the grade 

crossing (e.g., warning train crews, notifying the maintaining railroad, or contacting law 

enforcement or other public authorities); 

(6) If the reported unsafe condition is substantiated, actions taken by the railroad to remedy 

the reported unsafe condition, if lawful and feasible; 

(7) The time and date when the reported unsafe condition was remedied; 

(8) If no remedial action was taken, the reason why; and 

(9) If a dispatching railroad, in accordance with 49 CFR § 234.305, is required to contact a 

maintaining railroad, the time and date when it contacted the maintaining railroad. 

In addition, if there is more than one Dispatching Railroad, the railroads must appoint one to be 

the Primary Dispatching Railroad. (The Primary Dispatching Railroad may differ from the 

Primary Operating Railroad required for Crossing Inventory submissions and updates.) The 

appointment of the Primary Dispatching Railroad must be made in writing as required under 49 

CFR § 234.313(c). The term “in-writing” includes a hard copy letter, email, or any source 

written on paper or electronically shared between the railroads such that it can be reproduced for 

FRA upon request. 

Similarly, if there is more than one Maintaining Railroad, the railroads must appoint one to be 

the Primary Maintaining Railroad. (The Primary Maintaining Railroad may differ from the 

Primary Operating Railroad required for Crossing Inventory submissions and updates.) The 

appointment of the Primary Maintaining Railroad must be made in writing as required under 49 

CFR §234.313(c). The term “in-writing” includes a hard copy letter, email, or any source 

written on paper or electronically shared between the railroads such that it can be reproduced for 

FRA upon request. 

Notice and Time of Inspections and Investigations 

A records inspection may require advance planning by the FRA or State inspector and by the 

railroad officers and/or other employees who will provide the records requested. Railroad 

officers may need to arrange for employees to assist in the production of requested records. 

Time of Inspections and Investigations 

Normally, inspection activity will be conducted during the hours of a railroad employee’s regular 

working day. It is not FRA policy to require a railroad employee to work overtime making 

routine or regular inspections. If a railroad employee accompanies a GXI, the regular inspection 
50 

day will commence at the railroad employee’s regular starting time and will include a lunch 

period consistent with that of the employee. 

At times during accident investigations, assessments, and special investigations, inspection 

activities may be conducted outside of the hours of the regular duty day. When such activities 

are performed outside of regular hours, the GXI will make appropriate arrangements with the 

railroad to provide employees who can assist in the inspections. 

Refusal to Permit an Inspection or Investigation 

When trying to gain access to railroad property, GXIs may answer reasonable questions 

regarding the scope and purpose of the investigation. However, if access is denied, GXIs should 

ask the reason, leave the premises, and report the matter to their regional supervisors. The 

regional supervisors will then contact FRA HQ management and the Office of Chief Counsel for 

further instructions. Under no circumstances should GXIs engage in disputes with any 

railroad or shipper representative who refuses to permit an inspection. 

Note: Reference the FRA General Manual for further guidance regarding interference with 

inspection or investigation activities, handling strikes or labor disputes, forcible resistance to 

inspections, use of credentials, etc. 

Waiver of Responsibility 

While on official business, the GXI shall not sign any form of release or agree to any form of 

waiver releasing the carrier, facility, or other persons involved from responsibility for 

injury or loss or damage to personal or government property. If a railroad insists that a GXI 

sign some sort of release before entering upon the railroad’s property, the GXI shall suspend the 

inspection or investigation and promptly report the circumstances to his or her regional 

supervisory specialist. 

The GXI may sign a visitor’s register, property pass, or any form or book that the railroad uses to 

control and log entry and movement of persons on its property, so long as such signature does 

not constitute any form of waiver or release of prosecution or liability. 

Unusual Problems or Incidents 

Should the inspector encounter an unusual condition or questionable situation that is not covered 

by FRA regulations or guidance, the GXI should carefully weigh any action he or she takes. 

If the condition or situation clearly represents a danger to the public, railroad employees, or to 

the operation of trains, the GXI is expected to take remedial action to help ensure the safety of 

the individuals and operations involved. If you are a GXI, appropriate action you may take 

includes: 

 Communicating directly with the employees involved and advising them of your 

concerns; 
51 

 Advising a railroad manager of your findings as soon as possible. If the act violates 

company rules, you are obliged to report the circumstances to a company official and on 

your inspection report; and 

 If the act violates FRA regulations, advising them you are taking official exception to the 

noncompliance. Under these circumstances, you are obliged to list the name(s) and 

occupation(s) of the employee(s) on your inspection report. 

The GXI should notify his or her Regional Supervisory Specialist and give full details of the 

situation as soon as possible. 

If the condition or situation does not represent an imminent danger to the railroad, its employees, 

or the general public, the GXI should contact his or her Regional Supervisory Specialist and 

obtain advice and further guidance. 

Cooperation of Personnel with Industry and other Governmental Agencies 

The GXI should maintain a cordial relationship with the railroads, private crossing owners, and 

other governmental agencies. However, a GXI should not offer help or cooperation on any 

project or investigation without specific authorization of the Regional Administrator, 

Deputy Regional Administrator, or Regional Supervisory Specialist. The Regional Supervisory 

Specialist shall not authorize any such cooperation without specific authority from the Regional 

Administrator’s office. 

 
52 

Chapter 7 – Gaining Compliance 

Purpose 

The purpose of this chapter is to provide guidance to Federal and State personnel for planning 

and conducting inspections and other related activities for determining appropriate levels of 

compliance with the Federal regulations. 

Regular Inspections 

Each GXI will sufficiently cover his or her inspection territory to assure that each railroad and/or 

system is inspected on a regular basis. However, the GXI shall direct his or her efforts to the 

railroads or areas that are most in need of improvement as indicated by previous inspection 

defect ratios, accident, railroad trespassing, and other FRA data. 

Each GXI has been furnished with appropriate compliance manuals. The technical manual 

provides detailed technical guidance covering the proper application of the HRGX&TP 

regulations. 

In line with the guidance provided by the technical manual and general compliance policy, and 

because it is necessary to direct resources toward areas that are most in need of a GXI’s 

attention, the inspection program will emphasize re-inspection within 60 days of those systems 

where high-defect ratios are noted. 

The defect average is determined by dividing the number of defective conditions cited by the 

number of units inspected. 

Each GXI should strive to average at least one inspection per workday, except when on leave, 

performing a particular investigation or special assignment or completing the associated reports, 

or in training. 

Conference During and After an Inspection or Investigation 

After the day’s inspection activity on a railroad is finished, the GXI will make out his or her 

inspection reports, listing each defective condition he or she noted during the day’s work. For 

inspections other than quiet zone inspections, the GXI will then go over each item listed on the 

inspection reports with the railroad representative to make sure that the representative 

understands each item listed on the report(s) as defective, the location of each such condition, 

and what sort of corrective action is indicated. A copy of each inspection report will be given to 

the railroad’s representative before the GXI departs from the railroad’s property or when 

reasonably appropriate. 

 
53 

For quiet zone inspections, the GXI will make out his or her inspection reports, listing each 

defective condition he or she noted during the day’s work. For quiet zone inspections, the GXI 

will go over each item listed on the inspection report with the public authority’s designated point 

of contact for the quiet zone to make sure that the point of contact understands each item listed 

on the report(s) as non-compliant, the location of each such condition, and what sort of 

corrective action is indicated. A copy of each inspection report will be given to the public 

authority’s designated point of contact for the quiet zone before the GXI departs from the 

location or when reasonably appropriate. 

Special Inspections and/or Assessments 

Special inspections, team inspections, and/or assessments are special inspections conducted to 

develop sufficient information to prepare a detailed evaluation of all or a major portion of a 

railroad system. All special inspection activities will be governed by the current instructions 

issued by FRA Headquarters (HQ) for the administration of such projects. 

Before starting to make inspections in connection with an assessment, the GXI should review all 

of the requirements of this chapter and be prepared to obtain sufficient information to complete 

his or her narrative report. 

Assessments will normally be assigned by the Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety/Chief 

Railroad Safety Officer, and in most cases, will involve more than one region. However, this 

does not prohibit the Regional Administrator from assigning an assessment on a railroad on a 

regional basis. 

Inspection reports must be submitted for all inspections using the appropriate predetermined 

source code. All conditions that are not in accordance with the requirements of the regulations 

must be duly reported on an Inspection Report Form F 6180.96. During assessments or special 

inspection activities, violation reports will be filed in accordance with the instructions governing 

the administration of such projects. 

An assessment narrative report must be prepared by the inspector and must contain sufficient 

information to support the conclusions of the inspector as to the degree of compliance with 

FRA’s HRGX&TP regulations. 

The narrative report should be broken up into sections, each covering a defined line segment. In 

most cases, each line segment can be defined by the limits of a subdivision or district. When 

describing the line segment in the report, it should be identified by division, subdivision or 

district, milepost limits, and major cities. 

Accident Investigation 

Accident investigations will normally be assigned by the Associate Administrator for Railroad 

Safety/Chief Safety Officer. This practice does not prohibit the Regional Administrator from 

assigning accident investigations on a regional basis. Technical bulletins have been issued that 

define the types of accidents to be investigated and the procedures to be followed when making 
54 

such investigations. GXIs should also refer to the latest guidance found in FRA’s General 

Manual, Chapter 4. 

If an HRGX&TP inspection is made during the investigation of an accident, the GXI must 

complete an Inspection Report Form F 6180.96. The appropriate source code on the inspection 

report must be shown. If the accident that is under investigation has been assigned an accident 

investigation number by HQ or by the region, the number must be entered in the space titled 

“File Number.” Refer to the Railroad Inspection System for Personal Computers (RISPC) 

program for specific instructions concerning Form F 6180.96. 

Complaint Investigation 

Complaints must be acted upon as soon as possible in keeping with the priorities and procedures 

contained in this manual and FRA’s General Manual. 

The regional supervisory specialist will establish priorities regarding the action to be taken on 

individual complaints. Complaints alleging the existence of imminent danger must be accorded 

the highest priority. High priority must also be given to complaints alleging conditions which 

appear to be serious safety concerns. 

If an oral complaint is made to an inspector during the course of an inspection, he or she should 

act on it to the extent possible as part of that inspection. If additional days will be involved in 

investigation of the complaint, the GXI must contact the regional specialist for guidance on any 

further handling of the complaint. 

When acting on a complaint, the GXI should fully investigate the facility or systems involved in 

the alleged unsafe condition and/or noncompliance with FRA regulations. However, inspection 

of highway-rail grade crossing warning systems is a Signal & Train Control (S&TC) function to 

enforce. Therefore, if a concern with the proper operation of the highway-rail or pathway grade 

crossing warning system is identified by the GXI during an inspection, any follow up should be 

made in conjunction with an S&TC Inspector. 

The procedures for handling complaints are: 

 Upon receipt of a written complaint, the Regional Administrator, or a member of his or 

her staff, will obtain a control number (complaint file number from iCMS) to be used on 

all correspondence concerning the complaint, as well as the report of the investigation of 

the complaint. 

 Complaints that are received at FRA HQ will be assigned a control number before being 

sent to the applicable regional office for investigation. 

 The Regional Supervisory Specialist will assign and schedule the investigation. For 

complaints directly received by the Region, when the investigation is completed, the 

Regional Supervisory Specialist will review the GXI’s report and prepare a closeout letter 

for the Regional Administrator’s signature. It is helpful if a copy of the completed 
55 

closeout letter and the GXI’s report is forwarded to the HRGX&TP staff for their 

information and for the purpose of recognizing possible trends or systemic issues. For 

complaints received by headquarters, HQ staff will prepare an interim response to be 

provided to the complainant, and the complaint will be assigned to the applicable region 

for investigation. When the investigation is complete, the Regional Supervisory 

Specialist will review the inspector’s report and forward the report with applicable 

attachments to the HRGX&TP staff for preparation of a closeout letter. A copy of the 

subsequent closeout letter must be provided to the region for their information and files. 

 The complaint should be evaluated to determine if the alleged violation or danger exists. 

The GXI should call or contact the complainant and obtain details of the alleged violation 

or danger. It may be desirable to meet with the complainant in person if possible. 

 When a regional or State office receives an oral complaint, in person or by telephone, 

action must be taken. This action can take the form of a formal investigation or be 

handled very much like a regular inspection. 

 If it is determined that a violation of FRA regulations or danger might exist, an 

investigation must be scheduled as soon as practicable. If there appears to be an 

imminent danger to the operation of trains, to railroad employees, or to the general 

public, immediate action must be taken to mitigate such danger. 

The investigation must be conducted in accordance with the instructions in this manual. 

 After a field investigation of all of the allegations has been completed, the GXI will 

prepare a written narrative report describing the facility, location, or system that was 

inspected, the conditions found, what corrective action was taken by the railroad, and 

what action was taken by the inspector. An inspection report, Form F 6180.96, must be 

submitted to cover each such inspection using the appropriate source code and the 

complaint file number must be shown in the space titled, “File Number.” If allegations of 

a violation of FRA’s HRGX regulations are found to be valid, a violation report should 

be submitted in most instances. The GXI will forward the original report with all 

documents and backup materials to the regional office for review and handling as 

described above. 

Conducting Interviews 

GXIs will, from time to time, need to conduct an interview of a railroad employee or other 

person in connection with an investigation of an accident, complaint, application, false proceed 

signal or activation failure, assessment, etc. Such interviews must be conducted within the 

guidelines set forth in the General Manual. 

The interview must be conducted in a businesslike manner, with no frivolity. The person 

interviewed will be treated courteously and with respect. The questions should be pertinent to 

the investigation and not be made in a leading manner. The idea of the interview is to get that 

person’s viewpoint about the subject or what happened. The interview should be 
56 

audio-recorded, if at all possible. Good notes should be kept of the interview so that an accurate 

report of the interview can be prepared. 

The GXI will give full credence and consideration to the comments and statements of the person 

being interviewed. The GXI will weigh those comments and statements in concert with 

established facts and the comments and statements of other persons. 

Determining When and What Enforcement Action is Necessary

FRA does not have to take a formal enforcement action every time it discovers or learns of a 

condition of noncompliance with Federal railroad safety laws and regulations. FRA has 

enforcement discretion, and it can choose which cases to pursue for civil penalty or other form of 

enforcement based on available resources, and on what it believes to be the best method for 

promoting compliance. Moreover, when FRA decides that enforcement action is warranted, it 

has a range of enforcement tools (discussed below) and has the authority to choose those best 

suited to the circumstances. One of these tools—the emergency order—can be used to address 

an immediate hazard, even if no existing Federal regulation or law has been specifically violated. 

The existence of this wide enforcement discretion—concerning when and what enforcement 

action is necessary—calls for general guidelines to ensure effectiveness, fairness, and an 

acceptable level of consistency in the exercise of that discretion. The purpose of these guidelines 

is not to dictate absolute identical treatment of like situations; that would be unrealistic and 

would require a false assumption that each of the many variables going into an enforcement 

decision could be quantified objectively and accurately. Instead, the purpose of these guidelines 

is to control the subjective elements of this process, as much as is feasible, by requiring that 

those making enforcement decisions weigh the same factors and make full, uniform use of the 

information available to them. In this way, the appropriate enforcement tool is most likely to be 

applied, responsible discretionary judgments are made, and an acceptable level of consistency is 

achieved. Application of these factors should preclude abuses of discretion such as basing an 

enforcement decision on personal bias, or failure to enforce the law because of a personal 

aversion to action and/or the “extra work.” 

FRA’s Statement of Agency Policy Concerning Enforcement of the Federal Railroad Safety 

Laws (49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 209, Appendix A) stresses that discretion is 

exercised at the field and regional levels. Although GXIs make initial determinations on the 

need for enforcement action, regional personnel play an active role in reviewing those 

determinations with an eye toward effectiveness and consistency. Moreover, regional 

supervisory specialists play a primary role in ensuring that field inspectors have the data 

necessary to make effective and appropriate enforcement decisions. The Regional Supervisory 

Specialist, for example, periodically analyzes the relevant data on accidents, incidents, and 

inspections to detect patterns or problem areas at the regional, railroad, or office level. This 

information should be used not only in deciding where to inspect but also, as discussed below, in 

deciding when and what enforcement action is necessary. Office of Railroad Safety headquarters 

personnel are, of course, responsible for spotting national trends in the data that warrant 

particular levels of enforcement action and for providing guidance to the regional and field staff 

on difficult enforcement policy issues. 
57 

FRA’s policy statement sets forth key factors to be considered in making enforcement decisions. 

The following information in this chapter should be considered when weighing factors regarding 

any HRGT&TP enforcement decisions: 

(1) The inherent seriousness of the condition or action. 

(2) The kind and degree of potential safety hazard the condition or action poses in light of the 

immediate factual situation. 

(3) Any actual harm to persons or property already caused by the condition or action. 

(4) The offending person’s (i.e., railroad’s or individual’s) general level of current 

compliance as revealed by the inspection as a whole. 

(5) The person’s recent history of compliance with the relevant set of regulations, especially 

at the specific location or division of the railroad involved. 

