Toward Railroad Trespassing Solutions TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD 2019 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE*

TR NEWSJuly–August 2019 NUMBER 322 Toward Railroad Trespassing Solutions TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD 2019 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE*

Chair: Victoria A. Arroyo, Executive Director, Georgetown Climate Center; Assistant Dean, Centers and Institutes; and Professor and Director, Environmental Law Program, Georgetown University Law Center, The National Academy of Sciences was Washington, D.C. established in 1863 by an Act of Congress, Vice Chair: Leslie Richards, Secretary, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Harrisburg signed by President Lincoln, as a private, Executive Director: Neil J. Pedersen, Transportation Research Board nongovernmental institution to advise the TR nation on issues related to science and tech- Michael F. Ableson, Vice President, Global Strategy, General Motors, Detroit, Michigan nology. Members are elected by their peers Carlos M. Braceras, Executive Director, Utah Department of Transportation, Salt Lake City for outstanding contributions to research. Ginger Evans, President, Tower Consulting, LLC, Arlington, Virginia Nuria I. Fernandez, General Manager and CEO, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, San Jose, Dr. Marcia McNutt is president. California TR The National Academy of Engineering was Nathaniel P. Ford, Sr., Executive Director–CEO, Jacksonville Transportation Authority, Jacksonville, Florida A. Stewart Fotheringham, Professor, School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning, Arizona State established in 1964 under the charter of the University, Tempe National Academy of Sciences to bring the Susan Hanson, Distinguished University Professor Emerita, Graduate School of Geography, Clark University, practices of engineering to advising the na- Worcester, Massachusetts tion. Members are elected by their peers for Stephen W. Hargarten, Professor, Emergency Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee extraordinary contributions to engineering. Chris T. Hendrickson, Hamerschlag University Professor of Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Dr. John L. Anderson is president. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania S. Jack Hu, Vice President for Research and J. Reid and Polly Anderson Professor of Manufacturing, University The National Academy of Medicine of Michigan, Ann Arbor (formerly the Institute of Medicine) was Roger B. Huff, President, HGLC, LLC, Farmington Hills, Michigan Ashby Johnson, Executive Director, Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, New York established in 1970 under the charter of Geraldine Knatz, Professor, Sol Price School of Public Policy, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of the National Academy of Sciences to advise Southern California, Los Angeles the nation on medical and health issues. William Kruger, Vice President, Fleet Maintenance and Engineering, UPS Freight, Richmond, Virginia Members are elected by their peers for Michael R. McClellan, Vice President, Strategic and Network Planning, Norfolk Southern Corporation, distinguished contributions to medicine Norfolk, Virginia and health. Dr. Victor J. Dzau is president. Melinda McGrath, Executive Director, Mississippi Department of Transportation, Jackson Patrick K. McKenna, Director, Missouri Department of Transportation, Jefferson City The three Academies work together as the Brian Ness, Director, Idaho Transportation Department, Boise National Academies of Sciences, Engineer- Susan A. Shaheen, Adjunct Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering; Co-Director, Transportation ing, and Medicine to provide independent, Sustainability Research Center; Director, Innovative Mobility Research, University of California, Berkeley James M. Tien, Distinguished Professor and Dean Emeritus, College of Engineering, University of Miami, objective analysis and advice to the nation Coral Gables, Florida and conduct other activities to solve complex Shawn Wilson, Secretary, Louisiana Department of Transportation, Baton Rouge problems and inform public policy decisions. The National Academies also encourage Ronald Batory, Administrator, Federal Railroad Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, Santa Fe, education and research, recognize outstand- New Mexico (ex officio) ing contributions to knowledge, and increase Michael R. Berube, Acting Assistant Secretary for Sustainable Transportation, U.S. Department of Energy, public understanding in matters of science, Washington, D.C. (ex officio) Mark H. Buzby (Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy), Administrator, Maritime Administration, U.S. Department of engineering, and medicine. Transportation (ex officio) Learn more about the National Academies Steven Cliff, Deputy Executive Officer, California Air Resources Board, Sacramento (ex officio) Edward N. Comstock, Independent Naval Architect, Davidson, North Carolina (ex officio) of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine at Howard R. Elliott, Administrator, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, U.S. Department www.nationalacademies.org. of Transportation (ex officio) Daniel K. Elwell, Acting Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation The Transportation Research Board is one (ex officio) of seven major programs of the National Diana Furchtgott-Roth, Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology, Office of the Secretary of Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Transportation, Washington, D.C. (ex officio) Medicine. The mission of the Transportation LeRoy Gishi, Chief, Division of Transportation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior, Research Board is to increase the benefits Germantown, Maryland (ex officio) that transportation contributes to society John T. Gray II, Senior Vice President, Policy and Economics, Association of American Railroads, Washington, D.C. (ex officio) by providing leadership in transportation Nikola Ivanov, Director of Operations, Center for Advanced Transportation Technology Laboratory, innovation and progress through research University of Maryland, College Park, and Chair, TRB Young Members Council (ex officio) and information exchange, conducted within Heidi King, Deputy Administrator and Acting Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a setting that is objective, interdisciplinary, U.S. Department of Transportation (ex officio) and multimodal. The Board’s varied activities Raymond Martinez, Administrator, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Washington, D.C. (ex officio) annually engage about 7,000 engineers, sci- Nicole Nason, Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, Washington, D.C. entists, and other transportation researchers Craig A. Rutland, U.S. Air Force Pavement Engineer, U.S. Air Force Civil Engineer Center, Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida (ex officio) and practitioners from the public and private Karl Schultz (Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard), Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard, Washington, D.C. sectors and academia, all of whom contrib- Karl Simon, Director, Transportation and Climate Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (ex officio) ute their expertise in the public interest. The Paul Skoutelas, President and CEO, American Public Transportation Association, Washington, D.C. (ex officio) program is supported by state transportation Scott A. Spellmon (Major General, U.S. Army), Deputy Commanding General for Civil and Emergency departments, federal agencies including Operations, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg, Mississippi (ex officio) the component administrations of the U.S. Katherine F. Turnbull, Executive Associate Director and Research Scientist, Texas A&M Transportation Department of Transportation, and other Institute, College Station (ex officio, Past Chair, 2018) organizations and individuals interested in Jim Tymon, Executive Director, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, Washington, D.C. (ex officio) the development of transportation. K. Jane Williams, Acting Administrator, Federal Transit Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation (ex officio) Learn more about the Transportation

