[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 190 (Friday, October 1, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60863-60864]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-24702]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration


Safety Advisory 2010-02

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of Safety Advisory; Signal Recording Devices for 
Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Active Warning Systems that are 
Interconnected with Highway Traffic Signal Systems.

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SUMMARY: FRA is issuing Safety Advisory 2010-02 to address Safety 
Recommendations I-96-10 and I-96-11, issued by the National 
Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) that relate to railroad and highway 
signal recording devices at highway-rail grade crossings equipped with 
active warning systems that are interconnected with highway traffic 
signal systems. This safety advisory recommends that States, local 
highway authorities, and railroads install, maintain, and upgrade 
railroad and highway traffic signal recording devices at these types of 
grade crossings. This safety advisory also recommends that States, 
local highway authorities, and railroads conduct comprehensive periodic 
joint inspections of highway traffic signal pre-emption 
interconnections and use information obtained from any railroad and 
highway traffic signal recording devices during those inspections.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ron Ries, Staff Director, Highway-Rail 
Grade Crossing & Trespasser Prevention Division, FRA, RRS-23, Mail Stop 
25, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: (202) 
493-6285); Thomas McFarlin, Staff Director, Signal & Train Control 
Division, FRA, RRS-13, Mail Stop 25, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 
Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: (202) 493-6203); or Kathy Shelton, 
Office of Chief Counsel, FRA, RCC-11, Mail Stop 10, 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: (202) 493-6063).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In Safety Recommendation I-96-10, the NTSB 
recommended that DOT require the use and maintenance of railroad and 
highway traffic signal recording devices at all new and improved 
highway-rail grade crossings equipped with active warning systems that 
are interconnected with highway traffic signal systems. These devices 
should be capable of recording sufficient parameters to allow railroad 
and highway personnel to readily determine that the highway traffic 
signals and railroad active warning systems are operating properly and 
in a coordinated manner. The NTSB further recommended that DOT require 
the use of information obtained from these railroad and highway traffic 
signal recording devices during comprehensive and periodic joint 
inspections.
    In Safety Recommendation I-96-11, the NTSB recommended that DOT 
require the retention or upgrading of existing recording devices 
installed at highway-rail grade crossings equipped with active railroad 
warning systems that are interconnected with highway traffic signal 
systems. In addition, the NTSB recommended that DOT require maintenance 
of these recording devices and the use of information obtained from the 
devices during comprehensive and periodic joint inspections.
    Highway traffic signal pre-emption interconnections, when present, 
play a critical role in the proper functioning of a highway-rail grade 
crossing active warning system. By changing the sequence of the traffic 
signal to allow highway traffic to exit the crossing prior to the 
arrival of a train, they can prevent vehicle entrapment on the highway-
rail grade crossing. Also, the changed traffic signal sequence prevents 
conflicting visual traffic control messages for motorists approaching 
highway-rail grade crossings located in close proximity to highway 
traffic control signals (i.e., a proceed highway traffic signal display 
into a nearby highway-rail grade crossing active warning system which 
is activated to indicate the approach or occupancy of a train).
    In order to facilitate the proper functioning of the highway 
traffic signal pre-emption interconnection, 49 CFR 234.261 requires 
that railroads test each highway traffic signal pre-emption 
interconnection at least once each month. Therefore, States, local 
highway authorities, and railroads should identify which highway-rail 
grade crossings are equipped, or intended to be equipped, with a 
highway traffic signal pre-emption interconnection. If so equipped, 
railroads should ensure that the circuit plan shows the actual 
interconnection and the designed pre-emption time. Railroads should 
also ensure that the interconnection is in place and the train 
detection device (or equivalent) is programmed or equipped to provide 
the appropriate designed pre-emption function.
    While FRA regulations require the testing of highway traffic signal 
pre-emption interconnections at least once a month, this requirement 
has historically only been applicable to the proper functioning of the 
railroad's control circuit to the highway traffic controller. While 
inspecting the highway traffic signal pre-emption interconnection, the 
actual operation of the highway traffic signal should be observed. 
Railroads should not rely solely on the operation of a relay or the 
opening of a control circuit to the traffic signal control housing. In 
fact, the preferred method of testing highway traffic signal pre-
emption is by observation of a train movement and of the actual pre-
emption function. Therefore, FRA recommends that railroads conduct 
comprehensive joint inspections of the highway traffic signal pre-
emption interconnection with State and local highway authorities. These 
comprehensive joint inspections should be conducted when the highway-
rail grade crossing active warning system is placed in service, 
whenever any portion of the system which may affect the proper function 
of the interconnection is modified or disarranged, and at least once 
every 12 months, during which observation of the actual pre-emption 
function and its effect on the highway traffic signal system can be 
made. These comprehensive periodic joint inspections should also 
include an inspection of the timing and operation of highway traffic 
signal systems that are interconnected with highway-rail grade crossing 
active warning devices, in order to ensure that the highway traffic 
signal system responds appropriately to the railroad control circuit 
and as designed. By conducting comprehensive periodic joint 
inspections, the railroad and State and local highway authorities can 
work together to observe and verify proper functioning of all necessary 
components of the highway traffic signal pre-emption upon activation of 
the highway-rail grade crossing active warning system.
    Neither the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) nor FRA require 
the retention or installation of railroad or highway signal recording 
devices at highway-rail grade crossings