(6) Whether a remedy other than a civil penalty (ranging from an individual warning up to an 

emergency order) is more appropriate under all of the facts. 

(7) Such other factors as the immediate circumstances make relevant. 

The exercise of this discretion at the field and regional levels is a vital part of the enforcement 

process, ensuring that the exacting and time-consuming civil penalty process is used to address 

those situations most in need of the deterrent effect of available penalties. 

49 CFR Part 222 contains the minimum standards for the establishment of quiet zones. While 

States may not prohibit the establishment of quiet zones, States may adopt and enforce additional 

requirements regarding the modification or installation of grade crossing warning systems. 

The GXI should take exception to any condition that does not meet FRA requirements in 49 CFR 

Part 222. However, GXI cannot take exception to a condition just because it does not comply 

with State requirements for the grade crossing. If the GXI discovers non-compliance with State 

requirements for a grade crossing, the GXI should notify the relevant State agency, as well as his 

or her GXS. The GXI’s authority extends only to the enforcement of FRA regulations. 

If the GXI discovers non-compliance with guidance and/or standards contained in the Federal 

Highway Administration’s Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), the GXI 

should notify his or her GXS and seek guidance from FRA HQ staff. If 49 CFR Part 222 

specifically states that a sign or grade crossing warning device must conform to the standards 

contained in the MUTCD, it may be appropriate to write a violation based on noncompliance 

with an MUTCD standard. However, some States have not fully adopted the MUTCD. Also, 

the GXI should ensure that he or she has identified non-compliance with an MUTCD standard, 

as opposed to MUTCD guidance. (It would not be appropriate for the GXI to write a violation 

based on non-compliance with MUTCD guidance.) Therefore, the GXI should seek guidance 
58 

from FRA HQ staff before writing any Part 222 violations based on non-compliance with a 

standard in the MUTCD. 

All defective conditions noted by the inspector must be reported on the FRA inspection report, 

using the defect codes contained within the RISPC program and as listed in the applicable 

Technical Manual section. Only these defect codes may be used. The GXI is encouraged to add 

clarifying information about specific deficiencies, especially when he/she recommends that FRA 

violations should be issued in response. However, GXIs are not permitted to make up their own 

defect codes. 

Defective Conditions Not Cited as a Violation 

When, in the judgment of the GXI, the defective conditions found: 

 Do not represent an imminent hazard to the operation of trains; 

 Do not present a danger to the railroad’s employees or the general public; 

 Do not appear to be a trend or pattern of defective conditions; and 

 Are not associated with a specific condition previously cited for correction which has not 

been performed, 

The GXI should cite the defects on an inspection report while not recommending a violation. 

Subsequently, the GXI should take such action as necessary to make sure the railroad 

corrects the defective conditions and brings its systems into compliance with the applicable 

regulations. 

Defective Conditions Cited as a Violation 

Noncompliance with the requirements in any section of 49 CFR Part 234, Subparts E and F, can 

be cited as a violation. The following are examples of situations when—depending on 

conditions found, circumstances involved, or compliance history—violations are nearly always 

warranted: 

 A GXI finds conditions that are not in compliance with the regulations, and in the 

judgment of the GXI, the conditions present an imminent hazard to movement of trains or 

the general public. 

 A condition is found during a re-inspection that was cited on a previous inspection report 

and can be clearly identified as having remained uncorrected since that previous 

inspection. 

In order to increase and maintain appropriate and uniform enforcement of the regulations across 

the discipline, the following rule sections and associated deficiencies are provided as examples 

of non-compliance that in most instances warrant citing violations: 
59 

 49 CFR § 234.303—Dispatching railroad fails to establish and maintain a toll-free 

telephone service by which the railroad can directly and promptly receive telephone calls 

from the public of reports of unsafe conditions at crossings 

 49 CFR § 234.311—Responsible railroad fails to place and maintain required number of 

ENS sign(s) at a public highway-rail grade crossing 

 49 CFR § 234.407—Primary operating railroad fails to timely submit an accurate 

Inventory Form (or electronic equivalent) to the Crossing Inventory for new crossing 

 49 CFR § 234.409—Primary operating railroad fails to timely submit up-to-date and 

accurate crossing data (periodic update) to the Crossing Inventory for highway-rail or 

pathway crossing 

Railroad Action to Correct Defective Conditions 

Some railroad personnel have the mistaken idea that when a noncompliant or defective condition 

is cited on an inspection report, the railroad has 30 days to correct that condition. It should be 

pointed out to the railroad that defects must be corrected immediately (i.e., as soon as possible 

given the particular circumstances of the condition). If the condition can be corrected by making 

adjustments or repairs during the inspection, the railroad is expected to make such adjustments or 

repairs. If the condition cannot be corrected during the inspection, the railroad is obligated to 

initiate and complete the corrective action as soon as possible after the inspection. 

The GXI should use good judgment about the railroad’s obligation and ability to promptly 

correct the defective conditions cited on an inspection report. The GXI must recognize that some 

defective conditions, such as out-of-date or missing Crossing Inventory records, may take some 

time and/or collection of material to correct. While such conditions are not likely to be corrected 

immediately, they should still be given high priority by the railroad. 

On the other hand, the GXI should not condone the actions of a carrier that fails to promptly start 

work to correct conditions that may be accomplished immediately. 

Written Reporting of Remedial Actions Taken 

When a violation is indicated as being recommended on an inspection report, the inspector must 

select whether the railroad is required to report the remedial action, in writing, within 30 days 

following the end of the calendar month of the citation. The GXI should determine whether a 

remedial action is applicable, and if so, select the box indicating that a written report of remedial 

action is required. When this is the case, the GXI must follow up to assure the remedial action is 

indeed reported, or a separate citation for the railroad’s failure to do so may be warranted (see 49 

CFR Part 209, Subpart E, specifically § 209.405). When the GXI receives the railroad’s written 

notification of remedial action, he or she must upload the necessary information into the RISPC 

program. 

 
60 

Chapter 8 – Field Reports, Procedures, and Forms 

General Requirements 

An Inspection Report Form F 6180.96 shall be completed and submitted any time a Grade 

Crossing Inspector (GXI) engages in inspection activity or trespassing site visit. This 

requirement applies to all field inspections, regardless of whether they are performed in 

connection with regular inspection activity or some special activity, such as conducting a 

trespassing site assessment. All pertinent information shall be provided on the form. 

Completion of Inspection Report Form, FRA F 6180.96 

This section describes the methods to be used in preparing the FRA Form F 6180.96 (Inspection 

Report Form) and the information that is required to be recorded on the form. 

The Form F 6180.96 is contained in the Railroad Inspection System for PC (RISPC) program 

and is designed to be used with a computer. It is designed so that data from the completed 

inspection report forms can be used for computer-aided storage, retrieval, sorting, and generation 

of reports of inspection data. 

Each GXI or GXS who performs a Crossing Inventory or ENS inspection shall complete and 

submit an FRA inspection report to the railroad when the inspection is completed. When a Form 

FRA F 6180.96 is submitted that indicates a violation has been recommended, the GXI or GXS 

is required to complete and submit a subsequent violation report. 

Note: The Inspection Report Form is designed such that each line item indicates whether a 

violation is being recommended. Therefore, it is generally inappropriate to use more than one 

inspection report form per day to indicate a combination of deficiencies and violations, or that 

two or more violations are being recommended, even in the event that different CFR parts and/or 

rule sections within a CFR part are being cited, unless it is necessary due to other information on 

the form (i.e., different railroad, State, division or subdivision, etc.). 

Note: Each GXI or GXS who performs a Quiet Zone inspection shall complete and submit an 

FRA inspection report when the inspection is complete to the designated quiet zone point of 

contact at the public authority. If the GXI or GXS discovers that SSMs or ASMs listed in the 

Notice of Quiet Zone Establishment are missing or fail to comply with the SSM requirements in 

appendix A to 49 CFR Part 222 (or the conditions of the quiet zone application approval letter), 

the GXI or GXS may include a recommendation to initiate a quiet zone review under 49 CFR § 

222.51(c) on the Inspection Report Form. 

The HRGX&TP Inspection Report shall be complete and understandable and shall be presented 

to the railroad representative or designated quiet zone point of contact at the end of the day’s 

inspection activities or within a reasonable amount of time. If two or more inspectors are 

working together, only one FRA Inspection Report Form should normally be filed and the 

accompanying inspector(s) identified in the appropriate location on the report. When the 
61 

inspection activity involves an area regularly inspected by one of the inspectors engaged in the 

activity, the report should be filed by the GXI who normally covers that area. 

The Inspection Report Form shall be completed in accordance with the instructions found within 

the RISPC program (see “Help” file). (See Technical Bulletin G-07-03, which presents the 

revised source codes for use on the inspection report form and Appendix A for the current 

HRGX&TP activity codes.) 

Note: The description block on the inspection report form is where the GXI should describe the 

defective condition being cited. Often, inserting the defect code itself will adequately provide 

that description. However, in many other instances, especially those in which a violation is 

recommended, it is highly desirable to add explanatory language about the details of the 

defective condition. When clarification is necessary, the GXI should add a concise description 

of the defective condition. For example, if recommending a violation for noncompliance with 

49 CFR § 234.311, insert the defect code and add a minimal explanation of the conditions 

observed during the inspection. 

Distribution of Inspection Reports 

With the exception of quiet zone inspections, the railroad copy of the inspection report should be 

provided to the appropriate railroad representative upon the completion of each day of inspection 

to the extent possible. The inspector should at a minimum inform the railroad representative of 

any exceptions taken, particularly those in which a violation will be issued. The GXI should 

obtain the railroad representative’s signature on each inspection report provided to the railroad—

especially any report recommending a violation—or a receipt of acknowledgment for any 

inspection report emailed to the railroad. 

For quiet zone inspections, the “railroad” copy of the inspection report should be provided to the 

designated quiet zone point of contact for the public authority upon the completion of each day 

of inspection to the extent possible. The inspector should at a minimum inform the quiet zone 

point of contact of any non-compliant conditions observed. The GXI should obtain the signature 

of the designated quiet zone point of contact on each inspection report provided to the public 

authority – or a receipt of acknowledgement for any inspection report emailed to the designated 

quiet zone point of contact. 

The report shall be uploaded to the data processing contractor according to current instructions. 

State inspectors shall be governed by guidance from their immediate supervisors regarding the 

handling of inspection reports. 

GXS Review of Inspection Reports 

The GXS shall periodically review inspection reports of each of their assigned inspectors for 

errors and/or omissions, as well as technical appropriateness and correctness. Each reviewed 

report shall be examined to see that all data fields contain the mandatory information. 
62 

The GXS shall ascertain that the rules used to cite defective conditions are correctly applied and 

that they are applicable to the area inspected. The GXS shall also confirm that the GXI has 

appropriately labeled each citation as a defect or violation. In addition, the GXS shall confirm 

that any recommendation by the GXI to initiate a quiet zone review is based on demonstrated 

non-compliance with the SSM requirements in appendix A to 49 CFR Part 222 and/or the 

conditions contained in FRA’s quiet zone application approval letter. Any question in either 

case should be discussed and resolved with the applicable inspector and/or RRS HQ. 

Should the GXS find errors, omissions, or technical issues, he or she should immediately take 

steps to send a corrected copy to the data entry contractor so that the inspection data can be 

successfully entered into the database. The GXS should advise the GXI of the errors, omissions, 

or technical issues so that similar ones will not be made on future reports. 

The GXS shall also ensure that when an GXI prepares an inspection report recommending a 

violation, the GXI provides a sufficient explanation of the condition and promptly submits the 

subsequent violation report. 

Completion of Violation Report Form 

GXIs should adhere to the following instructions when writing the narrative section of the 

F 6180.112, HRGX&TP violation report, for ENS and Crossing Inventory violations associated 

with subparts E and F of 49 CFR Part 234, unless otherwise instructed by their immediate 

supervisor or by staff at FRA Headquarters (HQ).

Box 15 Synopsis of Violation: State that on [INSERT DATE], [CARRIER (use the full 

corporate name)] was in violation of Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Section 

[SECTION NUMBER] [TITLE OF SECTION]. Do not use abbreviations such as RS&I, HGC, 

etc. The violation report is an official document that may be used in a court of law and, 

therefore, should be as precise as possible. 

Box 16 Rule Violation: Cite the entire rule of which the carrier is in violation, or if it is a very 

long rule, cite the appropriate portion of the rule. Include the section number and title as a 

heading for the rule, and ensure that the rule is quoted correctly down to every comma and 

hyphen. When only a portion of a rule is quoted, insert a row of three dots one space apart, in 

front of the quoted text and/or behind, to denote that a portion of the rule is intentionally not 

quoted. 

Box 17 Date/Location of Inspection, Speed/Class of Track, System Inspected and 

Accompanying Personnel: State the date and time of the inspection, the street/road name, city 

and state, milepost, and, if applicable, U.S. DOT Crossing Inventory number, the name of the 

railroad representative who was accompanying the inspector (along with his or her title), any 

accompanying FRA Inspector, and the type of grade crossing inspected. 

Box 18 Description of Defective Condition: List the specific appliance or location within the 

system where the defective condition was found, a full description of the condition that prompted 

the violation, and a full description of the condition that prompted the violation. 
63 

Box 19 Seriousness/Reason for Violation: State that the condition is dangerous and explain 

why; in the case of a re-inspection, justify the violation by referring to the applicable previous 

inspection report. List the date and report number of the previous inspection report, indicate that 

the carrier failed to perform the required remedial action, and state if the railroad is showing a 

pattern of non-compliance. 

Box 20 Corrective Action: State, when applicable, what action the carrier took to correct the 

defective condition and when such action was taken. 

Box 21 Inspector Recommendation: The GXI should make a recommendation for violation 

counts and the number of days for each count. 

Note: There will be occasions when an GXI files a violation report based on non-compliance 

with other parts of the CFR. Such violation reports may be revised to conform to the 

circumstances of the violation. The appropriate violation report form shall be used. The proper 

Violation Report Form will be generated by the RISPC system. When the violation report and 

all supportive documentation is complete, the GXI will forward the entire violation package to 

his or her GXS. State inspectors will be governed by the instructions from their respective States 

as to handling of the violation reports when ready for transmittal. 

Distribution of Violation Reports 

Where the GXI is recommending issuance of a violation, the completed report, along with the 

supporting documentation, shall be submitted to the Regional Administrator’s office within 30 

days, where it will be reviewed and forwarded to the Office of Chief Counsel’s Safety Law 

Division. 

When the violation report is complete and ready for transmittal, an electronic Transmittal From 

Region (TFR) form shall be generated using the FRA Violation Generation and Tracking System 

(VGTS) web page on the secure site, and a copy shall be attached to the violation report packet. 

The original and one copy of the violation report shall then be submitted to Office of Chief 

Counsel. One copy should also be filed at regional headquarters. 

State inspectors will be governed by the instructions from their respective States as to handling 

the violation reports when ready for transmittal. 

GXS Review of Violation Reports 

 

The GXS shall review each violation report for errors and/or omissions, correct technical terms 

and technical application of the regulation cited, and correct format, grammar, and spelling. The 

GXS will also ensure that the information contained in the violation report provides sufficient 

support for the violation recommendation and that it corresponds with the information in the 

inspection report upon which the violation is based. 

After the GXS has reviewed the violation report and ascertained that it is well-written and 

contains the necessary information, he or she will generate the electronic TFR form using the 
64 

FRA VGTS web page on the secure site and attach a copy to the violation report packet. The 

GXS shall then submit the original and one copy of the violation report to the Office of Chief 

Counsel. One copy should be filed at the regional headquarters. 

The GXS shall return to the GXI any violation report that is improper in regulatory application, 

deficient in content, improper in format, or incorrect in grammar or spelling. He or she shall also 

return to the GXI any violation report in which the information does not support the violation 

recommendation or does not correspond with the inspection report that contains the violation 

recommendation. 

If the GXS does not agree with the seriousness of the condition and does not support the 

violation, he or she should discuss the issue with the GXI involved. If the GXI insists on 

recommending a violation, the GXS should prepare a memorandum to the Regional 

Administrator citing his or her position and the basis upon which his or her position is supported. 

The Regional Administrator will attempt to resolve the matter and, in doing so, determine 

whether to forward the violation package to the Office of Chief Counsel. 

The Quiet Zone Checklist 

The Quiet Zone Inspection Checklist is intended to provide guidance for Grade Crossing 

Inspectors, Grade Crossing Specialists, and Grade Crossing Managers on the nature and 

frequency of Train Horn/Quiet Zone inspections. 

Part I: QUIET ZONE INFORMATION 

The information provided in Section I (Quiet Zone Information) should remain the same 

for each crossing located within the quiet zone. Use a separate inspection form for each 

crossing. 

Quiet Zone ID: 

 Enter the Case Train Horn Rule (THR) Request number as indicated in the iCMS 

database.
65 

Number of Crossings in the Quiet Zone: 

 Enter the number of physical highway-rail and pathway/pedestrian crossings in the 

quiet zone as indicated on the Crossing List in the iCMS database. 