Research Board at www.TRB.org. * Membership as of May 2019. NEWS 8 23 TR Number 322 / July–August 2019

TR 30 36 3 Toward Railroad Trespassing Solutions Robert L. Sumwalt The July–August issue of TR News examines the data behind railroad trespassing fatalities, as well as countermeasures and research to reduce the rates of these deaths. The limitations of current interventions, from design solutions to procedures and rules, demonstrate the trespassing challenge: systemwide, the most beneficial interventions are seen as hard to implement on a large scale. But dogged research efforts and technological innovations open new opportunities for trespassing prevention, helping the railroad 23 Rail Trespassing and Suicide: What industry implement the most effective safety solutions. Can Be Done to Improve Safety? 8 Scope and Trend of U.S. Rail Grigore M. Havârneanu and Kurt Topel Trespassing and Suicide Fatalities The authors identify established, effective countermeasures for preventing and mitigating rail trespassing and suicide, Kurt Topel along with examples of the types of countermeasures as well For the past 50 years, freight and passenger rail in the United as the research supporting them. Based on the RESTRAIL States has been very safe for employees and passengers, and (REduction of Suicides and Trespasses on RAILway Property) deaths of motorists at highway–rail crossings have decreased research project in Europe, this article offers information considerably since the mid-1970s. This same reduction in on what can be done to prevent injury and death from rail fatalities has not been realized for rail trespassing and suicide, trespassing and suicide. however; these rates have remained constant. The author frames the challenge of trespassing on America’s railroads, examining similarities and differences between accidental 30 Artificial Intelligence–Aided trespassing and suicide, research gaps, and why policy makers Automated Detection of Railroad must devote more attention to this urgent problem. Trespassing 11 FRA’s Total Fatalities Figures Asim F. Zaman, Baozhang Ren, and Xiang Liu Do Not Count All Deaths Large volumes of surveillance video data deployed in the Kurt Topel railroad industry open many possibilities for detecting and preventing unsafe trespassing on railroad tracks. Monitoring 16 Development, Implementation, and these data is highly time- and resource-consuming, however. In this article, authors describe an artificial intelligence (AI) Evaluation of a Community-Based framework that automatically detects trespassing events in Trespass Prevention Model real time. The data from studies of the AI system can help Marco P. daSilva, Michail Grizkewitsch, and researchers understand human factors in railroad safety and Francesco Bedini Jacobini can offer a real-time edge in tackling the critical challenges of railroad trespassing. Most trespassing casualties can be avoided. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and its safety partners conducted studies to better target and implement outreach, public education, and law enforcement efforts. The results, along with national workshops, led to the Community Trespass Prevention Guide, which documents a collaborative, step-by-step problem-solving approach for local communities, as well as the Community, Analysis, Response, and Evaluation—or CARE—model. In this article, the research and process that led to CARE are outlined, along with real-world demonstrations of the model. 18 Railroad Fatalities in the United States: 2012–2017 COVER Examined in this issue of TR News is the challenge of railroad Steve Laffey trespassing, from the scope of the problem to countermeasures and research to prevent injuries and deaths. (Photo: Pixabay) Coming Next Issue

In the September–October 2019 issue of TR News, authors examine the many facets of the transportation workforce: transportation agencies and their labor force, from consultants to operators to contractors; demographic, technological, and socioeconomic changes; research for roadmaps and mission plans; and practical strategies and tactics to address challenges.