[[Page 60864]]

equipped with active warning systems that are interconnected with 
highway traffic signal systems. However, in recognition of the critical 
role served by highway traffic signal pre-emption interconnections with 
respect to the proper functioning of a highway-rail grade crossing 
active warning system, States, local highway authorities, and railroads 
are encouraged to install railroad and highway traffic signal recording 
devices at all new and improved highway-rail grade crossings that have 
(or will have) active warning systems which are (or will be) 
interconnected with highway traffic signal systems. Railroad and 
highway traffic signal recording devices can provide a record of any 
anomalies associated with the operation of the highway-rail grade 
crossing active warning system and/or the highway traffic signal 
system, which may prompt further investigation. Thus, as noted by the 
NTSB, these recording devices should be capable of recording sufficient 
parameters to allow railroad and highway personnel to readily determine 
that the highway traffic signals and railroad-activated warning systems 
are coordinated and operating properly.
    States, local highway authorities, and railroads are also 
encouraged to maintain and upgrade existing railroad and highway 
traffic signal recording devices at highway-rail grade crossings that 
have active warning systems which are interconnected with highway 
signal systems. With respect to signal recording devices for highway-
rail grade crossing active warning systems, older devices can record 
basic information such as approach time and estimated train speed. 
However, current signal recording devices for highway-rail grade 
crossing active warning systems can monitor a variety of system 
functions and provide reports on the ``health'' of the warning system, 
such as the status of the flashing light units, gate position, power 
supply, the presence of any grounded circuits, etc. Many modern traffic 
signal systems feature software that includes various event logs that 
get recorded in the traffic signal controller itself. These event logs 
are periodically retrieved by the central system software. Among the 
data retrieved would be any observed conflicts or preempts, as well as 
logs and diagnostics on the vehicle detector in-pavement ``loops''. 
Recognizing that data provided by signal recording devices can assist 
States, local highway authorities, and railroads with the maintenance 
of interconnected highway-rail grade crossing active warning systems 
and highway traffic signal systems, FRA recommends that States, local 
highway authorities, and railroads use the data provided by these 
recording devices during their comprehensive periodic joint inspections 
to determine whether further investigation of any recorded operational 
anomalies may be warranted. It should be noted that railroad and 
highway traffic signal recording devices may be eligible for funding 
through FHWA's Railway-Highway Crossings Program (23 USC 130).
    Recommended Action: Based on the foregoing discussion and to 
promote the safety of highway-rail grade crossings on the Nation's 
railroads, FRA recommends the following:
    (1) Each State and local highway authority and railroad should 
conduct comprehensive joint inspections of highway traffic signal pre-
emption interconnections when the highway-rail grade crossing active 
warning system is placed in service, whenever any portion of the system 
which may affect the proper function of the interconnection is modified 
or disarranged, and at least once every 12 months, during which 
observation of the actual pre-emption function and its effect on the 
highway traffic signal system can be made;
    (2) Each State and local highway authority and railroad should 
install railroad and highway traffic signal recording devices at all 
new and improved highway-rail grade crossings that have active warning 
systems which are interconnected with highway traffic signal systems;
    (3) Each State and local highway authority and railroad should 
maintain and upgrade existing railroad and highway traffic signal 
recording devices at highway-rail grade crossings that have active 
warning systems which are interconnected with highway traffic signal 
systems; and
    (4) Each State and local highway authority and railroad should use 
the data provided by railroad and highway traffic signal recording 
devices during their comprehensive periodic joint inspections of 
interconnected highway-rail grade crossing active warning systems and 
highway traffic signal systems to determine whether further 
investigation of any recorded operational anomalies may be warranted.

States and local highway authorities and railroads are encouraged to 
take action consistent with the preceding recommendations to help 
ensure the safety of highway-rail grade crossings. FRA may modify this 
Safety Advisory 2010-02, or take other appropriate action necessary, to 
ensure the highest level of safety on the Nation's railroads.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on September 27, 2010.
Jo Strang,
Associated Administrator for Railroad Safety/Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2010-24702 Filed 9-30-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P