 

Type of Quiet Zone: New Quiet Zone, New Partial Quiet Zone, Pre-Rule, Pre-Rule Partial

 Enter the Quiet Zone Type as indicated in the iCMS database. 

Quiet Zone Date of Establishment: 

 Enter the date the quiet zone was established, as indicated in the Start Date field in 

the iCMS database. 

 

Quiet Zone Point of Contact: 

 Enter the name, title, and telephone number of the person responsible for monitoring 

the quiet zone. For re-inspections, please contact the public authority to verify the 

Point of Contact’s information. If the Point of Contact has changed, notify the 

headquarters specialist responsible for updating quiet zone data and have the 

municipality update the FRA in writing. 

Railroad(s): 

 Enter the name of the primary operating railroad and any other railroad that operates 

over the grade crossing, as indicated in the iCMS database. 

Part II: LOCATIONS 

Crossing Type: Public Highway-Rail, Private Highway-Rail, Pedestrian—Refer to the 

Crossing Inventory. 

 Check the “Public Highway-Rail” box if:

 The crossing is located where a public highway, road, or street crosses one or more 

railroad tracks either at grade or grade-separated. 
66 

 Check the “Private Highway-Rail” box if: 

 The crossing is a location where a private roadway crosses one or more railroad 

tracks either at grade or grade-separated. 

 Check the “Pedestrian” box if: 

 The crossing is a separate designed sidewalk or pathway where pedestrians, but not 

vehicles, cross both public and private railroad tracks. Note: Sidewalk crossings 

contiguous with, or separate but adjacent to, public highway-rail grade crossings are 

presumed to be part of the public highway-rail grade crossing and are not considered 

pedestrian grade crossings. 

DOT Crossing Inventory No.: 

 Enter the valid U.S. DOT National Highway-Rail Crossing Inventory Number (6 digits 

followed by an alpha character). 

Street/Road Name: 

 Enter the street or road name. If the roadway is private and it has a name, enter the name 

of the road. If such information is unknown, enter “private.”

City/State: 

 Enter the City or County where the crossing is located. 

 Enter the two-character U.S. Postal Service abbreviation for the State where the crossing 

is located. 

 If parts of the crossing lie in two or more cities, towns, or villages, identify the city or 

municipality listed in the Crossing Inventory. 

Railroad Milepost: 

 Enter the railroad milepost number as shown in the Crossing Inventory. If the railroad 

milepost number as indicated in the Inventory is inaccurate, contact the HQ specialist 

responsible for Inventory updates. 
67 

Part III: SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS 

Supplementary Safety Measure (SSM) 

 If the crossing has a Supplementary Safety Measure (SSM), check the appropriate type. 

If the crossing is not equipped with a SSM, check “None.” 

Four-Quadrant Gate System 

 Installed gates at a crossing sufficient to fully block highway traffic from entering the 

crossing when the gates are lowered, including at least one gate for each direction of 

traffic on each highway approach. The gap between the ends of the entrance and exit 

gates (on the same side of the railroad tracks) when both are in the fully lowered, or 

down, position must be less than two feet if no median is present. If the highway 

approach is equipped with a median or a channelization device between the approach 

and exit lanes, the lowered gates must reach to within one foot of the median or 

channelization device, measured horizontally across the road from the end of the 

lowered gate to the median or channelization device or to a point over the edge of the 

median or channelization device. The gate and the median top or channelization 

device do not have to be the same elevation. 

Gates with Medians or Channelization Devices 

 Installed medians or channelization devices on both highway approaches to a public 

highway-rail grade crossing. 

One-Way Street with Gates 

 Gate(s) must be installed such that all approaching highway lanes to the public 

highway-rail grade crossing are completely blocked. 
68 

 Gate arms on the approach side of the crossing should extend across the road to 

within one foot of the far edge of the pavement. If a gate is used on each side of the 

road, the gap between the ends of the gates when both are in the lowered, or down, 

position must be no more than two feet. If only one gate is used, the edge of the road 

opposite the gate mechanism must be configured with a non-traversable curb 

extending at least 100 feet. 

Permanent Closure 

 Permanently close the crossing to highway traffic. The closure system must 

completely block highway traffic from entering the grade crossing. 

Temporary Closure 

 The closure system must completely block highway traffic on all approach lanes to 

the crossing. 

 The closure system must completely block adjacent pedestrian crossings. 

 The system must be tamper and vandal resistant. 

 The closure system must be equipped with a monitoring device that contains an 

indicator visible to the train crew prior to entering the crossing. The indicator must 

illuminate whenever the closure device is deployed. 

Alternative Safety Measures:

 If the crossing has an Alternative Safety Measure (ASM) which requires FRA’s approval, 

check the appropriate ASM type and provide a description. If Engineering ASMs or 

Non-Engineering ASMs are implemented, please ensure the recordkeeping is compliant. 

If the crossing is not equipped with an ASM, check “None.” 

Engineering ASMs 

 Engineering improvements, other than modified SSMs, may be used in the creation of 

a quiet zone. These engineering improvements, which will be treated as ASMs, may 

include improvements that address underlying geometric conditions, including sight 

distance, that are the source of increased risk at the crossing.

Modified Supplementary Safety Measures 

 SSMs that are not fully compliant with the requirements are treated as ASMs. Some 

examples of modified SSMs include: 

 
69 

o Short medians or channelization devices (less than 100 feet in length, if there is 

no intersection within 100 feet of the gate arm—or less than 60 feet in length, if 

there is an intersection within 100 feet of the gate arm). 

o Three-quadrant gates (entrance gates for both highway approaches, but only one 

exit gate). 

o Medians or channelization devices with driveways to active and commercial 

facilities or intersections within 60 feet of the gate arm.

Non-Engineering ASMs 

 For non-engineering ASMs, a statistically valid baseline violation rate must be 

established through automated or systematic manual monitoring or sampling at the 

subject crossing(s). Also, a law enforcement effort must be defined, established, and 

continued, along with continual or regular monitoring. The public authority must 

retain records pertaining to monitoring and sampling efforts at the grade crossing for 

a period of not less than five years. 

o Photo Enforcement: This ASM entails automated means of gathering valid 

photographic or video evidence of traffic law violations at a public highway-rail 

grade crossing together with follow-through by law enforcement. 

o Programmed Enforcement: This ASM requires the community and law 

enforcement officials to commit to a systematic and measurable crossing 

monitoring and traffic law enforcement program at the public highway-rail grade 

crossing, alone or in combination with the Public Education and Awareness ASM. 

o Public Education and Awareness: This ASM requires the community to conduct, 

alone or in combination with programmed law enforcement, a program of public 

education and awareness directed at motor vehicle drivers, pedestrians, and 

residents near the railroad to emphasize the risks associated with public highwayrail grade crossings and applicable requirements of State and local traffic laws at 

those crossings. 

Power-Out Indicator: Yes or No? 

 Check the “Yes” box if there is a power-out indicator. 

 Check the “No” box if there is not a power-out indicator. 

 
70 

 A power-out indicator is a device capable of indicating to train crews approaching a 

grade crossing equipped with an active warning system whether commercial electric 

power is activating the warning system at the crossing, which includes remote health 

monitoring of grade crossing warning systems if such monitoring systems are 

equipped to indicate power status.

Wayside Horn Installed: Yes or No? 

 Check the “Yes” box if the crossing is equipped with a wayside horn. 

 Check the “No” box if the crossing is not equipped with a wayside horn. 

 

 A wayside horn is a stationary horn designed to provide audible warning to oncoming 

motorists and pedestrians upon the approach of a locomotive or train. 

Part IV: MEDIANS/CHANNELIZATION DEVICES 

This section should be completed for all highway-rail grade crossings. 
71 

Type of Median or Channelization Device: If the crossing has a median or channelization 

device, check the type and complete the appropriate section. If the crossing does not have a 

median or channelization device, check “None” and proceed to Part V. 

Channelization Devices 

 Check “Yes” if there are any missing vertical panels or tubular delineators. 

 Check “No” if there are no missing vertical panels or tubular delineators. 

 Channelization devices are a traffic separation system made up of a raised

longitudinal channelizer, with vertical panels or tubular delineators, that are placed 

between opposing highway lanes designed to alert or guide traffic around an obstacle 

or to direct traffic in a particular direction. 

Non-traversable Curbs 

 Check “Yes” if the curbs are 6 inches in height or higher. 

 Check “No” if the curbs are less than 6 inches in height and explain why. 

 Check “Yes” if the highway speed is 40 mph or lower. 

 Check “No” if the highway speed is over 40 mph and explain why. 

 Non-traversable curbs are highway curbs designed to discourage a motor vehicle 

from leaving the roadway. Non-traversable curbs are at least 6 inches high and are 

used at locations where highway speeds do not exceed 40 miles per hour. A waiver 

must be in effect if the highway speed exceeds 40 miles per hour.

Gap between lowered gate and curb one foot or less: Yes or No? 

 Check “Yes” if the gap between the lowered gate and the curb is one foot or less. 

 Check “No” if the gap between the lowered gate and the curb is more than one foot. 

Length of Median(s)/Channelization Devices: 

 Enter the length of each median or channelization device measured from the gate tip to 

the tapering of the median or the end of the channelization device. 

 Medians or channelization devices must extend at least 100 feet from the gate 

arm. If there is an intersection within 100 feet of the gate, the median or 

channelization device must extend at least 60 feet from the gate arm. 
72 

Commercial or Industrial Driveway or Highway Intersections Within 60 Feet of the Gate 

Arm: Yes or No? 

 Check “Yes” if there is a driveway or intersection within 60 feet of the gate arm. Enter 

the distance from the gate arm for each quadrant. 

 Check “No” if there are no driveways or intersections within 60 feet of the gate arm. 

 Intersections of two or more streets—or a street and an alley—that are within 60 feet 

of the gate arm must be closed or relocated. Driveways for private, residential 

properties (up to four units) within 60 feet of the gate arm are not considered to be 

intersections under Part 222 and need not be closed. Driveways accessing 

commercial and industrial properties are considered to be intersections and are not 

allowed within 60 feet of the gate arm. If there is a commercial or industrial 

driveway within 60 feet of the gate arm, there should be an approved Public 

Authority Application to FRA on file in the iCMS database.

Part V: ROADWAY 

 Check “Yes” or “No” if the specified signs and signals are present during the inspection. 

Record all issues and/or obstructions. 

 Note: Advance Warning Signs may not be required per the Manual on Uniform 

Traffic Control Device (MUTCD). 
73 

Part VI: PATHWAY/PEDESTRIAN CROSSING 

 Check “Yes” or “No” if the specified signs and signals are present during the inspection. 

Record all issues and/or obstructions. 

 Check “Yes” if the improvements recommended by the diagnostic team have been 

installed, and list the improvements. 

 The improvements recommended by the diagnostic team are listed in the Notice of 

Establishment. 

Part VII: PRIVATE CROSSING

 Check “Yes” or “No” if the specified signs and signals are present during the inspection. 

Record all issues and/or obstructions. 

 Check “Yes” if the improvements recommended by the diagnostic team have been 

installed, and list the improvements. 
74 

 The improvements recommended by the diagnostic team are listed in the Notice of 

Establishment. 

Part VIII: NOTES 

 Record your recommendations of needed safety improvements and other corrective 

actions. 

National Safety Program Plan Status Reports 

A National Safety Program Plan is developed by both the HRGX&TP Staff Director for national 

or multiregional scope, and by each respective region as it deems necessary. Each project 

identified is expected to be accompanied by a status report at the end of each quarter, and a final 

report is due at the end of the fiscal year. Where applicable, each region is to forward to the 

HRGX&TP Staff Director the information he or she requires to complete the status reports for 

the HQ projects that involved the region’s efforts. 

Other Special Project Reports 

Any time a special project, assessment, team, or focused effort is conducted, the expectation is 

that a resulting report will be prepared regarding the issues identified, actions taken, findings, 

and the results or outcome. This report may be regional, multiregional, or national in scope. The 

report should be provided to the originator of the project, but at least one copy should be 

provided to the appropriate HRGX&TP HQ staff. 

 
75 

APPENDIX A: Inspection Details for Compliance with 49 

CFR Part 234, Subpart F, Inventory 

Federal Railroad Administration 

Inspection Details for Compliance with 49 CFR 

Part 234, Subpart F, Inventory 
76 

Section 1 – Location for Inspecting Inventory Records 

To review the most recently updated records, Inspectors should examine the railroad’s 

Inventory Forms (either an electronic copy or hard copy) for compliance instead of the Inventory 

Forms online. The railroad must update each crossing record at least once every 3 years. This 3-

year period is measured from the postmark date on any hard-copy submission or the email date if 

the railroad emails a scanned PDF of the Inventory Form to FRA. It can take several weeks for 

FRA’s contractor to input the updates into the system and have them available on the public 

website. Even for those railroads using the Grade Crossing Inventory System (GCIS) to submit 

updates, the online updates may not always happen immediately and could take a few weeks to 

show up on the public Inventory website. 

Taking the potential for a delay into account, an online review of the Inventory records may 

provide an incomplete picture to the Inspector. Although the actual Inventory Form may have 

been updated by the railroad, it might not yet be available online. For instance, the most recent 

update online may indicate that the railroad has exceeded the 3-year periodic update requirement, 

but in fact, the railroad may have already have submitted updated information to FRA. A review 

of the railroad’s records would indicate that the railroad is in compliance with the 3-year periodic 

update requirement even though the Inventory records online do not reflect the updated 

information. 

In accordance with 49 CFR § 234.413 and 49 CFR § 234.415, railroads must keep either hard 

copy or electronic records of the Inventory forms. Hard copy records dating back at least four 

(4) years from the date of submission to the Inventory or June 2016 (whichever is later) must be 

made available to FRA for inspection. If a railroad keeps electronic records, then it must have 

the ability to print out hard copy records for FRA inspection upon request. 

If physical attributes of the crossing need to be verified, they must be verified in the field with a 

site visit. Although there are websites like Google Street View that may show images of the 

crossing, the images could be out of date or not clear enough to capture all the details (such as 

the Emergency Notification System (ENS) phone number). 

Section 2 – Railroad Data Versus State Data 

The following parts of this Guidance go through each section of the Inventory Form and describe 

what the Inspector should focus on, including discussions of the data fields that must be updated 

by railroads and the data fields that are voluntarily updated by States. 

It is important for Inspectors not to take enforcement action against a railroad for 

incorrect or missing data that are the States’ responsibility. 

The Guide for Preparing U.S. DOT Crossing Inventory Forms (Guide) is available online at 

https://www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/Details/L16201. It provides instructions for each field of the 

Inventory Form and describes how the information should be reported. In Appendix B of the 

Guide, there is a table that shows which fields of the Inventory Form should be voluntarily 

updated by the States, and which fields must be updated by the railroads. 
77 

For public grade crossings, railroads are required to update Part II of the Inventory Form. (As 

detailed in Appendix B of the Guide, railroads are also required to update certain fields in Part I 

of the Inventory Form.) 

For public grade crossings, Parts III, IV, and V of the Inventory Form are generally updated on a 

voluntary basis by the States. In addition, the States voluntarily update some of the data fields in 

Part I of the Inventory Form, including the latitude and longitude fields. 

For private grade crossings, railroads are required to update Parts I and II of the Inventory Form 

(including the latitude and longitude fields), as well as Part III, Box 2.K of the Inventory Form. 

Parts III, IV, and V are not required to be updated for private crossings. 

As discussed in subsequent parts, the Inspector should generally focus on verifying the fields in 

Parts I and II of the Inventory Form that railroads are required to update. If the Inspector does 

review the State fields for public crossings and finds information to be incorrect, the Inspector 

should not take action against the railroad for these errors. The Inspector should contact the 

State Crossing Inventory Point of Contact using the contact information on FRA’s website: 

https://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P1027. The Inspector should notify the State of the information 

that was found to be missing or incorrect, and he or she should suggest that the State make any 

necessary revisions. 

Section 3 – Inspecting Update Frequency 

Inspectors should determine if the Primary Operating Railroad has reported new crossings and 

updated existing crossings within the timeframe specified in the regulations. 

3.1 New Crossings 

According to 49 CFR § 234.407, the Primary Operating Railroad must report new crossings to 

the Inventory within 6 months of the crossing becoming operational. Inspectors should note that 

according to the definitions under 49 CFR § 234.401, a Temporary Crossing is one that is 

operational for fewer than 6 months and should not be reported to the Inventory. 

While it may be hard to determine the exact date a crossing became operational, the Inspector 

should note if the “Reason for Update” in Box C of the header of the Inventory Form is “New 

Crossing” (Figure 1). 

 
78 

Figure 1: Example of an Inventory Form indicating a new crossing 

If the Inventory Form for the crossing being inspected does indicate “New Crossing” in Box C of 

the header, the Inspector may consult with the roadway agency to determine the opening date of 

the crossing, and if the date was within 6 months of the date the crossing was reported to the 

Inventory, as shown in Box A of the header. 