A poster advertising careers with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. The transportation workforce is the topic of the September–October

issue of TR News. Photo: Elvert Barnes

36 Safety Education and Community Also in This Issue: Outreach Initiatives for Trespasser 39 News Briefs Prevention: Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road 40 Profiles Justin Vonashek, Deidre Mitchell, Lori Ebbighausen, Karl Anne Goodchild, University of Washington, and Lisa Staes, University of South Florida Center for Urban Transportation Meyer, and Linda Katz Research Through the Together Railroads and Communities Keeping Safe program, Metro-North Railroad and Long Island Rail 42 TRB Highlights Road in New York work with MTA Police Department to Systemic Pedestrian Safety Analysis: NCHRP Report 893, promote safe behaviors at or around railroad grade crossings by Ann M. Hartell, Libby Thomas, and Laura Sandt, page 42 and tracks. Since the program was implemented, fatalities on Long Island Rail Road have decreased by 50% and trespasser Inaugural African Linear Infrastructure and Ecology Conference, strikes on Metro-North have decreased by 33%. Community by Christine Gerencher, page 43 outreach efforts and safety education, at the core of TRACKS, are explored in this article. 45 Bookshelf 47 Calendar

Transportation Research Board telephone 202-334-3216, fax 202-334-2519. TR NEWS Neil J. Pedersen, Executive Director Periodicals postage paid at Washington, D.C. features articles on innovative and timely research Russell W. Houston, Associate Executive Director and development activities in all modes of Ann M. Brach, Director, Technical Activities Postmaster: Send changes of address to TR News, transportation. Brief news items of interest to the Thomas R. Menzies, Jr., Director, Consensus and Transportation Research Board, 500 Fifth Street, transportation community are also included, along Advisory Studies NW, Washington, DC 20001. with profiles of transportation professionals, meeting Gary J. Walker, Director, Administration and Finance Notice: The opinions expressed in articles announcements, summaries of new publications, and Christopher J. Hedges, Director, Cooperative appearing in TR News are those of the authors news of Transportation Research Board activities. Research Programs and do not necessarily reflect the views of TR News is produced by TR News (ISSN 0738-6826) is issued bimonthly by the Transportation Research Board. The Transportation Research Board the Transportation Research Board, 500 Fifth Street, Transportation Research Board and TR News do Publications Staff NW, Washington, DC 20001. Internet address: not endorse products or manufacturers. Trade and Eileen P. Delaney, Director of Publications www.TRB.org. manufacturers’ names appear in an article only Lea Camarda, Editor because they are considered essential. Editorial Correspondence: By mail to the Heidi Willis, Associate Editor Printed in the United States of America. Jennifer G. Correro, Assistant Editor Publications Office, Transportation Research Board, 500 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001, by Copyright © 2019 National Academy of Sciences. TR News Editorial Board telephone 202-334-2986, by fax 202-334-3495, or All rights reserved. For permissions, contact TRB. Christine L. Gerencher, Chair by e-mail [email protected]. Camille Crichton-Sumners Waseem Dekelbab Subscriptions: North America: 1 year $75; single Karen S. Febey issue $19. Overseas: 1 year $100; single issue Nelson H. Gibson $19 plus shipping. Inquiries or communications Edward T. Harrigan concerning new subscriptions, subscription Micah Himmel problems, or single-copy sales should be addressed Katherine Kortum to the Business Office at the address below,TR or Toward Railroad Trespassing Solutions

ational Transportation Safety a movie scene on a railroad bridge near ROBERT L. SUMWALT Board (NTSB) board members Jesup, Georgia, when a northbound CSX and staff constantly survey freight train approached. The train struck a The author is Chairman, National the state of the literature on metal-framed bed that was being used as Transportation Safety Board, transportation safety topics, a prop in the scene. Debris from the prop Nbut our unique contribution to that struck crew members on the bridge walk- Washington, D.C. literature comes from accident investiga- way, killing one and injuring six. tions—case studies. We have investigated Why would CSX authorize such activity every aviation accident that occurred without stopping train movements? It since the Board was founded in 1967. In didn’t. On multiple occasions, the film- other modes of transportation, including makers had asked in writing for permission railroad transportation, we investigate to film on CSX property. CSX had denied selected accidents. the requests, also in writing. Safety recommendations are the action The film crew was trespassing on the items that stem from NTSB investigations. railroad tracks. In the 1970s, an NTSB recommenda- As the train approached, some film tion helped lead to the founding of the crew members ran to safety off the bridge, national organization Operation Lifesaver, while others made for the bridge walkway. Inc., which raises railroad safety awareness One or more of the crew members lifted among the public. the metal bed frame from the tracks and

