Keeping Railroads

and the Public Safe

The mission of the Federal Railroad 

Administration (FRA) is to enable 

the safe, reliable and efficient 

movement of people and goods for 

a strong America, now and in the 

future.

Get 

HELP! 

Use the Blue 

ENS Sign 

 

Get 

HELP! 

Use the Blue 

ENS Sign 

HIGHWAY-RAIL GRADE 

CROSSINGS

EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM (ENS)

In Case of Emergency

 Locate the blue and white Emergency 

Notification System (ENS) sign at the grade 

crossing. 

 Call for help! Call the railroad’s 

emergency contact number listed on the 

blue sign.

 Communicate your location, by 

providing the identification number (see 

below) and state the nature of the 

emergency to the dispatcher. 

The ENS sign includes: 

Emergencies and safety concerns at the grade 

crossing should be reported by using the 

information on the ENS sign.

2

1

2

1 Each railroad’s emergency contact number,

The U.S. Department of Transportation 

(USDOT) National Crossing Inventory 

Number, which identifies the exact location of 

the crossing to the railroads.
Our mission is to enable the safe, reliable and 

efficient movement of people and goods for a 

strong America, now and in the future.

Get to Know the FRA

 Created in 1966 as part of The Department 

of Transportation Act

 One of ten agencies that make up USDOT

 Led by an administrator, appointed by the 

President of the United States and confirmed 

by the United States Senate. FRA has eight 

regional offices across the nation

 Employs a diverse workforce to accomplish 

its mission

Protecting People and Railroads

The FRA is the chief safety regulator for all 

passenger and freight railroads nationwide. We 

accomplish our mission through:

 A rigorous oversight and inspection program 

based on strategic use of data

 Advancing proactive approaches for early 

identification and mitigation of risk

 Capital investments and a robust research 

and development program

The FRA advances market-based rail 

improvements. Today, we manage a portfolio 

that includes grants and loans, laying a solid 

foundation of sustainable, long-term rail 

improvements. 

ABOUT THE FEDERAL RAILROAD 

 ADMINISTRATION (FRA)

Emergency Notification System

To improve highway-rail crossing safety, the 

FRA now requires each railroad to have an 

Emergency Notification System (ENS), allowing 

emergency response center staff to identify 

crossing locations and railroad contacts for 

reporting safety problems and emergency 

situations.

 Look for a blue-and-white emergency 

notification sign. 

 The ENS sign should be posted near the 

crossing and clearly visible. It includes the 

name of the railroad, the railroad’s 

emergency contact number, and the USDOT 

National Crossing Inventory Number. 

 Using the information on the ENS sign is 

the quickest way to notify the railroad.

A USDOT National Crossing Inventory Number 

is a unique number that is assigned to each 

grade crossing and can be used to obtain 

valuable information.

The National Law Enforcement Terminal 

Systems (NLETS) has joined the FRA to make 

a mirror image of FRA’s highway-rail grade 

crossing database. Using the USDOT National 

Crossing Inventory Number, and NLETS will 

provide the first responder’s agency instant 

access to FRA’s database. 

More Resources

FRA has created the “Rail Safety for 

Emergency Responders” informational video 

series. Visit https://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/

P0850 or contact Michail Grizkewitsch at 

michail.grizkewitsch@dot.gov for further 

information.