New crossings that have not yet been reported to the Inventory are discussed in Section 7. 

3.2 Updates to Existing Crossings 

According to 49 CFR § 234.409, Primary Operating Railroads must submit updated 

Inventory Forms at least once every 3 years from the date of the last Inventory update submitted 

by the Primary Operating Railroad. 

Box A of the header of the Inventory Form indicates the most recent update. However, the 

Inspector should also note the agency in Box B of the header. The most recent update could 

have been provided by the State, Transit Agency, or Other (which could include FRA). To 

determine when the Primary Operating Railroad last updated the Inventory Form, the Inspector 

can review the railroad’s records to see the date of the last railroad update. In addition, the 

Inspector can review a crossing’s Inventory History on the Safety Data website (Figure 2) at: 

https://safetydata.fra.dot.gov/OfficeofSafety/PublicSite/Crossing/Crossing.aspx. 

 
79 

Figure 2: View of Safety Data website showing how to review a crossing’s Inventory History 

The history will show all the updates to a crossing record, along with the date of the update and 

the agency that provided the update. 

According to 49 CFR § 234.411, certain changes to the crossing require more frequent updates 

than the 3-year updates. For example: 

 If a crossing is sold, the Primary Operating Railroad must update the Inventory within 

3 months of the sale (49 CFR § 234.411(a)). 

 If a crossing is closed, the Primary Operating Railroad must report the closure within 

3 months from the date it is closed (49 CFR § 234.411(b)). 

 For public highway-rail grade crossings, if there are changes in the crossing 

characteristics, the Primary Operating Railroad must report the changes within 3 months 

of the date of the change (49 CFR § 234.411(c)). Under this CFR section, the regulations 

define a change in crossing characteristics to mean a change in the crossing surface or a 

change in warning device. “Change in warning device” means the addition or removal of 

a crossbuck, yield or stop sign, flashing lights, or gates. 
80 

The Inspector should note that the information reflected in the online Inventory may not reflect 

the current conditions at the crossing because of the potential processing delays noted above. 

For instance, the train counts in Part II of the Inventory Form would reflect the train counts on 

the date of the most recent update by the Primary Operating Railroad. These train counts could 

vary considerably from the date of the inspection, especially if the inspection is conducted 

almost 3 years from the last update. 

3.3 Closed and Grade-Separated Crossings 

According to the regulations, grade-separated crossings and closed crossings do not need to be 

updated by the Primary Operating Railroad. 

A crossing is reported “closed” in the Inventory by a railroad selecting “Closed” in Box C 

(Reason for Update) of the header. The Inspector should be aware that a railroad or State may 

update the crossing even after the crossing is closed. Therefore, the most recent update may 

have a different Reason for Update selected in Box C of the header. The Inspector should 

always review the entire history of the Inventory record to determine if the crossing was closed 

in a previous update. If a previous update closed the crossing but a more recent update made 

other changes, no enforcement action should be taken against the railroad because the railroad is 

not required to update a closed crossing. 

Grade-separated crossings are reported in Part I, Box 19 as either “RR Under” or “RR Over.” 

Similar to closed crossings, grade-separated crossings do not need to be updated by the railroad, 

and no enforcement action should be taken against the railroad if there has not been an update 

within the last 3 years. 

Section 4 – Inspecting Railroad Data in Part I 

Although all fields in Part I of the Inventory Form may be analyzed for accuracy, several key 

boxes in Part I should be focused on by the Inspector. See Figure 3, below. 

 
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Figure 3: Part I data fields to be inspected 

Box 1 indicates the “Primary Operating Railroad” for the crossing. The Primary Operating 

Railroad is important for the Inspector to verify because it is the entity responsible for submitting 

and updating the Inventory Form. The definition of a Primary Operating Railroad can be found 

under 49 CFR § 234.401: 

Primary operating railroad means the operating railroad that either owns or 

maintains the track through the highway-rail or pathway crossing, unless the crossing 

is located within a private company, port, or dock area. If more than one operating 

railroad either owns or maintains the track through the highway-rail or pathway 

crossing, or if no operating railroad owns or maintains the track through the 

highway-rail or pathway crossing, then the operating railroad that operates the highest 

number of trains through the crossing is the primary operating railroad. In the event 

that there is only one operating railroad that operates one or more trains through a 

highway-rail or pathway crossing, that operating railroad is the primary operating 

railroad. For highway-rail and pathway crossings that are located within a private 

company, port, or dock area (“private area”), each railroad that owns track leading to 

the private company, port, or dock area will be considered a primary operating 

railroad for all crossings within the private area if a general system railroad operates 

over the railroad’s track leading to the private area and through at least one crossing 

within that area. 
82 

For this definition, each sentence is explained using hypothetical examples to determine the 

Primary Operating Railroad: 

 If a railroad owns the track(s) through the crossing and it operates through the crossing, 

regardless of how many other railroads operate through the crossing, then it is the 

Primary Operating Railroad (Figure 4). 

Figure 4: Example of a railroad owning and operating on tracks at a crossing 

In this example, Union Pacific is the Primary Operating Railroad if it owns the tracks 

through the crossing and operates over it, even if other railroads operate over the 

crossing. 

 If multiple operating railroads own the track(s) through the crossing, then the operating 

railroad that operates the most trains through the crossing is the Primary Operating 

Railroad (Figure 5). 

 
83 

Figure 5: Example of multiple railroads operating on separate tracks at a crossing 

In this example, CSX is the Primary Operating Railroad because it has more trains per 

day operating through the crossing than Norfolk Southern (NS). 

 Outside of a private company, port, or dock area, if no operating railroad owns the tracks 

through the crossing (for instance, the crossing is owned by the State or a private 

company), and one or more railroads operate through the crossing, then the railroad that 

operates the most trains through the crossing is the Primary Operating Railroad. Note: in 

this situation, the Primary Operating Railroad responsible for the Inventory does not 

actually own the tracks through the crossing (Figure 6). 

Figure 6: Example of a crossing where no operating railroad owns the tracks 
84 

In this example, Amtrak is the Primary Operating Railroad because it operates more 

trains per day through the crossing than NS. Amtrak does not own the tracks, but it is 

still the Primary Operating Railroad for this crossing. 

 Outside of a private company, port, or dock area, if only one railroad operates over a 

crossing, regardless of who owns the tracks, then that railroad is the Primary Operating 

Railroad (Figure 7). 

Figure 7: Example where only one railroad operates over a crossing 

In this example, Kansas City Southern Railway is the Primary Operating Railroad even 

though it does not own the tracks and only operates one train per week at the crossing. 

 For private company, port, or dock areas, any railroad that owns track leading to the 

private area is considered a Primary Operating Railroad for the crossings in the private 

area, if at least one general system railroad operates on the railroad’s track leading to the 

private area and operates through at least one grade crossing within the private area. 

If the Primary Operating Railroad changes, the existing Primary Operating Railroad must update 

the Inventory Form and change Part I, Box 1 to the new Primary Operating Railroad. 

Box 17 should be verified by the Inspector. This field indicates whether the crossing is a public 

or a private crossing. The State can change this data field if it is a public crossing, and the 

railroad can change this data field if it is a private crossing. This field is important to verify, 

because if a crossing is incorrectly classified as “Private,” then most of the fields in Parts III, IV, 

and V of the Inventory Form cannot be filled in by the State, even though they are critical for 

States when determining priority or hazard rankings for improvement funds. Also, the Inspector 

should verify that if the crossing is selected as “Public,” then the crossing meets the definition of 

a public crossing. The roadway must be owned and maintained by a public agency, and all 

approaches must be open to public travel. For instance, a crossing on a military base may be 
85 

owned by a public agency (U.S. Department of Defense), but if access is limited by a security 

gate, then it would be reported as a private crossing in the Inventory. 

Box 18 indicates whether the crossing is a highway-rail or pedestrian crossing. Similar to 

Box 19, this field can make the difference in whether a crossing receives priority in some States’ 

ranking formulas for improvements. There have been instances in which a vehicle-train collision 

occurred at a crossing, and a review of the Inventory Form revealed that the crossing was 

mistakenly reported as a pedestrian crossing. 

Box 19 indicates whether the crossing is at-grade or grade-separated. This distinction is 

important to verify because only at-grade crossings are ranked by States for improvement 

through programs like Section 130. Similar to Box 18, even though only at-grade crossings will 

be inspected as part of this Guidance, there have been instances in which a collision has occurred 

at a crossing, and a review of the Inventory Form revealed that the crossing was mistakenly 

reported as grade-separated. 

Box 21 indicates the types of trains that use the crossing. Many States use ranking formulas that 

consider the type of trains using a crossing because passenger, commuter, and transit trains have 

more risk exposure due to the presence of passengers on board. The Inspector can check Amtrak 

route maps or local commuter or transit agency maps to determine if trains other than freight 

trains use the crossing. 

Box 22 shows how many passenger trains use the crossing on average per day. If passenger 

trains are selected in Box 21, the Inspector should ensure that a number has been entered in 

Box 22. Also, if Box 21 only indicates freight trains, then Box 22 should be left blank or a zero 

(0) should be entered. The approximate number of passenger trains can be verified by looking at 

the Amtrak schedule and/or the transit agency schedule of commuter trains. 

Boxes 27 and 28 indicate the geographic location of the crossing with latitude and longitude 

coordinates. For public crossings, the State voluntarily provides the updates for this field. If the 

data is incorrect or missing for public crossings, the Inspector should not take enforcement action 

against the railroad, although the Inspector should notify the State Crossing Inventory 

representative of the error. In general, for public crossings, the Inspector should verify that this 

field is not blank. If the Inspector is at the site in the field, the Inspector may verify the latitude 

and longitude coordinates by using a GPS device (such as a mobile phone app) at the physical 

crossing location. 

For private crossings, the Inspector may verify the latitude and longitude coordinates in one of 

two ways: 

 The Inspector may use mapping software or websites such as Google Maps. 

 If it is possible to lawfully and safely access the site, the Inspector may use a GPS device 

at the physical crossing location in the field. 
86 

The latitude and longitude should be reported in decimal format and should be reported to at 

least 5 decimal digits to a maximum of 7 decimal digits. Five decimal digits is accurate to 

between 4 and 5 feet. 

Box 33 shows the phone number posted on the ENS sign at the crossing. If the Inspector is 

verifying information in the field, the Inspector should make sure that the ENS phone number in 

Part I, Box 33 matches the number posted on the sign in the field. The FRA Crossing Locator 

App and other sources pull Inventory information for the ENS phone number, and phone calls 

have been made to the ENS based on the Locator App and Inventory Form. An incorrect phone 

number could result in delayed or failed reporting of an emergency or malfunctioning grade 

crossing warning device. 

Section 5 – Inspecting Railroad Data in Part II 

Figure 8 highlights fields in Part II that should be inspected. 

Figure 8: Part II data fields to be inspected 

Box 1 shows the train traffic at the crossing. This information is critical to hazard ranking 

formulas and accident prediction models. 

The information for train counts reported on the Inventory Form can be checked against a 

railroad’s dispatching records. According to 49 CFR § 228.17, each carrier must keep (for each 

dispatching district) a record of train movements made under the control of a dispatcher. These 

records must be retained for up to 2 years, and must be provided to FRA upon request. Prior to 

the review, the Inspector should request this information from the railroad. If the last update to 

the Inventory was less than 2 years ago, the Inspector should request the dispatching records 

from the date of the most recent update. If the last update was more than 2 years ago, then the 

Inspector should request the oldest applicable dispatching records available (which will likely be 

2 years old). 

One potential source of confusion can happen when railroads double-count the trains in 

Boxes 1.A through 1.D and submit that data. The “Total Day Thru Trains” and “Total Night 

Thru Trains” in Boxes 1.A and 1.B, respectively, should not include the “Total Switching 

Trains” in Box 1.C or the “Total Transit Trains” in Box 1.D. 
87 

For instance, if there are 10 total Day Thru trains and 4 total Switching trains at night, then 

Boxes 1.A through 1.E should be reported as shown in Figure 9. 

Figure 9: Example of reporting train counts 

If there are no Thru trains and no Switching trains, but there are 36 daytime transit trains and 

36 nighttime transit trains, then Boxes 1.A through 1.E should be reported as shown in Figure 10. 

Figure 10: Example of reporting train counts with only transit trains 

Some railroads mistakenly take the number of transit trains listed in Box 1.D and also list them 

in the Thru train counts in Boxes 1.A and 1.B. (This error may also occur with the count of 

Switching Trains in Box 1.C). However, the instructions in the Guide indicate that transit trains 

should not be included in the counts of Thru train and Switching train movements or 

double-counted. The total number of trains for the entire day should equal the sum of Boxes 1.A 

through 1.D. 

Here’s a real-world example: A railroad with 36 daytime transit trains and 36 nighttime transit 

trains (in the example above) originally reported 72 trains in Box 1.D, but also reported 36 trains 

each in Boxes 1.A and Boxes 1.B. The likelihood of the transit train count equaling the through 

train counts of non-transit trains is very low and would be a flag to examine that information 

more closely. The railroad was informed of this error and revised the data to match the example 

above. 

Also, the Inspector should refer to the Guide for an explanation of Thru trains and rapid transit 

operations in an urban area (transit trains). Thru trains include passenger trains and commuter 

rail trains that are regulated by FRA. Transit trains carry passengers from station to station 

within an urban area and are not regulated by FRA unless they have a connection to the general 

railroad system of transportation. 

If there is less than one train per day at the crossing, then Box 1.E should be checked with an 

estimated count of the average trains per week. Box 1.E should only be checked and the weekly 

train count only filled in if Boxes 1.A through 1.D are 0 or blank. Figure 11 shows an incorrect

way to enter the information. 

 
88 

Figure 11: Example of an incorrect method to enter train count data 

When inspecting train counts, the Inspector should take into consideration that the 

Inventory Form reflects an estimated number of trains, on average, that use the crossing per day. 

The train count data in the Inventory may not match the actual conditions at the crossing because 

of the following reasons: 

 The most recent Inventory update could have been up to 3 years ago and the train counts 

have increased or decreased since the last update. 

 The railroad could have seasonal traffic. For instance, a railroad that operates a tourist 

train in the summer could have little to no train operations in the winter. 

 Also, a train line that hauls mostly agricultural products may have increased operations 

during a harvest season compared to other times of the year. 

If there is a large difference in the total train counts between what is shown on the Inventory 

Form and the dispatching records, then the railroad may be able to provide insight as to why 

there is a difference. The Inspector will have to use judgement to determine if the train counts 

shown on the Inventory Form represent what the likely train counts were at the time of the 

update. 

Box 3 shows the speed of the trains at the crossing, which is critical for some States’ ranking 

formulas. The information for 3.A (maximum speed) can be verified by obtaining the timetables 

from the railroads. However, the maximum speed may be less than the maximum timetable 

speed if there are speed restrictions in place. The typical speed range in 3.B may not be easy to 

verify. If the value is reasonable, an Inspector’s best judgement should be used to determine if 

further in-depth investigation of the dispatching records is warranted. 

Box 4 shows the number of tracks at a crossing. This number can be verified by visiting the site 

in the field. 

Section 6 – Inspecting Data in Parts III, IV, and V 

For Private Crossings, with the exception of Part III, Box 2.K, railroads are not required to 

provide data in Parts III, IV, and V of the Inventory Form. (Railroads need to update Part III, 

Box 2.K to indicate whether private crossing signs have been installed at the crossing.) 

 
89 

Parts III, IV, and V of the Inventory Form are voluntarily updated by the States for public 

highway-rail grade crossings. In general, the Inspector should not spend much time verifying the 

roadway information in Parts III, IV, and V, because this information is voluntarily provided by 

the States. However, a brief discussion of these parts of the Inventory and the specific data fields 

that an Inspector could check for public highway-rail grade crossings are included below. 

Part III is used by the States to report the type of warning devices installed at the crossing, such 

as signs, lights, and gates. Part III also is used to report pavement markings and any signal 

interconnection/preemption with nearby intersections. The Inspector should check to make sure 

these fields are filled in to indicate the type of warning device. Also, if the Inspector is in the 

field, the Inspector may check to see if the data on the Inventory Form matches the conditions at 

the site. 

Part IV is used by the States to report the physical characteristics of the roadway. The physical 

characteristics of the roadway include information on whether the roadway is paved, how many 

traffic lanes are present, the type of crossing surface, the angle of the crossing, and other 

information. Similar to Part III, the Inspector should check to make sure these fields are not 

blank. If the Inspector is in the field at the crossing, the Inspector may check to see if the fields 

match the conditions at the site. 

Part V is used by the States to report the type of roadway and the roadway traffic. Of the fields 

in Part V, Box 7 is the most important for States’ ranking formulas. It provides the annual 

average daily traffic (AADT) data on how many vehicles use the crossing each day on average. 

At a minimum, the Inspector should check to make sure this box has a value listed and is not 

blank. For roads on the State highway systems, the Inspector should reference the State’s 

Department of Transportation (DOT) website for traffic volume maps because most States 

publish this information on their websites. 