National Transportation Safety Board National Transportation In recent years, we have investigated stood it upright next to the tracks, but railroad accidents involving trespassers in the prop fell back down. The train struck Above: Railroad trespassing injuries Jesup, Georgia, and Ellicott City, Maryland. the prop at about 56 mph—in a section and deaths have prompted a new look of track that had a maximum authorized at prevention. The articles in this issue Jesup, Georgia speed of 70 mph. of TR News explore data, research, countermeasures, and technology for On February 20, 2014, at about 4:30 p.m., NTSB determined that the probable railroad trespassing prevention. a crew of at least 12 people was filming cause of the accident was the film crew’s TR TR NEWS July–August 2019 › 3 2015 NTSB Trespassing Forum BACKGROUND On railroads, more people lose their lives accidentally to trespassing than to any other cause. In the wake of the Jesup and Ellicott City tragedies, a conversation about railroad trespassing began at NTSB. Trespassing is so common that engineers and conductors report being told in training that, over the course of a career, they will kill somebody. I am not certain whether any other line of work comes with such a dire prediction. Trespassing casualties occur one or two at a time. Often, the train cannot stop and trains cannot turn to avoid the trespasser. For NTSB, an effective recommenda- tion to deter trespassers might result in a law—but a law against trespassing already has been enacted. An effective recommen- dation to reach the public might result in an outreach campaign—but NTSB already Photo: Mike Haw, Flickr has played a role in the creation of Opera- In 2012, a train derailed on a railroad bridge in Ellicott City, Maryland, dumping its payload and tion Lifesaver. killing two teens who were trespassing on the bridge tracks. By 2015, our Office of Railroad, Pipeline, and Hazardous Materials Inves- tigations had its hands full with railroad unauthorized entry onto the CSX right- Before the derailment, two people accident investigations, including speci- of-way with personnel and equipment, had climbed over a short wooden fence fication U.S. DOT-111 tank cars erupting despite CSX Transportation’s repeated and had entered CSX property within fireballs and mass casualty accidents denial of permission to access the rail- out authorization to access the railroad that would have been prevented by the road property. bridge, on which they were sitting when implementation of positive train control Following this incident, NTSB recom- the derailment occurred. Both were killed (PTC)—a project which, at this writing, mended that a variety of entertainment by the spilled coal. industry organizations work together NTSB determined along with Operation Lifesaver to create the cause of the and distribute educational materials. These derailment—a broken materials emphasize that railroads require rail—but did not spe- the owner’s permission to enter and that, cifically mention the if authorization is given, everyone on role of trespassing scene must follow the railroad’s safety in its statement of procedures to reduce hazards. probable cause. Ellicott City, Maryland On August 20, 2012, a CSX coal train Laws and outreach derailed its first 21 cars while crossing programs to prevent trespassing already the railroad bridge over Main Street are in place in many in Ellicott City, Maryland. Seven of the states. derailed cars fell into a public parking area below the tracks to the north; the remainder of the derailed cars over- turned and spilled coal along the north side of the tracks. Photo: Slyfry91, Wikimedia Commons

4 ‹ TR NEWS July–August 2019 is still incomplete. It was not feasible to prioritize hundreds of such single-fatality accidents; taken together, however, these accidents represent the bulk of all life lost on our railroads.

FORUM TAKEAWAYS In March 2015, we held a public forum, “Trains and Trespassing: Ending Deadly Encounters.” We heard presentations from the railroads, Operation Lifesaver, the government, and the research community. Then, as now, there was no such thing as a typical trespasser. Then, as now, railroads and train tracks exercised a glam- Photo: National Archives and Records Administration orous pull. At our forum, a film industry A Western movie is filmed on a set of train tracks in 1918. America’s love affair with representative went into depth on the trains has existed for as long as railroads have existed. American love affair with trains and the use of trains and tracks in motion pictures. trains at and around stations, for exam- The third- and fourth-tier solutions We also had the opportunity to discuss ple. The more recent the construction of traditionally have been viewed as practical: amateur photography and filming such as the station and surrounding infrastruc- alerting to the imminent hazard (that is, selfies and web video. ture, the more likely that somebody has effective signage) and implementing pro- Then, as now, some trespassers thought of the design with pedestrian cedures and rules. For a problem affecting showed no indication of glamorizing trains safety in mind. the general population, the latter solution and tracks; they simply trespassed on their Like design, the second most preferred takes the form of laws, enforcement, and way to and from work or school or walked intervention—installing guards against the public awareness, as much as the rules and along the right-of-way because it was the trespassing hazard (for example, fencing)— procedures followed by the railroad itself. only easily walkable surface. typically is not envisioned as a systemwide I raise the system safety order of pre- Then, as now, the same number of intervention. Also, without public recogni- cedence not because it is the traditional or casualties occur year after year—approx- tion of the hazard, fencing can be defeat- even the most salient way to view trespass- imately 1,000. About one-half of annual ed—where it exists at all. ing, but because it illustrates the assumed trespasser casualties still are fatal. At NTSB, we investigate accidents in transportation; nonetheless, railroad suicides, whose numbers are compiled separately by the Federal Railroad Administration, continue to account for hundreds of additional fatalities every year. And then, as now, trespasser deaths and injuries struck all age cohorts and all walks of life. The persistent stubbornness of this safety challenge is matched only by the diversity of trespassers themselves and trespassing incidents. Perspectives on Trespassing BROAD CHALLENGE From a system safety perspective, the most preferred intervention—“designing out” the problem—is attempted only at limited locations. We see new design Photo: Kabeller_David Gubler, Wikimedia Commons solutions that keep people separated from The vastness of the nation’s rail system demands that we examine new approaches to trespassing prevention.

TR NEWS July–August 2019 › 5 status of the trespassing challenge: system- pear to have a floor given the interventions In contrast, the family of an injured wide, the most effective interventions are attempted to date. or killed railroad trespasser quickly learns treated as impractical on a grand scale and Yet unlike some other safety challenges that, by definition, their loved one had applicable only to select hot spots. that also are crimes—drinking and driving, only him- or herself to blame. The family Viewed through the more familiar lens for example—trespassing raises little social can request action by the railroad, but of the engineering–education–enforce- outcry. A striking train can be, and often they cannot demand it. Their options are ment approach—the three E’s—these are is, operated by a perfectly compliant train constrained to helping discourage tres- engineering solutions. Although railroads crew. The defining behavior that precedes passing by others. should be applauded for every step that these encounters is the trespassing itself. Sometimes a community mobilizes for a they take to engineer out trespassing at Additionally, as diverse as these en- local design improvement in response to a specific locations, the very ubiquity of counters are, they do have one thing in local tragedy. Proactive, preventive activities railroad tracks forces an unspoken caveat common: they rarely, if ever, harm train against local trespassing often are spon- for every such project: “of course, we can’t occupants physically. Unlike some drunk sored by the railroads themselves. National do this everywhere.” drivers, a trespasser does not take out campaigns, however, focus on awareness an innocent family; they suffer the harm on the part of the potential trespasser. REFOCUSING AWARENESS themselves. (Train crew members fall Perhaps this has to do with blaming the So we arrive at the present status quo: victim to a range of psychological effects, victim—with trespassing, we’ve done it in trespassing is thought of largely as a public however, including but not limited to the very definition of the precipitating event. outreach challenge. This viewpoint is un- post-traumatic stress disorder.) derscored by the fact that the legal onus for The loved ones of a victim of drunk Constraints a trespassing casualty falls on the trespasser. driving can press for harsh penalties. They The harder the constraint, the harder it is Advocacy organizations such as Operation can decry the irresponsible behavior that to implement systemwide. This state of Lifesaver have worked tirelessly to hold the led to their loss. They can join a national affairs is not unique to trespassing, but is line at the present casualty numbers, but as campaign against drunk drivers. Once one that railroad trespassing features in is the case with other transportation safety organized, the moral authority of their stark relief. problems affecting the population at large, losses can be—and has been—the catalyst As the reader will recognize in the the numbers characterizing trespassing ap- for sweeping change. pages to come, however, research into this

Operation Lifesaver and the Three E’s

Operation Lifesaver, Inc., is a nonprofit public safety to keep people safe around railroad tracks and railway education and awareness organization dedicated crossings: to reducing collisions, fatalities, and injuries at Education: Operation Lifesaver provides information highway–rail crossings and lowering rates of › on how to stay safe around railroad property and trespassing on or near railroad tracks. rights-of-way, from rail trespassing laws to facts Operation Lifesaver was founded in 1972, at a time about trains to safe ways to navigate highway–rail when the annual average number of collisions at grade crossings. U.S. highway–rail grade crossings numbered more than 12,000. The organization’s nationwide network › Enforcement: The Grade Crossing Collision of authorized volunteer speakers and trained Investigation course teaches law enforcement instructors offer free rail safety education programs officers and first responders how to ensure their to school groups, driver education classes, and personal safety while responding to rail-collision community audiences, as well as specialized training incidents and during related investigations. for professional drivers, law enforcement officers, › Engineering: Operation Lifesaver supports and and emergency responders. These programs are encourages research on and innovations in cosponsored by federal, state, and local government engineering technologies that can help minimize and agencies; highway safety organizations; and reduce rail-related collision risks. America’s railroads. For more information, visit https://oli.org/about-us. The goal of Operation Lifesaver is to promote the three E’s—education, enforcement, and engineering—

6 ‹ TR NEWS July–August 2019 stubborn safety issue continues. The efforts To get the most out of safety efforts, of the research community, innovative railroads, and public transit rail agencies the railroad industry needs to know what works— are the focus of this issue of TR News. The authors will shine a light on new and the research presented here is an approaches throughout the railroad safety community writ large. They have collect- important place to start. ed research results on trespass mitigations in freight, passenger, commuter, and We know how many people are struck explained. This is also true for many other transit rail. and how many die. Railroad police know transportation safety issues. The existence These run the technological gamut how many trespassers are apprehended of such a law can never be an excuse to from newly poured concrete to intru- and sent away from the property, as well justify complacency. sion detection technology; from security as how many are charged with trespass- As the old saying goes, the definition fencing to drones. Authors have gathered ing—but these numbers are not compiled of insanity is continuing to do the same information on demonstration and pilot across the many transit, freight, and pas- thing and expecting different results. The projects to address security risks associated senger railroads. railroad safety community is fortunate to with trespassers. Furthermore, we don’t have good data be reexamining this issue at a time when Regrettably, progress toward infra- on the total incidence of trespassing—the it is possible to do different things and to structure designed with public safety in base of the pyramid. Are police appre- evaluate what is working and what is not. mind seems likely to be incremental. To hending every tenth trespasser? Every It is my hope that this issue of TR News get the most out of its efforts, the railroad hundredth? Every thousandth? The answer helps to empower engineering, enforce- industry needs to know what works—and would speak to the relative effectiveness of ment, and education solutions to the the research presented here is an import- various railroad policing strategies and the railroads’ statistically deadliest safety issue. ant place to start. resonance of antitrespassing messages. When it comes to detection of tres- The law goes so far as to say that the passers and enhanced enforcement of trespasser is at fault. Given the hazards The TR News Editorial Board thanks Lisa trespassing laws, however, the potential of trespassing, it is right that the activity Staes, Center for Urban Transportation for action is growing. As our railroads is against the law, and the law should Research, and Karen S. Febey and deploy security countermeasures against a be vigorously enforced. The safety view, Claire E. Randall, TRB, for their work whole different class of trespassers—those however, is that the safety issue involves assembling and developing this issue. who would harm others—they are laying a breach of the law—not that it is thereby the same groundwork that can help detain or discourage trespassers who only risk harming themselves. Power of Research and Data Pedestrians routinely carry personal devices that could enable personal technology solutions, particularly if the owners of the devices are incentivized. Data can be collected on a large scale and challenges to gathering raw data no longer seem as insurmountable as suggested by the extensiveness of our rail infrastructure. Even analysis of these data is becoming manageable through artificial intelligence. With all of this technological progress, effective policy about sharing data might be as important as the ability to gather and analyze it. For example, we could learn a great deal about interventions by Photo: National Transportation Safety Board determining the composition of the pyra- Operation Lifesaver, Inc., is an educational awareness campaign, part of the three E’s approach mid of injury specific to trespassing. to reducing rail casualties.