For example, in Kirkwood, Missouri, crossing number 664305G is a BNSF double-track 

mainline at-grade crossing with Kirkwood Road. Kirkwood Road is also U.S. Highway 61 and 

is therefore maintained by the State. To obtain the traffic volume map, the Inspector can perform 

a Google search of “Missouri DOT AADT Map.” The first website from that search brings up 

the website for the State’s traffic volume maps. From this website, the Inspector can zoom into 

the vicinity of the crossing, as shown in Figure 12. 

 
90 

Figure 12: Example of AADT map 

The crossing is located between the AADT counts of 22,725 vehicles per day to the north, and 

23,155 vehicles per day to the south. The Inspector should compare the Inventory Form to 

determine if the reported AADT is close to these values. Figure 13 shows the Inventory Form 

for this crossing. 

Figure 13: Part V of the Inventory Form with AADT example 

The State has reported an AADT of 22,252. This volume is very close to the two nearest AADT 

counts. However, the year of the AADT was reported by the State as 2004. Although it may be 

the most recent data that the State has available, if the Inventory has values more than 10 years 

old, the Inspector should ask the State Crossing Inventory representative if more recent AADT 

data is available. 

Most at-grade crossings are on lower-volume roadways that are maintained by local agencies. 

For these roads that are not on the State system, it may be possible to find the AADT volumes 

through the websites of metropolitan planning organizations, county traffic departments, or 

municipal traffic departments. The Inspector should perform a web search to determine if these 

traffic volumes are available. However, most roadways not on the State system will not have 
91 

AADT volumes publicly available. If the volumes aren’t publicly available, the Inspector should 

verify that Part V, Box 7 has a value and is not blank. 

If any data is missing or incorrect in Parts III, IV, and V, for public highway-rail grade crossings, 

the Inspector should not take enforcement action against the railroads. The Inspector should 

notify the State Crossing Inventory representative. 

Section 7 – Other Inspection Items to Consider 

Identifying New Crossings, Crossings with Changes in Characteristics, and Closed Crossings 

Although the inspection program will focus on existing crossings, there is no way to identify in 

the Inventory a crossing that is open but not yet reported. As described in Section 3, new 

crossings must be reported within 6 months of the date the crossing becomes operational. An 

inspector could ask the State DOT for any new crossings that have been recently constructed, 

and then follow up with the railroads to see if they have reported them to the Inventory within 

6 months. 

Similarly, an inspector could ask the State DOT for a list of projects from their 

Section 130 Program to identify where changes in warning devices, changes in crossing surfaces, 

or closures have been constructed. As identified in Section 3, if these changes have been made 

at a public highway-rail grade crossing, they must be reported to the Inventory within 3 months. 

The inspector can take the list of projects and check if the railroad has made the updates to the 

crossing within 3 months. 

Other Railroads Operating at the Crossing Besides the Primary Operating Railroad (and How 

the Train Counts are Reported) 

Part I, Box 7 

According to 49 CFR § 234.409, if there are other operating railroads that operate trains on 

separate tracks through the crossing, they must update Part II, Boxes 1 through 3 at least once 

every 3 years. These crossings can be identified by seeing if Part I, Box 7 is checked “yes.” 

Any other railroads operating on separate tracks through the crossing should be listed in that 

box. If there are other railroads operating on separate tracks through the crossing, the Inspector 

should also inspect the other railroads’ Inventory records to determine if they submitted the 

required information for Part II, Boxes 1 through 3 within the last 3 years. 

Part I, Box 8 

On the other hand, the Inspector should note that if Part I, Box 8 is checked “yes” to indicate that 

other operating railroads operate through the crossing over the tracks the Primary Operating 

Railroad owns, then the other operating railroads are not responsible for submitting the 

information to the Inventory. The Primary Operating Railroad is responsible for reporting all the 

train traffic values for other operating railroads operating through the crossing over the 

Primary Operating Railroad’s tracks. 
92 

Parent-Subsidiary Reporting 

The Inspector may run into situations where the Primary Operating Railroad does not have the 

records because another railroad is reporting on behalf of it. 

According to 49 CFR § 234.403(e), a parent company may report on behalf of one or more of its 

subsidiary railroads. The parent and subsidiary railroads do not need to operate as a seamless 

network; they can operate as unconnected networks and still meet this requirement. 

In order to take advantage of this provision, the parent railroad company must provide a written 

request to the FRA Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety. FRA has developed letter 

templates for railroads to use for this written request. The railroad may fill in the parent and 

subsidiary names along with some other basic information. If a railroad is interested in obtaining 

a copy of FRA’s letter template, it should contact FRA’s Crossing and Trespass Prevention 

Team (RRS-23) and request it. 

If a parent company is reporting on behalf of one or more of its subsidiaries, the parent company 

must submit all their Inventory records electronically through the GCIS. It may not submit 

records via hard copy even if its subsidiaries are Class II or Class III railroads. 

In addition, if a parent company is submitting Inventory records on behalf of one or more of its 

subsidiary railroads, the parent company must submit all the subsidiary’s updates to the 

Inventory and not just some of the subsidiary’s updates. 

The Inspector should note that if the parent company is reporting on behalf of one or more of its 

subsidiaries, and the parent company has the records in the parent company office, the parent 

company is subject to enforcement action for noncompliance with the reporting or updating, not 

the subsidiary railroads. 

The Inspector should also verify that the parent company has provided the written request to 

FRA if it is reporting on behalf of one or more of its subsidiaries. 

State Reporting on Behalf of Railroad 

A State agency may report on behalf of a railroad. To comply with this requirement, both the 

State agency and the railroad must submit a written request to the FRA Associate Administrator 

for Railroad Safety. FRA has developed letter templates for States and railroads for these written 

requests. If a State and railroad are interested in obtaining copies of FRA’s letter templates, they 

should contact FRA’s Crossing and Trespass Prevention Team (RRS-23) and request them. 

If a State agency is reporting on behalf of a railroad, it must report all of that railroad’s crossings 

in its State. 

The Inspector should note that even if a State agency is reporting on behalf of a railroad, and the 

State agency relies upon records in the parent company office, the subsidiary railroad is still 

subject to enforcement action for noncompliant reporting or updating. 
93 

The Inspector should also verify that the railroad and State agency have provided the written 

request to FRA if the State agency is reporting on behalf of a railroad. 

Section 8 – Additional Inventory Information 

Definition of a Railroad Versus Industry or Plant 

According to the definitions in 49 CFR § 234.401, each railroad that owns track leading to the 

private company, port, or dock area will be considered a Primary Operating Railroad for the 

crossings within the private area and will be responsible for submitting and updating 

Inventory Forms for those crossings, if a general system railroad operates over the railroad’s 

track leading to the private area and through at least one crossing within that area. 

Therefore, a business, such as a plant or industry, that conducts the only operations 

within its own private facility does not meet this definition. Those businesses are not 

responsible for submitting and updating Inventory Forms, although they may voluntarily 

submit and update information in the Inventory. 

Transit Agencies 

Some transit operators, such as streetcars and light rail systems regulated by the Federal Transit 

Administration, are not required to submit crossings to the Inventory. However, they may 

voluntarily submit their crossing information to the Inventory. 

If a transit operator operates on a separate track within a shared-use corridor through one or more 

highway-rail grade crossings that are shared with a conventional railroad, then the transit 

operator is required to report its train count data to the Inventory. 

However, if a transit operator operates on the same track used by the Primary Operating 

Railroad, the Primary Operating Railroad is required to report the transit operator’s train counts 

to the Inventory. 

One Crossing Versus Two Crossings Close to Each Other 

According to the Guide, a crossing is considered to be one crossing if multiple tracks have one 

set of warning devices regardless of the distance between the crossings. Figure 14 shows two 

examples: 

 
94 

Figure 14: Examples of one and two crossings with parallel tracks close to each other 

Closed Crossings 

According to 49 CFR § 234.401, a closed crossing is defined as: 

Closed crossing means a location where a previous crossing no longer exists because 

either the railroad tracks have been physically removed, or each pathway or roadway 

approach to the crossing has been physically removed, leaving behind no intersection 

of railroad tracks with either a pathway or roadway. A grade-separated highway-rail 

or pathway crossing that has been physically removed is also considered a closed 

crossing.

If a railroad stops operating over a crossing, the crossing is still considered open until the rails or 

roadway have physically been removed. A railroad that stops operating over a crossing should 

update the Inventory Form and select “No Train Traffic” in the Header if no other railroad 

operates over the crossing and neither the rails nor roadway have been removed to close the 

crossing. 

Re-Use of Inventory Numbers 

According to the Guide, once a DOT Number has been assigned to a crossing, it remains with 

that crossing forever. It cannot be reassigned to another crossing even if the original crossing is 

closed. 

Changing from At-Grade to Grade-Separated 

According to the Guide, if an at-grade crossing is closed and replaced with a grade-separated 

crossing, then the at-grade crossing should be reported closed and a new DOT Crossing Number 

should be assigned to the grade-separated crossing. 
95 

Grade Crossing Inventory System 

The GCIS is an electronic, web-based application that allows railroads and States to submit 

information about new crossings and update existing crossing records in the Inventory. 

According to 49 CFR § 234.403(c), all Class I railroads must use the GCIS to submit and update 

their crossing data in the Inventory. All other railroads (except for parent railroads that report 

crossing data on behalf of their subsidiaries) may submit hard copy Inventory Forms or use the 

GCIS. States may use hard copy Inventory Forms or they may use the GCIS. 

Registering for the GCIS 

Railroads and States can register for the GCIS at 

https://safetydata.fra.dot.gov/Gcis/UserManagement/Register.aspx. FRA will approve (or reject) 

the registration for a railroad or State. After approval, that user will have access to submit new 

and update existing Inventory records for their railroad or State. 

Address to Mail Hard Copy Inventory Forms 

If the railroad or State submits hard copy Inventory Forms to FRA through the mail, they should 

mail them to: 

FRA Project Office 

4301 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 205 

Arlington, VA 22203 

Email Address to Send Scanned Hard Copies 

Non-Class I railroads or States may email scanned PDF images of the Inventory Form to FRA. 

If the railroad or State emails PDF images of the Inventory Form, it is still considered a hard 

copy submission. An electronic submission can only be made through the GCIS. 

The email address to send the scanned PDFs is: 

RsisRXIUpdates@dot.gov

How Railroads Obtain New Crossing Numbers 

If a railroad is reporting new or previously unreported crossings, it should contact FRA to obtain 

new unused DOT Numbers. It should contact RequestDOTGXNumber@dot.gov and provide 

the following information: 

 Name of person requesting 

 Title of person requesting 

 Email address of person requesting 
96 

 Railroad name 

 Railroad mailing address 

 Number of new crossing numbers requested 
97 

APPENDIX B: Centrally Managed Data-Driven Outreach 

Recommendations for Grade Crossing Inspectors and 

Grade Crossing Trespassing Managers 

Federal Railroad Administration 

Centrally Managed Data-Driven Outreach 

Recommendations for Grade Crossing Inspectors 

and Grade Crossing Trespassing Managers 
98 

Objective: Implementing FRA’s centrally managed data-driven program to support trespasser 

prevention activities. 

Background: In its report on the Fiscal Year 2018 budget, the U.S. House of Representatives 

Committee on Appropriations directed FRA to identify and study the causal factors that lead to 

trespassing incidents on railroad property. The Committee also directed FRA to develop a 

national strategy to prevent trespasser accidents and to submit that strategy to both the House and 

Senate Committees on Appropriations by August 1, 2018.2 

These guidelines respond to the following milestone set forth in the first strategic area of the 

National Strategy for Trespass Prevention on Railroad Property, “Transition from a regionally 

managed to a centrally managed data-driven program to support trespasser prevention activities.” 

FRA headquarters (FRA HQ) is responsible for: 

 Providing quarterly reports to each region summarizing railroad trespasser fatalities and 

injuries; 

 Developing a standard operating procedure (SOP) for how to conduct community site 

visits and reporting and monitoring the effectiveness of any mitigation strategy 

employed; 

 Providing near-miss reports to each region (when data becomes available); 

 Using clustering and spatial outliers to develop and customize a trespasser events map 

showing the location of schools, homeless shelters, and recreation facilities; 

 Developing an internal trespass database and website; 

 Conducting quarterly conference calls/meetings with grade crossing staff. 

FRA HQ will provide quarterly reports to each region that summarize railroad trespassing 

fatalities and injuries in the region. The reports will provide information about when and where 

incidents occur, along with near-miss data when available. FRA HQ will develop and customize 

a trespasser events map using clustering, hot spots, and spatial outliers of the events. It will be 

possible to locate these events by using values such as “Trespassers within 500 ft. of a 

Crossing”; “Trespassers within 1000 ft. of a Crossing”; “Trespassers within 1/2 mile of a Quiet 

Zone”; “Trespassers within 1 mile of a Public School,” etc. These analyses will identify patterns 

spatially and help to evaluate assumptions about trespasser events. This information will be 

disseminated to FRA regional offices through FRA GIS Online Viewer, email, or an internal 

trespassing dashboard. Training will be provided through Technical Training Standards Division 

(TTSD) and via quarterly conference calls. 

FRA HQ will conduct quarterly conference calls or meetings with FRA regional teams to receive 

 

2

 House Report 115-237 (July 21, 2017). 
99 

feedback on information provided to the team, review incidents, and determine if additional data 

or outreach methods need to be adjusted. 

FRA regional teams are responsible for: 

 Directing regional activities to specific areas and hot spots as outlined in the SOP for: 

o Identifying and collaborating with stakeholders; 

o Conducting community assessments and site visits; 

o Facilitating problem-solving trespasser risk discussions and community meetings; and 

o Providing detailed reports to communities, railroads, and FRA HQ; 

 Developing a regional initiative directed at railroad trespassing for the National Safety 

Program Plan; and 

 Participating in quarterly conference calls/meetings with HQ staff. 

FRA regional teams will use the information supplied by FRA HQ and regional data to direct 

their activities to specific areas and hot spots. Armed with the data, the teams will identify and 

collaborate with railroads, city leaders, schools, transit systems, law enforcement, social services 

agencies, and other stakeholders to determine the underlying cause of railroad trespassing. A 

general statement to describe the underlying causes and contributing factors of railroad 

trespassing will be developed for each location (e.g., shortcut to recreation facilities). Based on 

the underlying causes and contributing factors, the teams will identify resources in the 

community to address the railroad trespassing issues (e.g., parents, neighborhood groups, 

community organizations, law enforcement, and railroad safety representatives). FRA regional 

teams, in collaboration with FRA HQ, will facilitate problem-solving trespasser risk discussions 

with local stakeholders and meetings with communities and railroad representatives to discuss 

the issues and develop an action plan. FRA regional teams will document and submit a report of 

their findings and actions to community leaders and FRA HQ.

When feasible, FRA regional teams will conduct a Trespasser Strike Assessment as outlined in 

the SOP. This assessment will require FRA regional teams to obtain and track details of 

trespassing incidents and fatalities. FRA regional teams will identify other measures that could 

be taken (e.g., education programs, a physical inspection of area with follow-up 

recommendations, safety blitzes, etc.). 

FRA regional teams will be required to develop a regional initiative directed at railroad 

trespassing for the National Safety Program Plan. 

Implementation 

The successful implementation of FRA’s centrally managed data-driven program to support 
100 

trespasser prevention activities depends not only on FRA’s actions but also on the availability of 

resources. FRA implemented the milestones listed in Table 1 to successfully transition to a 

centrally managed data-driven program to support trespasser prevention activities. 

Table 1: Implementation Timeline 

Task Group(s) 

Responsible Completion Date 

 Develop an internal trespass database/website HQ January 2019 

 Develop a regional initiative directed at railroad 

trespassing for the National Safety Performance Plan HQ/Regional January 2019 

 Develop maps identifying data driven by spatial analysis HQ January 2019 

 GIS mapping education HQ/TTSD January 2019 

 Conduct quarterly conference calls/meetings with grade 

crossing staff HQ January 2019 

 Develop Trespasser Strike Assessment Form HQ June 2019 

 Provide quarterly report summarizing railroad trespasser 

fatalities and injuries HQ June 2019 

 Provide educational opportunities on railroad trespassing 

outreach HQ/Regions March 2019 

 Education on the use of the Community, Analysis, 

Response, and Evaluation (CARE) HQ/Regions March 2019 

 Direct regional activities to specific areas and hot spots Regions February 2019 

 FRA regional teams document and report their findings 

and activities to FRA HQ Regions April 2019 

 Conduct trespasser strike assessments Regions June 2019 

 Provide near-miss reports Regions June 2019 

 Identify and collaborate with stakeholders Regions June 2019 

 Facilitate problem-solving trespasser risk assessments 

and community meetings Regions On-Going 
101 

APPENDIX C: National Strategy for Trespass Prevention 

Federal Railroad Administration 

Report to Congress 

National Strategy to Prevent Trespassing 

on Railroad Property 

August 2018 

103 

Executive Summary 

Trespassing on railroad property is the leading cause of all rail-related deaths in the 

United States. More people are struck and killed by trains each year while trespassing—illegally 

entering or remaining on a railroad right-of-way—than in motor vehicle collisions with trains at 

highway-rail grade crossings. Between 2012 and 2017, the annual number of trespass-related 

pedestrian fatalities increased 18 percent, from 725 in 2012 to 855 in 2017. In calendar year 

2018, 181 pedestrian trespass fatalities had occurred by March 31. Data indicates that the 

number of trespassing occurrences on railroad property each year far exceeds the number of 

fatalities and injuries. This raises the serious concern of the greater potential for even more 

trespasser accidents. 

In its report on the Fiscal Year 2018 budget, the House of Representatives Committee on 

Appropriations requested the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to identify and study the 

causal factors that lead to trespassing incidents on railroad property. The House Committee also 

asked FRA to develop a national strategy to prevent trespasser accidents, and to submit that 

strategy to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations by August 1, 2018.3 This 

document responds to the House Committee’s request. 

In October 2017, FRA formed a team of experts to study the problem of people being killed or 

injured while trespassing on railroad property. To help define the scope of the problem, the team 

conducted an analysis of the costs of railroad trespass accidents to both railroads and society. 

They found that the total cost to society of all trespass accidents over the five-year period from 

2012 to 2016, was approximately $43.2 billion.4 The team also reviewed existing research and 

data relating to railroad trespasser fatalities nationwide, for the four-year period between 

November 2013 and October 2017. They concluded that of the 3,100 counties and county 

equivalents in the United States, approximately 14 percent of the fatalities occurred in 

10 counties (the “top 10 counties”) in four different states. Seventy-four percent of all trespasser 

casualties during the same period occurred within 1,000 feet (less than 1⁄4 of a mile) of a grade 

crossing. 

Regional FRA teams then conducted field surveys in six of the top 10 counties to gather data 

related to rail operations and social demographics of the counties, and the circumstances 

surrounding individual trespass incidents. FRA’s research and field surveys identified several 

causal factors, including the behavior and choices of individuals who trespass on railroad 

property, and a lack of knowledge of and/or appreciation for the dangers of trespassing. FRA 

found that communities tend to focus their finite resources on higher-priority law enforcement 

issues, such as homicides, illegal drugs, and highway crashes. These issues often take 

precedence over the investigation and prosecution of trespasser offenses. As a result, even when 

railroad trespass violations are reported to law enforcement, the violations are rarely prosecuted, 

reducing the perceived negative consequences for trespassing. FRA also found that community 

planning decisions (such as the location of bus stops in relation to safe crossing paths) might lead 

to trespassing. 

 

3

 House Report 115-237 (July 21, 2017) 

4

 This cost includes the value of fatalities, injuries, and travel time delay due to trespassing incidents. 
National Strategy for Trespass Prevention 

104 

FRA’s efforts to address the problem of people trespassing on railroad property have, in the past, 

focused on outreach to the public, railroads, and law enforcement agencies. FRA’s approach has 

not been a national, proactive approach to address the root causes of trespassing. Instead, FRA’s 

historical approach has been dependent its regional staff and resources reacting to specific safety 

issues on a case-by-case basis. FRA’s current analysis demonstrates that it needs to do more 

than educate and facilitate mitigation measures when issues arise. 

To this end, FRA has developed the National Strategy for Trespass Prevention on Railroad 

Property (National Strategy). The strategy focuses on four strategic areas: (1) data gathering 

and analysis; (2) community site visits; (3) funding; and (4) partnerships with affected 

stakeholders. The key elements of each of these strategic areas are listed below. 

Strategic Area 1. Data Gathering and Analysis 

 Transition to a data-driven, centrally managed, regionally implemented program. 

 Identify new data sources and explore statutory, regulatory, or other authorities to protect 

new data. 

 Develop and use a trespasser risk model. 

 Consider changes to railroad reporting regulations to improve the data available to FRA 

and other stakeholders. 

Strategic Area 2. Community Site Visits 

 Communicate information to FRA regions for targeted engagement. 

 Develop standard operating procedures for conducting regional community site visits. 

 Assign regional assets to identified hot spots to engage railroads, police, and local 

governments in partnerships using data to identify location-specific causal factors and 

assist with identifying and implementing mitigation strategies. 

Strategic Area 3. Funding 

 Work through the executive and Congressional budget cycles to identify funding to 

strengthen grant programs for trespasser mitigation, such as engineering solutions, law 

enforcement overtime, school resource officers, or outreach. 

 Include information on the availability of grants and other funding as part of FRA’s 

survey and outreach program. 
National Strategy for Trespass Prevention 

105 

 Work through the Executive and Congressional budget cycles to identify funding for a 

national trespasser public service announcement campaign. 

Strategic Area 4. Develop Partnerships with Affected Stakeholders 

 Convene trespasser prevention summits with representatives from each of the top 

10 counties for trespasser casualties, engaging with local community leaders, law 

enforcement, railroads, and the public. 

 Collaborate with government agencies and other organizations on targeted outreach to 

address suicides, including the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 

Administration and, internationally, the Global Railway Alliance for Suicide Prevention. 

 Share trespasser hot spot data with advocacy organizations to focus activities that will 

yield the greatest return on investment. Organizations include Operation Lifesaver, Inc. 

The success of this national strategy is dependent on several factors outside of FRA’s control. 

To implement this strategy, FRA must gather and analyze railroad trespasser “close-call” data. 

FRA does not have statutory authority to protect this data from disclosure and use in judicial 

actions to determine damages or liability for trespasser accidents. FRA believes that railroads 

will be more likely to share this information openly with this protection in place. With this data, 

FRA will be more able to fully understand the causes of this complex problem and effectively 

target trespassing “hot spots.” Successful implementation of this national strategy will be best 

served by sufficient resources and cooperation of all stakeholders. 
106 

Table of Contents		

Executive Summary 103

Table of Contents 106

Abbreviations in this Report 107

Introduction 109

Trespassing on Railroad Property 110

Trespassing Defined ............................................................................................................... 110

Types of Trespass Accidents .................................................................................................. 110

The Complexities of Trespassing on Railroad Property ......................................................... 111

Scope of the Problem .............................................................................................................. 112

Location of Trespassing Accidents ......................................................................................... 113

FRA Efforts to Address Trespassing ...................................................................................... 116

The Costs and Effects of Railroad Trespassing ...................................................................... 117

FRA’s Field Survey - Site Review Team Executive Summaries 120

Causal Factors 123

Conclusion 124

National Strategy to Prevent Trespassing on Railroad Property 125

The Four Strategic Areas of the National Strategy ................................................................. 126

Metrics for Success ................................................................................................................. 127

Implementation Milestones and Timeline by Strategic Area ................................................. 128

 
107 

Abbreviations in this Report

49 CFR Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations 

49 U.S.C. Title 49 of the United States Code 

AIS Abbreviated Injury Scale 

CRISI Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements 

FRA Federal Railroad Administration 

FY Fiscal Year 

NOFO Notice of Funding Opportunity 

VSL Value of a Statistical Life 

109 

Introduction 

Trespassing on railroad property is the leading cause of all rail-related deaths in the 

United States. Annually, more fatal injuries occur due to trespassing on railroad property than 

motor vehicle collisions with trains at highway-rail grade crossings. Total trespass-related 

pedestrian fatalities have increased 18 percent from 725 in 2012 to 855 in 2017. In calendar year 

2018, as of March 31, 181 pedestrian trespass fatalities have occurred on railroad property. 

In its report on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 budget, the House of Representatives Committee on 

Appropriations asked FRA to study and identify the factors that lead to trespassing incidents on 

railroad property and to develop a national strategy to prevent these accidents. FRA was asked 

to submit that strategy to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations by 

August 1, 2018. The House Committee directed FRA to include milestones, timelines, and 

metrics to define success in its strategy. The House Committee expects FRA to implement its 

trespasser accident prevention strategy within the recommended timelines. This report responds 

to this mandate and contains the results of FRA’s research and field surveys. 

FRA’s analysis of available data for the period between November 2013 and October 2017 

identified the ten counties in the United States where most pedestrian trespasser casualties5

occurred (the “top 10 counties”). Table 1 below lists those counties in from most to least 

casualties. 

Table 1: U.S. Counties with the Most Railroad Trespasser Casualties, Not Including Suicides 

November 2013 to October 2017 

Rank County Casualties Rank County Casualties 

1 Los Angeles, California 110 6 Palm Beach, Florida 47 

2 Cook (Chicago), Illinois 109 7 Fresno, California 46 

3 San Bernardino, California 59 7 Riverside, California 46 

4 Harris (Houston), Texas 52 9 Contra Costa, California 44 

5 Broward, Florida 51 9 San Diego, California 44 

Source: FRA analysis 

 

5

 Casualties include both fatalities and injuries. 
110 

Trespassing on Railroad Property

Trespassing Defined 

Railroads own their rights-of-way and have a reasonable expectation of operating on their 

property without the presence or interference of unauthorized people. Any unauthorized person 

who enters or remains on a railroad right-of-way, railroad equipment, or railroad facilities is 

trespassing. Trespassing on private railroad property, including a railroad’s right-of-way is 

illegal. Pedestrians and motorists are permitted on railroad property where an authorized 

crossing (either roadway or pedestrian) intersects with the railroad right-of-way at a grade 

crossing, provided highway traffic control signals and other signage are obeyed. 

FRA distinguishes between trespass accidents and trespass incidents for its national strategy. 

Trespass Accidents. When one or more trespassers is struck and killed or injured by a train or 

other means while on railroad property without authority. In this report, individuals injured or 

killed because of trespassing on railroad property are “casualties.” 

Trespass Incidents. When law enforcement, railroad personnel, or a camera observe a trespasser 

on railroad property. Instances of trespassing in which the trespasser(s) is not struck by a train or 

otherwise injured or killed on railroad property. 

Types of Trespass Accidents 

FRA grouped trespass accidents into three categories for analysis and development of its national 

strategy. The categories are: 

Accidents Involving Trespass Casualties at Grade Crossings. This type of trespass casualty 

occurs when a pedestrian climbs through a train stopped at a grade crossing or climbs over or 

around gates or other physical barriers to enter a grade crossing when a train is approaching. 

About 2.1 percent (3,000 miles) of U.S. rail system miles are at grade crossings. FRA data 

shows 12 percent of total trespassing pedestrian casualties occur at grade crossings. These do 

not include suicides. 

Accidents Involving Trespass Casualties on All Other Segments of Right-of-Way. The 

remaining 97.9 percent of U.S. route miles (137,000 miles) are the other segments of the railroad 

right-of-way. Trespassing that result in casualties can occur anywhere along the right-of-way, 

though the majority or 74 percent occur within 1,000 feet (less than 1⁄4 of a mile) of a grade 

crossing. These do not include suicides. 

Suicides and Suicide Attempts. This type of trespass accident occurs when a person who enter a 

railroad right-of-way with the intent of being struck and killed by a train are classified as 

suicides. FRA data indicate that at least 30 percent of all fatalities that occur on the rail system 

are the result of an intentional act of suicide. Similar to trespass casualties on segments of 

railroad rights-of-way other than grade crossings, 73 percent of suicide attempts occur within 

1,000 feet of a grade crossing. When an accident is classified as a suicide, it is removed from the 

casualty data. 
111 

The Complexities of Trespassing on Railroad Property 

Trespassing on railroad property is a complex problem because of the differing priorities of 

individual trespassers and the communities in which trespassing occurs. FRA’s limited authority 

to address the issue and varying state laws affecting how a railroad or local authority may 

enforce trespassing laws are compounding factors. For FRA and many affected communities, a 

lack of sufficient resources and clear data are primary concerns. 

Individuals. At its core, the problem of trespassing starts with an individual entering private 

railroad property without authority to do so. Most trespassers make this choice because crossing 

railroad property provides the most direct route to a desired destination. The person may be 

unaware of the dangers involved in trespassing on railroad property. The person can be 

distracted by another activity (e.g., hunting, bicycling, riding all-terrain vehicles, using cell 

phones, or using earbuds). These circumstances can lead to tragic consequences. 

Communities. From a community’s perspective, other law enforcement issues, including 

homicides, illegal drugs, and highway crashes, can take precedence over investigating and 

prosecuting railroad trespass offenses. Local and State governments focus their finite resources 

on their higher-priority issues. Railroad trespassers are often not prosecuted even when their 

actions have been reported to law enforcement. FRA found that over a four-year period, the 

number of railroad trespass casualties occurring in each of the top 10 counties accounted for less 

than 2 percent of the total homicides, drug-related deaths, and highway fatalities in the respective 

county. 

Local land use decisions can affect the likelihood of trespassing on railroad property or railroad 

rights-of-way. Local community decisions regarding the placement of services near a railroad’s 

right-of-way (such as homeless shelters, food pantries, schools, or other public buildings) or 

approval of new construction can affect the number of railroad trespassers. 

FRA. In 2008, Congress directed the U.S. Department of Transportation to develop and 

maintain a comprehensive outreach program to address trespassing on railroad property and 

strengthen relevant enforcement strategies by improving communication among Federal, State, 

and local entities.6 FRA’s efforts to mitigate trespassing on railroad property have focused on 

data gathering and sharing and outreach to the public, railroads, and law enforcement. FRA 

regulations require railroads to report deaths, injuries, and occupational illnesses arising from the 

operation of a railroad.7 This reporting requirement includes trespasser casualties; because 

trespassing on railroad property is a law enforcement issue governed by state and local law, FRA 

has limited authority to address the issue. FRA does, however, encourage railroads to consider 

the risks of trespassing accidents as part of their safety planning processes. When providing 

grants or other funding for new start railroads or to existing railroads, when allowable, FRA 

conditions the funding on the railroad’s consideration of mitigation of identified risks, including 

the risk of trespassing accidents. 

State and Local Law Enforcement. Trespassing on railroad property is a law enforcement issue 

 

6

 49 U.S.C. § 20151(b). 

7

 49 CFR Part 225. 
112 

governed by state and local law. State and local law enforcement administer state trespass laws. 

Railroads (particularly Class I and commuter railroads) employ railroad police, whose duties 

typically include investigating incidents of trespassing and confronting trespassers they observe 

in the act of trespassing. Nationwide, railroads employ more than 1,200 railroad police 

personnel, whose duties include railroad employee safety, lading protection, theft investigation, 

and trespasser enforcement. Their status and authority as law enforcement officers varies from 

state to state, as does their ability to enforce state and local trespass laws. 

Differences in state laws can hinder the efforts of state and local law enforcement officers, as 

well as those of railroad police, by making it difficult for railroads to enforce or legally address 

trespassing. In some states, a person who trespasses on railroad property could be guilty of a 

misdemeanor—punishable by a fine and/or imprisonment in state prison or county jail. Other 

states appear to have carved out a “permissive use” or “frequent trespass” exception to the 

general rule. Under this exception, if the railroad has permitted the public to travel over its track 

at a specific location for a considerable period and a sizeable number of people have done so, the 

railroads could be liable for injuries to trespassers. Some states impose a knowledge 

requirement—e.g., a person who enters or remains on railroad property without the owner’s 

consent must know that it is railroad property to be guilty of trespassing. In other states, local 

law enforcement can only address trespassing concerns on private property if their department 

receives written authorization from the private property owner. 

Scope of the Problem 

More than 300 million people live in the United States. Approximately 800 railroads operate 

over 140,000 route miles of track and through 210,093 grade crossings to serve the communities 

and industries in which the U.S. population lives and works. Railroads operate through diverse 

geographical areas, including congested urban centers and sparsely populated rural areas. 

Around major cities, the larger and denser populations result in increased passenger and freight 

train traffic to support that population. This increased train traffic leads to an increased 

likelihood of trespassing accidents. In more sparsely populated rural areas, local law 

enforcement officers and railroad police face challenges monitoring and enforcing trespassing 

activity along remote stretches of the railroad right-of-way. 

On average, each day in the United States there are three people killed or injured while 

trespassing on railroad property. FRA data show that in 2017, over 1,100 pedestrians were 

injured or killed trespassing on railroad property. 

FRA believes the number of reported trespassing accidents is a small fraction of the actual 

number of trespassing occurrences each year. One Class I railroad voluntarily shared its data on 

trespassing “close calls.”8

 FRA compared the number of pedestrian trespasser casualties 

reported by that railroad with the close-call data it provided over the same timeframe9, and found 

the number of reported close calls was much larger than the number of casualties reported. This 

indicates that the potential for additional trespassing casualties is significant. 

 

8

 A trespassing “close call” is a situation in which a trespasser is almost struck by a train, but escapes without injury 

and the incident is captured by a locomotive camera and/or reported by a train crew. 9

 FRA excluded trespasser casualties deemed to be acts of suicide from these numbers. 
113 

In response to the House Committee’s request to identify and study the causal factors that lead to 

trespassing incidents on railroad property, FRA formed a team of experts from its Offices of 

Railroad Safety and Railroad Policy and Development to study the available data related to 

trespassing on railroad property. Their work yielded the following information for the 4-year 

period between November 2013 and October 2017: 

 Nationwide, excluding suicides, 4,242 pedestrians were killed or injured while 

trespassing on railroad property. This number climbs to 5,417 casualties when suicides 

are included. 