TR NEWS July–August 2019 › 7 Scope and Trend of U.S. Rail Trespassing and Suicide Fatalities

Photo: Kyle Anderson

ccording to the Association Before 2011, Federal Railroad Adminis- KURT TOPEL of American Railroads (AAR), tration (FRA) policy deemed suicides to be “America’s railroads have lower an exception to reporting requirements. The author is a member of the employee injury rates than most Therefore, the number of rail suicide Chicagoland Rail Safety Team, other major industries, including deaths before 2012—the year FRA began Atrucking, airlines, agriculture, mining, man- to release total year figures—is unknown. Wilmette, Illinois. ufacturing and construction—even lower than food stores. … Recent years have been Background the safest on record for the rail sector” Railroads are required to report injuries and (1). These statements are particularly true fatalities to FRA each month, using codes for passengers and employees. Even for to describe the nature of the injured party’s non-passengers, fatalities have decreased, relationship with the railroad and the loca- especially at highway–rail crossings. tion of the incident. For persons receiving This improvement in safety has not rail service (passengers) and providing rail been realized when it comes to railroad service (employees), reports typically des- trespassing away from crossings or inten- ignate the nature of the relationship of the tional acts of suicide. As shown in Figure 1 victim to the railroad. For members of the (page 9), fatalities of occupants of motor non-passenger public, the key designation vehicles at crossings (orange) show a is the location or the intention of the victim; marked and sustained decrease from 1975 for example, highway–rail crossings, tres- until 2010 but are little changed since passing away from crossings, and suicides.1 2010. Pedestrian fatalities—trespassing away from crossings (blue), suicides (pur- Above: Even as highway–rail crossing ple), and pedestrians at crossings (green)— 1 For brevity, “highway–rail crossings” will be fatalities have fallen in recent decades, safety referred to simply as “crossings” in this article. improvements in railroad trespassing have have remained flat since 1975, with gradual “Trespasser away from crossings” will be referred yet to be realized. increase, especially since 2010. to as “trespasser.”

8 ‹ TR NEWS July–August 2019 As in railroad systems throughout the world, most people killed on U.S. railroads 1,200 Occupants of Vehicles at Crossings are members of the public, not passen- Trespassers gers or employees. Only the small slice 1,000 Suicides at the top of the pie in Figure 2 (below) Pedestrians at Crossings represents the deaths of people directly Passengers involved in the railroad business (e.g., 800 passengers, employees, and contractors). Workers Almost all the rest of the fatalities are peo- Non-Trespassers ple who put themselves in danger, either 600 accidentally or intentionally. This applies not only to trespassers and suicides (72%), 400 but also to crossing collisions, as less than 2% of crossing collisions result from the failure of automatic warning devices (2). 200 As stated above, trespassing and suicide comprise almost three-quarters of total U.S. rail fatalities. There has been 0 75 78 76 79 1981 1991 2011 1013 19 1977 19 19 19 1987 1997 1982 1992 1985 1983 1993 1995 2017 1988 2012 1989 2015 1998 1986 1996 1999 1984 2016 1994 2014 1980 1990 2001 2010 20 07 2002 2003 2005 2008 2006 2009 2004 no improvement in the number of these 2000 deaths since 1975. This is in contrast with the dramatic reduction in deaths at FIGURE 1 U.S. annual railroad fatalities since 1975. (Source: FRA Office of Safety) highway–rail crossings over this period, especially for occupants of motor vehicles, as seen in Figure 1. pedestrians, as opposed to those of motor What Works: Attention In terms of fatalities, rail safety prob- vehicle occupants, has increased from ap- and Funding lems increasingly center on pedestrians. proximately 10% of total crossing deaths Railroads have been responsible for the safe- Nearly all trespassers and suicides are in the late 1970s to 35% in the middle ty of individuals who are directly involved in pedestrians; even at crossings, pedestrian 2010s. Although crossings have become railroad operations—that is, passengers and fatalities are growing. Crossing deaths of safer for people in vehicles, they recently employees—and U.S. railroads have invest- have become less safe for pedestrians. ed heavily in safety. According to AAR,

There is a direct correlation between the increase in rail network investments and enhanced safety performance. With record levels 4% of private spending on capital improvements and maintenance 16% Trespassers over the last 5 years and more than $25 billion annually on average, Suicides America’s privately owned freight railroads are at the forefront of Pedestrians at Crossings 8% 44% advancing safety. (1) Vehicle Occupants at Crossings The U.S. rail industry has done a com- mendable job of reducing passenger and Workers, Passengers, All Others employee deaths and injuries and keeping them low. Congress and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) expect 28% that the full implementation of positive train control (PTC) will continue the reduction. PTC is designed primarily to reduce train-to-train collisions and derailments and is unlikely to help reduce injury from FIGURE 2 Types of railroad fatalities annually, 2012–2017. (Source: FRA Office of Safety) trespassing or suicide.