 In the top ten counties, excluding suicides, 300 pedestrian trespassers were killed. This 

number increases to 469 when suicides are included. 

 Of the approximately 3,100 counties and county-equivalents in the United States, 

approximately 14 percent of all trespasser fatalities occurred in 10 counties in four 

different states. 

 The county with the most railroad trespasser casualties during this period was Los 

Angeles County, California, with 110 casualties, followed by Cook County, Illinois, 

(Chicago) with 109 casualties. 

 Six of the top ten counties for trespasser fatalities were in California and these counties 

represent 7.9 percent of all nationwide railroad trespasser casualties during the period. 

 74 percent of trespassing casualties occurred within 1,000 feet of a grade crossing. 

 185 trespassing casualties or 5 percent of trespassing casualties, not at grade crossings 

were the result of slips, trips, and falls while trespassing. 

Location of Trespassing Accidents 

FRA global information system mapping data shows the locations of all reported pedestrian 

trespasser accidents, including suspected suicides and attempted suicides occurring since July 

2012. Table 2 below shows the percentage of suicide and attempted suicide trespasser accidents 

and incidents nationwide by distance from a grade crossing from November 2013 to 

October 2017. The cumulative percentage of casualties by distance from a grade crossing is also 

listed. Table 3 shows the number of non-suicide trespasser casualties nationwide and in the top 

10 counties by distance from a grade crossing for the same period, as well as the cumulative 

percentage of casualties by distance from a grade crossing. The tables demonstrate that 

approximately 73 percent of all pedestrian trespassing casualties (including suicides and 

attempted suicides) occur within 1,000 feet of (less than a quarter mile from) a grade crossing. 

 
114 

Table 2: Location of Suicides and Attempted Suicides, November 2013 to October 2017 

Distance from a Highway-Rail 

Grade Crossing (feet)

Percentage of 

Suicides and Attempts 

Cumulative Percentage of 

Suicides and Attempts 

At a grade crossing 11 % 11 % 

Within 50 7 % 18 % 

50 to 100 6 % 24 % 

100 to 200 10 % 34 % 

200 to 300 9 % 43 % 

300 to 400 7 % 50 % 

400 to 500 5 % 55 % 

500 to 1,000 18 % 73 % 

1,000 to 5,000 24 % 97 % 

5,000 to 10,000 2 % 99 % 

More than 10,000 1 % 100 % 

Source: FRA analysis 

Table 3: Locations of Pedestrian Trespasser Casualties, * November 2013 to October 2017

Distance from a Highway-Rail 

Grade Crossing (feet)

Casualties Nationwide Casualties in Top 10 Counties 

Cumulative 

Number 

Cumulative 

Percentage

Cumulative 

Number

Cumulative 

Percentage

At a grade crossing 516 12 % 102 18 % 

Within 50 853 20 % 27 23 % 

50 to 100 1,116 26 % 29 28 % 

100 to 200 1,608 38 % 56 38 % 

200 to 300 1,973 46 % 49 47 % 

300 to 400 2,232 53 % 42 55 % 

400 to 500 2,462 58 % 31 60 % 

500 to 600 2,658 63 % 20 64 % 

600 to 700 2,798 66 % 21 67 % 

700 to 800 2,945 69 % 16 70 % 

800 to 900 3,049 72 % 10 72 % 

900 to 1,000 3,142 74 % 12 74 % 

1,000 to 1,250 3,328 78 % 25 79 % 

1,250 to 1,500 3,477 82 % 21 82 % 

1,500 to 2,000 3,711 87 % 30 88 % 

2,000 to 3,000 3,950 93 % 21 92 % 
115 

3,000 to 5,000 4,107 97 % 24 96 % 

5,000 to 10,000 4,186 99 % 12 98 % 

More than 10,000 4,242 100 % 11 100 % 

Total Casualties 4,242 559 

* Deaths and injuries, excluding suicides. 
116 

FRA Efforts to Address Trespassing 

FRA has worked extensively with railroads, state, county, local governments, and other 

organizations to raise awareness about the inherent dangers and consequences of trespassing. 

The paragraphs below describe some of the work FRA has done to date to address the issue of 

trespassing on railroad property. FRA’s trespass prevention website10 contains links to many of 

the research and other documents referenced below. 

Research. FRA research examines all aspects of trespass prevention with a focus on engineering, 

education, and enforcement. FRA researches new technology prototypes, systems, and 

components, as well as education and enforcement initiatives that have the potential to decrease 

or eliminate railroad trespassing. FRA research includes the demonstration and evaluation of 

new technologies and innovative safety treatments and technology transfer initiatives from other 

modes of transportation (e.g., use of artificial intelligence). These studies enable FRA to develop 

effective methods that, combined with local efforts, reduce railroad trespassing. In July 2018, 

FRA published a report intended to provide a baseline measure of trespassing and suicide 

incident data from 2012 to 2014.11

Data Analysis. FRA conducted national studies of demographic and market analysis of rail 

trespass fatalities in 2008 and a follow up study in 2013.12 The objective was to establish a 

foundation to build an outreach or public education program and assist law enforcement to 

identify demographic populations most at risk. Results indicated that trespassers involved in 

fatal accidents are typically identifiable as white males, with an average age of 38 and with low 

socioeconomic status. These studies led FRA to conclude that many in this demographic may be 

intoxicated at the time of trespassing. 

Community, Analysis, Response, and Evaluation Rail Trespass Problem-Solving Model. FRA, 

in collaboration with Transport Canada, developed and published the Community Trespass 

Prevention Guide (Guide) in 2003. This guide details a collaborative, systematic 

problem-solving approach for communities. Called the Community Analysis, Response, and 

Evaluation rail trespass problem-solving model, the guide presents a non-regulatory approach to 

addressing railroad trespassing in local communities. 

Collaboration with National Organizations. FRA promotes trespass prevention programs 

through cooperative efforts with public and private entities to encourage enforcement, 

educational, and engineering activities that effectively reduce trespass incidents and associated 

casualties. FRA collaborates with national organizations, such as Operation Lifesaver, Inc., for 

public outreach and education activities to increase awareness of the dangers of railroad 

trespassing. FRA has provided $1 million through a grant to Operation Lifesaver, Inc., annually, 

which includes public outreach and education activities to increase awareness of the dangers of 

railroad trespassing. 

 

10 https://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0846. 11 FRA, Characteristics of Trespassing Incidents in the United States (2012-2014). Available at 

https://www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/Details/L19581. 12 https://www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/details/L04702. 
117 

National Workshops. FRA hosted three workshops (in 2008, 2012, and 2015) to provide 

stakeholders with updates on right-of-way fatality and trespass prevention activities and to solicit 

the workshop attendees’ ideas on future actions and research priorities. The groups generated 

more than 80 ideas ranging from expanded initiatives to new research projects. Each group put 

forward four to five recommended actions. These recommendations included increased signage, 

use of unmanned aerial vehicles, model state laws, and enforcement grants. 

Law Enforcement Outreach. Through local efforts and feedback from the right-of-way 

conferences, FRA learned that law enforcement needed a reference guide that contains a stateby-state listing of trespassing laws. FRA put together a reference document, Compilation of 

State Laws and Regulations Affecting Highway-Rail Grade Crossings, issued in 2013. FRA 

made this reference guide available as a mobile application that is downloadable to any handheld 

device.13

The Costs and Effects of Railroad Trespassing 

Trespassing accidents resulting in fatalities or injuries negatively affect both the injured 

trespasser and his or her family. These accidents also result in emotional distress of involved 

railroad personnel and emergency first responders. One railroad told FRA that even the most 

experienced engineers are often affected by trespasser accidents to the extent that they are unable 

to continue to work. Trespassing accidents result in delays that negatively affect the railroad’s 

ability to move passengers and goods in support of our Nation’s economy. 

The cost and effects of trespass accidents to railroad operations is significant. One Class I 

railroad told FRA that each event where a train strikes a trespasser costs the railroad an average 

of $900 per minute. This Class I railroad also told FRA that it takes an average of four hours to 

conduct the initial investigation and restore traffic flow, resulting in an average direct cost to the 

involved railroad of $216,000 per accident, plus the costs of lost time and productivity of those 

involved with delays caused by the accident. According to FRA’s risk analysis, the economic 

benefits of reducing trespassing accidents can be measured in lives saved, injuries reduced, and a 

reduction in train delays. 

The benefit of preventing an injury or fatality is measured by the value of a statistical life (VSL). 

The VSL is the additional cost society is willing to bear for improvements in safety that reduces 

the expected number of fatalities by one. The Department currently sets VSL at $9.6 million.14 

In addition, in cases of injury, a value is assigned based on a fraction of the VSL, using the 

abbreviated injury scale (AIS). AIS categorizes injuries into levels of severity, ranging from AIS 

1 (minor) to AIS 5 (critical) and assigns a dollar value to each category of injury. 

FRA conducted its risk analysis using data reported over a five-year period from 2012 to 2016. 

During that period, 9,363 trespassing accidents were reported to FRA (including 4,291 fatalities 

and 5,072 injuries). FRA calculated the total value of these accidents using VSL, AIS, and the 

value of travel timesaving. 

 

13 https://www.fra.dot.gov/StateLaws. 14 See “2016 Revised Value of a Statistical Life Guidance.pdf” at https://www.transportation.gov/officepolicy/transportation-policy/revised-departmental-guidance-on-valuation-of-a-statistical-life-in-economic-analysis. 
118 

Fatalities. The 4,291 reported trespasser fatalities equate to a total value of fatalities over the 

five-year period of just under $41.2 billion. 

Injuries. The 5,072 reported trespassing accidents resulting in injuries equate to a total value of 

injuries over the five-year period of approximately $2.0 billion.15

Travel Time Delay. When a trespassing accident occurs, the train is required to stop at the 

accident site. During this time, local law enforcement conducts an initial review of the accident. 

Emergency personnel might be required to assist passengers and the trespasser. During this time, 

passengers might be waiting on the train. FRA estimated the value of this time based on each 

person on the train. The following assumptions were used to estimate the value of a reduction in 

train delay, if all expected trespass accidents were avoided: 

1. The average train delay per accident is 4 hours.16

2. The value for each passenger’s time on the train is $20.40 per hour.17

3. The number of passengers per train is 200.18

4. The average value of delay for freight goods is $637.26 per hour per train.19

5. The wage rate of a conductor or engineer is $31.57 per hour.20 

FRA then calculated the cost of passenger and freight delay for each train accident. Using the 

assumptions above, the total value of freight train delays over the 5-year period is $21,918,195.21 

The total value of passenger train delays over the 5-year period is $34,110,629.22

FRA calculated the total cost to society of the 9,363 trespasser accidents and resulting casualties 

over the five-year period to be $43.2 billion, meaning that the average cost of each accident is 

$4.6 million (including the costs of casualties, deaths, and train delay). Notably, these figures do 

not include unquantified costs to the Nation’s economy (e.g., the loss of productivity of motorists 

and their passengers delayed at highway-rail grade crossings while a trespassing accident is 

investigated or the cost of delay to truck freight that may be delayed at highway-rail grade 

crossings during a trespasser accident response). These figures also do not include unquantified 

costs associated with the lasting impacts railroad crew members often experience as a result of 

being involved in a trespasser accident. As noted above, one railroad reported to FRA that even 

 

15 FRA used National Automotive Sampling System values to assign a monetary value to each individual injury 

type. 

16 Source: FRA Highway-Rail Grade Crossing and Trespass Prevention Division 

17 See “2016 Revised Value of Travel Time Guidance.pdf” at https://www.transportation.gov/officepolicy/transportation-policy/revised-departmental-guidance-valuation-travel-time-economic. 18 Source: FRA Passenger Rail Division 

19 National Cooperative Highway Research Program, Comprehensive Costs of Highway-Rail Grade Crossing 

Crashes, Report 755. 20 Source: Surface Transportation Board, 2016. https://www.stb.gov/econdata.nsf/WageStatistics?OpenView. 21 7,328 freight incidents * [($637.26 value of goods per hour * 4 hours) + ($31.57 * 1.75 burdened wages * 

2 employees per train * 4 hours per delay)]. 

22 2,035 passenger incidents * [($31.57 train employee wage rate * 1.75 burdened wages * 2 employees per train * 

4 hours per delay) + (200 passengers per train * $20.40 per passenger per hour * 4 hours per delay)]. 
119 

the most experienced engineers are often affected by trespasser accidents to the extent that they 

are unable to continue to work. This often forces the railroad to replace those experienced 

engineers with less experienced individuals, not only increasing labor and training costs, but 

potentially adversely impacting safety as those experienced more engineers leave the workforce. 

The cost of train delays includes the wages of the train crew of the involved train, but does not 

include the costs of delays to other trains that must be held until the accident is cleared. 

 
120 

FRA’s Field Survey - Site Review Team Executive Summaries 

Based on the data and analysis described above, FRA deployed four trespasser site review teams 

to six counties in California, Illinois, Texas, and Florida. The teams were composed of FRA 

regional grade crossing inspectors and went to 6 of the top 10 counties nationwide for trespasser 

casualties. Each team had maps, tools, and data and reported on the number of trains passing per 

day through the area; the number of trespass violations local authorities and railroad police 

submitted and prosecuted; how much time law enforcement dedicated to addressing the issue of 

trespassing on railroad property; and the locations where trespassing was occurring. The teams 

also identified how close trespassing locations were to homeless communities and shelters, food 

pantries, and schools. They identified examples of potential poor community planning (e.g., 

parking lots intended for a building on the opposite side of the track from the building), and 

where prevention and engineering controls, such as fences, had been installed. Finally, the teams 

interviewed trespassers to find out why they were trespassing, if they knew they were 

trespassing, if they knew trespassing was illegal, and to explain the dangers of trespassing. The 

teams gathered data for the period November 2013 to October 2017. 

In summary, the site review teams found that trespassers were often making conscious decisions 

to trespass as a matter of convenience and generally reported that they knew they were illegally 

trespassing. In one instance, FRA personnel observed schoolchildren and a school official 

trespassing on a railroad’s right-of-way. The site review teams also found that some locations 

lacked fencing or other physical barriers to the railroad’s right-of-way, while other locations had 

fences that did not effectively deter trespassers. In one instance, trespassers regularly climbed or 

crawled through the cars of stopped trains to get to the other side of the tracks. Tables 4 – 7 

below highlight, by state and county, each team’s findings. 

Table 4: California Counties Reviewed by FRA Region 7 Grade Crossing Inspectors

County Rank for Number of Casualties Number of Casualties 

Los Angeles 1 110 

Riverside 7 46 

San Diego 9 44 

Contributing Factors 

Trespassing for convenience. 

Lack of deterrence, such as fencing, enforcement, or education.

Considerations for Mitigation 

Trespassers interviewed said they knew they were illegally trespassing. 

Railroad management reported frustration with ineffective education and enforcement efforts and stated 

that the next step is to explore the use of engineering solutions. 

Railroads are using a tracking process to report homeless encampments on railroad rights-of-way for 

targeted enforcement actions.

 
121 

Table 5: Illinois County Reviewed by FRA Region 4 Grade Crossing Inspectors

County Name Rank for Number of Casualties Number of Casualties 

Cook (focused on Chicago) 2 109 

Contributing Factors 

Of 1,081 railroad trespasser violations, 435 (40 percent) were not prosecuted; 1,034 (almost 96 percent) 

were filed by railroad police. 

County or city police departments issued less than 50 trespasser violations. 

Chicago Police stated that less than 1 percent of their calls are directly related to railroad trespassing, 

and they divert those calls to railroad police.

Considerations for Mitigation 

A significant number of trespasser fatalities occurred near homeless shelters, schools, and food pantries. 

Most track is railroad over grade (elevated track). 

Fencing was already installed at all locations visited; the assumption is that trespassers are climbing 

fences.

Table 6: Texas County Reviewed by FRA Region 5 Grade Crossing Inspectors

County Name Rank in Number of Casualties Number of Casualties 

Harris (focused on Houston) 4 52 

Contributing Factors 

Of 228 trespassing violations issued October 2013-November 2017, 1 was prosecuted. 

Trespassers regularly climb or crawl through the cars of stopped trains rather than wait or walk around.

Considerations for Mitigation 

City of Houston officials advocated for Federal funding for cameras. 

High levels of trespassing near shelters and food banks.
122 

Table 7: Florida County Reviewed by FRA Region 3 Grade Crossing Inspectors

County Name Rank in Number of Casualties Number of Casualties 

Palm Beach County 6 47 

Contributing Factors 

Trespass occurs for convenience allowing the pedestrian a most direct path to their desired location. 

Lack of grade crossings in large sections of track contributes to trespassing for convenience. 

Mid-block public bus stops between crossings were a contributing factor to trespass. 

Multiple groups of schoolchildren and a vice-principal were observed trespassing upon school 

dismissal.

Considerations for Mitigation 

Trespassers interviewed admitted they knew they were illegally trespassing. 

Moving public bus stops closer to grade crossings could be a viable mitigation strategy. 

Location-specific mitigations (physical barriers) to create more resistance, and in others, a need to 

provide a safer path of least resistance. 

A more comprehensive and focused survey should be performed to identify specific areas and effective 

methods of mitigation. This survey should be guided by the railroads, and should include state/local 

officials, state/local police departments, state/county school boards, and county/city transportation 

boards.

 
123 

Potential Causal Factors 

FRA’s analysis and field survey of previous research identified two primary factors that 

contributed to trespassing incidents on railroad property. First, trespassing starts with an 

individual choosing to enter or remain on railroad property without authority to do so. Most 

trespassers made this choice because crossing railroad property provides the most direct route to 

a desired destination. FRA’s survey teams found that trespassers often knew they were illegally 

on railroad property. Trespassers often do not have a sufficient understanding or appreciation for 

the dangers of trespassing on railroad property. 

Individual Contributing Factors: 

a) Personal convenience. 

b) Lack of knowledge of or appreciation for the dangers of trespassing. 

Second, from a community or local government’s perspective, other law enforcement and public 

safety issues (e.g., homicides, illegal drugs, and highway fatalities) are often the focus of their 

resources. In the top 10 counties, the number of trespass fatalities accounted for less than 

2 percent of the total homicides, drug related deaths, and highway fatalities in each respective 

county. As a result, many communities prioritized their resources in ways that limit their ability 

to address railroad trespassing issues either through engineering solutions or effective public 

outreach and education. FRA’s field survey confirms that railroad trespassers are rarely 

prosecuted, thereby reducing the perceived negative consequences of trespassing. Finally, 

community decisions, such as putting bus stops too far from safe crossing paths, may contribute 

to an increased number of trespassers. 

Community Contributing Factors: 

a) No (or insufficient) dedicated resources (personnel or funding). 

b) Lack of physical deterrents, such as fences, natural or engineered barriers, or obstacles. 

c) Failure to prosecute trespassers by local judicial process. 

d) Public perception of the dangers of trespassing on railroad property. 

e) Poor community planning. 

 
124 

Conclusion 

FRA’s approach to the trespassing issue has not been a national, proactive approach, but rather a 

program of national outreach and education. Regional FRA staff and resources react to specific 

trespasser issues on a case-by-case basis. FRA’s efforts have focused on data gathering, sharing, 

and outreach to the public, railroads, and law enforcement. FRA has considered specific 

trespassing problems as local problems. Regional FRA safety personnel assisting local 

authorities and communities are the best way to address these issues. Regional FRA safety staff 

would work with these communities and railroads to facilitate solutions to specific, local 

trespasser issues. 

FRA’s current analysis demonstrates that it needs to do more than educate and facilitate 

mitigation when issues arise. Proactive use of current, relevant data and analysis to identify 

systematically high-risk areas for trespassing incidents is the best way to develop and facilitate 

implementation of specific mitigation strategies for communities, local governments, law 

enforcement, and impacted railroads. Education and outreach are not enough. Engineering 

solutions (e.g., fencing, automated video detection systems) designed to prevent or discourage 

trespassing on railroad property, can be utilized in conjunction with frequent and consistent 

enforcement of trespasser laws. FRA has developed the following national strategy, focusing on 

four strategic areas: (1) data gathering and analysis; (2) community site visits; (3) funding, and 

(4) partnerships with affected stakeholders. 

The success of this national strategy depends on several factors outside of FRA’s control. FRA’s 

ability to gather and analyze railroad trespasser close-call data is the cornerstone of this strategy. 

Railroads have been reluctant to share this information, because FRA does not have express 

statutory authority to protect this data from disclosure and use in judicial or other actions to 

determine damages or liability for trespasser accidents. Without this data, FRA will be unable to 

fully understand this complex problem and proactively target trespassing hot spots. Trespassing 

is generally a matter of state and local law and enforced at each state and municipality’s 

discretion. Higher-priority law enforcement and other issues compete for the resources of local 

governments to address trespassing on railroad property. Successful implementation of this 

strategy will depend on the availability of sufficient resources and all stakeholders working 

together. 

 
125 

National Strategy to Prevent Trespassing on Railroad Property 

FRA’s national strategy to prevent trespassing on railroad property includes four strategic focus 

areas: data gathering and analysis, community site visits, partnerships with stakeholders, and 

funding. None of these focus areas alone is sufficient for preventing trespassing and a successful 

strategy must include a combination of approaches. Focusing on data gathering and analysis will 

enable FRA to target its resources to trespassing hot spots. Conducting community site visits 

will help FRA and other stakeholders build a pool of successful mitigation strategies. 

Requesting and providing funding will assist communities directly in securing solutions and 

resources they need to deter trespassing and build partnerships with communities, law 

enforcement, railroads, and other organizations in addressing the trespassing problem. FRA will 

be able to leverage available resources, expertise, and local knowledge to combat the problem of 

trespassing. 

Implementation of this strategy will transition FRA’s trespasser prevention program from 

regionally managed reactive efforts, to a centrally managed, data-driven program designed to 

evaluate the risks of trespasser incidents throughout the Nation’s rail network. It will also help 

FRA work with communities and local law enforcement to identify and facilitate implementation 

of effective mitigation strategies. 

The strength of this approach is demonstrated by the following examples, identified when FRA 

developed this strategy. 

One Central Problem. FRA survey teams identified convenience as the most consistent problem 

across surveyed areas– trespassers simply take the most direct route to their desired destinations 

as main cause of trespassing, regardless of geographic location. 

Three Local Solutions. FRA teams visited three communities that data demonstrated were hot 

spots for trespasser activity. FRA personnel observed trespassers cross railroad property to 

travel from a bus stop to a residential neighborhood in West Palm Beach, Florida. If the bus stop 

was closer to an authorized, safer crossing, this could eliminate the current path of convenience. 

FRA personnel observed trespassers cross railroad property from a homeless encampment into 

town near Riverside, California. In this case, solutions might include physical barriers, enhanced 

law enforcement presence, or relocating the homeless population to another location where the 

danger is not as great. In Oceanside, California, FRA personnel observed trespassers cross 

railroad property to travel from a residential neighborhood to the beach. Since neither the 

neighborhood nor the beach is a candidate for relocation, possible solutions to this problem 

might be physical barriers and additional enforcement. 

FRA’s initial focus on gathering and analyzing appropriate data to identify trespassing hot spots 

led the agency to send teams to conduct site visits. FRA identified mitigation strategies based on 

the specific local circumstances. FRA’s next step is to engage with local partners at each 

location to examine the feasibility of implementing appropriate mitigation measures. 

 
126 

The Four Strategic Areas of the National Strategy 

Strategic Area 1. Data Gathering and Analysis. FRA’s strategy will be driven by reliable data. 

FRA will seek ways to improve the integration and presentation of this data into a more thorough 

picture of the trespass issue. FRA identified the 10 counties in the United States with the highest 

number of railroad trespassing casualties, yet FRA is missing a key piece of data that will enable 

it to identify geographical areas for the highest risk of trespassing incidents in the future. 

FRA may not receive data related to trespassing incidents that do not result in death or injuries. 

A trespasser close-call (or sometimes referred to as a “near-hit”) is a situation in which a 

trespasser is almost struck by a train, but escapes without injury and the incident is captured by a 

locomotive camera or reported by a train crew. This data is critical to identify the areas that are 

at high risk of trespasser accidents due to the number of trespasser close calls that occur in the 

area. 

Obtaining close-call trespasser incident data is essential to successful implementation of any 

data-based proactive approach to addressing the trespasser issue. Close-call data would enable 

FRA to better identify trespasser hot spots and could be particularly beneficial in deploying law 

enforcement and railroad police more efficiently and determining what, if any, engineering 

solutions may be feasible in particular circumstances. Thorough analysis of close-call data 

would allow FRA to direct our resources to areas of highest value and to share risk information 

with our partners. 

Many railroads already collect trespasser close-call data for their own use. Railroads have not 

been willing to share this information with FRA without express statutory authority to protect the 

data from disclosure and use in judicial or other actions to determine damages or liability for 

trespasser accidents or incidents. However, Federal law does not prohibit the use of this data as 

evidence in Federal or State court proceedings or other actions for damages or to determine 

liability for trespasser accidents or incidents. Other modes, such as the Federal Highway 

Administration under 23 U.S.C. § 409, have statutory authority to protect disclosure of data 

gathered for highway safety projects. 

Strategic Area 2. Community Site Visits. FRA will send teams to conduct site visits in 

communities with high numbers of trespass incidents. These teams will learn more about the 

specific local causes that contribute to trespassing and will work with local partners to help them 

implement and evaluate the effectiveness of targeted mitigation strategies. We believe the 

successful curtailment of trespassing in these areas will contribute to a strong pool of successful 

strategies for use in other communities. FRA will use this data to develop a Trespass Risk 

Model to identify the current and future risk of rail trespassing for communities across the 

country. 

Strategic Area 3. Funding. Funding is necessary to enable local communities to implement 

targeted trespasser mitigation strategies, such as engineering solutions, law enforcement 

overtime, school resource officers, or community outreach. Funding is an important part of the 

direct and tangible support necessary for communities to help them achieve a reduction in 

trespassing incidents. In February 2018, FRA published a Notice of Funding Opportunity 

(NOFO) for a law enforcement pilot grant program aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of 
127 

funding local law enforcement activities intended to reduce trespassing on railroads.23 FRA 

received final applications for this pilot grant program in April 2018. This $150,000 grant 

opportunity was open to state, county, municipal, local, and regional law enforcement agencies 

in communities with a demonstrated rail trespass problem. The grants will be awarded in the fall 

of 2018, and the programs will be evaluated over a six-month period of performance. Certain 

trespassing prevention projects could be eligible for funding under the Consolidated Rail 

Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grant program, the Restoration and 

Enhancement grants program, or the Federal State Partnership for State of Good Repair grant 

program. FRA will work to increase stakeholder awareness of these and other funding 

opportunities. A wide range of projects are eligible for these grant programs including grade 

crossing improvements and potential engineering solutions targeting trespassing (e.g., barriers). 

Congress provided approximately $960 million in FYs 2017 and 2018 for these grants, with 

certain set-asides for authorized priorities. FRA is evaluating applications for the $68 million 

FY 2017 CRISI program that closed on June 21, 2018, and has made additional FY 2018 CRISI 

grant program funding available. FRA encourages potential applicants to contact FRA for 

technical assistance with respect to proposed trespass prevention projects, before preparing a 

grant application for any of the above programs, given the variation in program requirements. 

Strategic Area 4. Partnerships. FRA will continue to work with communities, local 

governments, law enforcement agencies, railroads, and any other interested parties to combat the 

problem of trespassing. To maximize our reach and effectiveness, FRA will work with 

organizations whose goals align with our own, collaborating/breaking down silos to share 

knowledge and data, thematic with the Department’s priorities on safety. This includes sharing 

information and meeting directly with leadership from groups such as Operation Lifesaver, Inc. 

to raise awareness in hot spot communities; the Global Rail Alliance for Suicide Prevention to 

share strategies to deter suicides by rail; the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 

Administration to reduce the number of suicides; International Association of Chiefs of Police to 

share ideas with law enforcement; the National Organization of Youth Safety to find ways to 

reach our younger population more effectively; and community groups and leaders who have an 

in-depth knowledge of their local problem areas. 

Through regular contacts on safety matters, Transport Canada, the Department’s counterpart 

agency, is considering options for addressing the railroad trespasser issue in Canada. Transport 

Canada is developing a document addressing the history of the trespassing issue, access controls, 

and policy options for consideration. FRA reviewed Transport Canada’s draft document, shared 

a draft of this report with Transport Canada, and held a teleconference to discuss both 

documents. Transport Canada’s findings are similar to the findings in this report and FRA 

intends to continue collaborating with Transport Canada to share ideas and additional discoveries 

to create a stronger strategy for both agencies. 

Metrics for Success 

The success of this national strategy depends not only on FRA’s actions, but also on the 

resources and actions of other stakeholders. FRA will measure the success of this national 

strategy by the relative levels of stakeholder engagement on the issue and implementation of 

 

23 83 FR, 7842 (Feb. 22, 2018). 
128 

specific mitigation strategies demonstrating a reduction in the number of trespasser accidents at 

identified hot spots. FRA will also measure the success of this national strategy by the overall 

nationwide change in the number of trespassing accidents. 

Implementation Milestones and Timeline by Strategic Area

FRA expects to implement the national strategy, subject to the availability of resources, 

according to the following milestones in Table 8. 

Table 8. Implementation Milestones and Timeline by Strategic Area

Milestone Timeline 

Strategic Area 1. Data Gathering and Analysis 

1. Transition from a regionally managed to a centrally managed datadriven program to support trespasser prevention activities. Complete by January 2019 

2. Identify, through independent analysis and collaboration with 

railroads and other stakeholders, known and new data sources that 

could better identify trespasser hot spots or risk factors that lead to 

trespassing. 

Start by January 2019 

3. Explore statutory, regulatory, or other authorities to protect 

railroad near-hit and close-call data from disclosure. 

Start in FY 2019 

4. Identify, through collaboration with railroads as appropriate, 

existing and potential new analytical tools (including risk models) 

to effectively analyze trespasser data. 

Start by January 2019 

5. Develop an FRA trespass risk model to identify current and future 

risk of rail trespassing in communities across the country (identify 

hot spots). 

Complete by 

December 2019 

6. Use developed risk model to perform initial risk assessments on 

identified hot spots. 

Complete by January 2020 

7. Consider changes to accident and incident reporting regulations to 

improve rail trespasser data. Propose rule, if changes justified. 

Complete by FY 2020 

Strategic Area 2. Community Site Visits 

8. Develop system of communicating currently available data to 

FRA regions for targeted local grade crossing and trespasser 

prevention program inspector and specialist actions. 

Complete by March 2019 

9. Develop standard operating practices and procedures for FRA 

community site visits, reporting, and monitoring effectiveness of 

any mitigation strategy employed. 

Complete by June 2019 

10. Assign regional assets to identified hot spots and arm them with 

data necessary to engage railroads, police, and local governments 

in partnerships to identify location specific causal factors and 

assist with identifying and implementing mitigation strategies. 

Begin implementing 

July 2019 
129 

Table 8. Implementation Milestones and Timeline by Strategic Area

Milestone Timeline 

Strategic Area 3. Funding 

11. Work through the Executive and Congressional budget cycles and 

reauthorization process to identify funds to strengthen grant 

programs that provide funding for trespasser mitigation, such as 

engineering solutions, law enforcement overtime, school resource 

officers, or outreach. 

Begin during FY 2019 

12. Work through the Executive and Congressional budget cycles to 

identify funds for a national trespasser public service 

announcement campaign. Develop a series of announcements for 

distribution in targeted areas with high number of trespassing 

accidents. 

Begin during FY 2019 

13. Work through the Executive and Congressional budget cycles to 

identify funds to enable advocacy organizations to develop 

focused surveys of communities where trespasser incidents have 

been a persistent problem. Additional funding will be used to 

develop forms to collect information from the surveys, establish a 

database, and prepare reports for the communities and FRA. 

Begin during FY 2019 

14. Provide information on availability and process for applying for 

various forms of FRA grants and other funding (e.g., law 

enforcement and CRISI grants) during focused surveys and 

outreach. 

When funding becomes 

available 

Strategic Area 4. Partnerships 

15. Develop system of sharing trespasser hot spot data with advocacy 

organizations to focus their activities where they will yield the 

greatest return on investment and establish communication and 

reporting procedures to share information and provide feedback 

on effectiveness of efforts. 

Complete by April 2019 

16. Collaborate and partner with government agencies, such as the 

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, to 

develop and implement targeted outreach to address suicides by 

train. 

As appropriate, collaborate with international organizations, such 

as the Global Rail Alliance for Suicide Prevention, to share ideas 

on effective strategies to deter suicides by rail. 

Complete by 

December 2020 

17. Partner with law enforcement and other organizations (e.g., the 

International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National 

Organization of Youth Safety) to collaborate on effective trespass 

prevention and mitigation measures (e.g., the enforcement of 

trespass laws, methods to raise awareness and reach a younger 

population to more effectively prevent trespassing). 

January 2019 – 

December 2019 
130 

Table 8. Implementation Milestones and Timeline by Strategic Area

Milestone Timeline 

18. Partner with the leaders of local communities to improve trespass 

prevention. Initially, FRA will communicate directly with the 

leadership of counties identified as having the highest number of 

railroad trespasser casualties. 

Start by July 2019 

19. Host trespasser prevention summits in each of the top 10 counties. 

Summits will include local community leaders, law enforcement, 

railroads, and the public. 

Complete by July 2020 

20. Assist other agencies and organizations in developing and 

targeting trespasser prevention outreach campaigns to localities 

identified as trespassing hot spots. 

Complete by July 2020