TR NEWS July–August 2019 › 9 These government and industry investments appear to have reduced deaths at crossings from approximately 1,000 per year in the late 1970s to approximately 250 per year in the mid-2010s (Figure 1). These funds can be used only at crossings, however, despite the fact that 74% of trespassing deaths and injuries occur within 1,000 feet of a grade crossing (8). By contrast, almost no federal funding is available for necessary safety improvements away from crossings. Various U.S. Department of Transportation agencies and Photo: Kent Kanouse, Flickr industry groups contribute to Operation Two trains collided while traveling in opposite directions on a single track in Chatsworth, Lifesaver, Inc., and FRA conducts research California; 25 people were killed. Meanwhile, more than 25 people die from rail trespassing every two weeks in the United States. on trespassing and suicide issues, but this total investment is small compared with the amounts spent to improve safety at cross- Although it is always possible for a The cost of PTC is substantial: ings and for employees and passengers. train collision or derailment to cause injury As of the end of 2018, Class I freight As stated above, the railroad industry to the non-passenger public, the impetus railroads in aggregate had spent is spending $10 billion to deploy PTC and for mandating PTC—precipitated by the $10.6 billion—their own funds, not hundreds of millions of dollars annually 2008 collision in Chatsworth, California, taxpayer funds—on PTC develop- to maintain those systems, to address which cost 25 lives2—is the loss of life to ment and deployment. Maintaining 4% of total railroad fatalities—those of passengers. By comparison, more than 25 the PTC systems once they are in- employees and passengers (Figure 2). For lives are lost every two weeks to rail tres- stalled will cost hundreds of millions the 24% of total fatalities that take place passing and suicide in the United States. of additional dollars each year. (3) at crossings, government agencies spend at least $230 million annually and the rail With help from the rail industry, industry spends hundreds of millions of 2 In 2008, in Chatsworth, California, a collision local, state, and federal government dollars (7). between a Metrolink passenger train and a freight agencies have financed rail safety mea- Little investment is reported, however, train occurred after the passenger train engineer, distracted by a personal cellphone, failed to stop sures for members of the non-passenger to prevent the death of those who tres- for a signal. As a result, 25 people on the Metrolink public. The Federal Highway Admin- pass and attempt suicide—the remaining train were killed and 102 were injured. After this istration (FHWA) provides funds to 72% of railroad fatalities. accident, the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 was enacted. For more, see Mitigation and states to improve safety at highway–rail Investigation of Passenger Rail Human Factor crossings. These improvements include Findings and Gaps in Related Accidents and Operations in Terminals and grade separations, closings of crossings, Stations with Stub End Tracks. Federal Register, Vol. Research 81, No. 233, Dec. 5, 2016, pp. 87649–87653. upgraded warning devices, and other To find effective ways of preventing crossing improvements. FHWA Section injuries and deaths away from crossings, 130 funding currently provides more than research is essential. Far less research exists $230 million annually to states (4). Some on preventing U.S. rail trespassing and sui- states, such as Illinois, have raised their cide, especially from industry and academ- own funding in addition to federal fund- ic sources, than on employee, passenger, ing to facilitate crossing improvements. or crossing incidents. Some epidemiologi- In FY 2018, Illinois received $10.9 million Photo: Massachusetts DOT cal information is available from FRA-spon- in Section 130 funding and raised an sored research, however, primarily from additional $39 million (5–6). The U.S. rail incident reporting forms required by FRA industry also provides hundreds of mil- from railroads. lions of dollars each year for grade-cross- Current FRA reporting focuses on ing improvements (7). factors related to the incident and the A newly updated grade crossing in Massachu- injured person to understand the fun- setts includes new signals. Attention to and damentals of trespassing and suicide funding for grade crossing safety has led to incidents. A selection of research findings upgraded crossing infrastructure—and fewer fatalities at these crossings. is summarized in the following pages.

10 ‹ TR NEWS July–August 2019 FRA’s Total Fatalities Figures Do Not Count All Deaths

Statistics are human beings with the tears wiped off. —PAUL BRODEUR, Outrageous Misconduct, 1985

esearchers and reporters should be nation, the railroad reports the casualty This counterintuitive reporting system R careful when quoting official U.S. rail in the appropriate accidental category, tends to complicate analyses, especially fatality figures. Total fatalities reported usually “Trespasser Away from Crossing.”1 for recent data. The largest issue with the are not “totals” in the common meaning Because determinations of suicide are policy of not considering a suicide death of that word. made by local officials, when the railroad to be a fatality, however, is that since Before May 2011, railroads were is alerted to a death by suicide it is di- 2012, 28% of the fatalities that have discouraged from reporting casualties to rected to amend its reporting to the FRA, occurred on the U.S. rail system have the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the data totals are corrected (that is, gone unreported in annual fatality totals. if the victim had intended to kill them- incidents are removed from the catego- One potential consequence of unreported selves (1). Since June 2011, railroads ries for accidental deaths and placed into fatalities is that policy makers may not have been required to report suicides and the category for suicide). The lag in official have the best information about the true attempted suicides to FRA; from 2012 verdicts for recent incidents means that number of rail fatalities, which could affect and 2017, between 275 and 328 suicide trespasser deaths are overstated and funding for addressing right-of-way public fatalities have been reported annually. suicides understated, at least for several safety issues. Despite the change in reporting months after the reporting period. Also, —Kurt Topel requirements, queries of total fatalities because FRA does not include suicides Member, Chicagoland Rail Safety Team, on the FRA website—as well as totals in its totals, the reported Total Fatalities Wilmette, Illinois reported to the Bureau of Transportation number decreases over time (for ap- Statistics; the National Transportation proximately 18 months) as incidents are Author’s Note Safety Board; Operation Lifesaver, Inc.; reclassified as suicides. The FRA policy in place as of March 2019 and news outlets, among others—report Therefore, users of FRA data—wheth- does not count rail suicides as a part of a “Total Fatalities” number that does not er they obtain the data from the reports the Total Fatalities in summary reports. include suicide data. on the FRA website from other transpor- Future FRA policy may include suicides, but FRA data also are hampered by the tation statistics databases—should be it is unknown at this time whether or when an official policy may change, or how it may delay of receiving final verdicts from a cor- aware that, per those reports, Total Fa- affect the issues addressed in this article. oner or medical examiner. The railroads talities are not the sum of all people who are obliged to report casualties to the have died on the rails. To obtain a true FRA on a timely basis, so these reports picture of total rail deaths, the user must REFERENCES often are submitted before local respon- query the FRA database to obtain suicide 1. F ederal Railroad Administration (FRA). sible parties have made a final determi- totals (3) and then add that number to FRA Guide for Preparing Accident/Incident nation of the manner of death. According the reported Total Fatalities number. Reports. Report DOT/FRA/RRS-22. 2003, Chapter 6, p.3. to the FRA Guide for Preparing Accident/ Incident Reports, an injury is an accident 2. FRA. FRA Guide for Preparing Accident/ Incident Reports. Report DOT/FRA/ unless or until a determination of suicide 1 According to figures pulled from the FRA safety RRS-22. 2011, p. 48. is made (2). Absent an official determi- data website in January 2019, total suicide deaths between 2012 and 2017 (1,733) are divided by 3. FRA. Query 4.11: Suicide Casualties by the sum of total reported fatalities (4,471) plus State/Railroad. https://safetydata.fra. unreported fatalities (1,733). Stated another way, dot.gov/OfficeofSafety/publicsite/Query/ reported Total Fatalities are 39% too low. suiabbr.aspx. Accessed March 2019.

TR NEWS July–August 2019 › 11 by age peaks at 19 years old, gradually 90 decreasing into the mid-30’s age range. The number of trespassing victims rises 80 again until age 50, after which it drops precipitously (10). 70 One FRA study reports that the median

60 age of trespassers is 38 (13). This also is the overall median age in the United

50 States, which suggests that the age of persons who die trespassing is similar to the espassing Victims 40 overall age of the population (14).

30 Suicide The mean age of worldwide railroad suicide victims is somewhat con- Number of Tr

20 sistent over several studies: 39 to 45 years old (15). Railroad suicide victims tend 10 to be younger than the average suicide victim by all lethal means (11). 00 Averages can be misleading both for 1357911 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47 49 51 53 55 57 59 61 63 65 67 69 71 73 79 81 83 85 87 89 91 93 95 Age of Trespasser trespassing and for suicide; instead, frequency distributions are more descriptive

FIGURE 3 Age distribution of U.S. trespassing fatalities, 2008–2013 (10). and more helpful for designing countermeasures. For example, FRA compares the distribution of rail suicide decedent age Similarities Between trespassing casualties occur on railroad ranges to the distribution of age ranges in suicides by all means as reported by the Trespassing and Suicide property away from crossings (9). The FRA recently found, however, that 74% of tres- Centers for Disease Control and Preven- Many fatal pedestrian rail deaths, both passing injuries and fatalities occur within tion (see Figure 4, page 13). accidental and intentional, share similar 1,000 feet of a crossing (8). In each of the four younger age data characteristics. One potential expla- ranges, rail suicide is overrepresented; in nation is the possibility that some people GENDER OF DECEDENT each of the five older ranges, rail suicide who intended to cause self-harm may be Both trespassing and suicide fatalities are is underrepresented. At each end of the classified as accidental casualties. heavily weighted toward males. Various distributions, the differences are substan- The mechanisms of classification can studies indicate that males represent more tial. This dissimilarity suggests that efforts understate suicide deaths and overstate than 80% of trespassing fatalities (10).3 designed to reduce rail suicide specifically unintentional trespassing deaths. An injury Rail suicide studies identify males as 72% could be more effective if targeted at a or death is assumed to be an accident in of decedents (11). This ratio is similar to younger audience. the absence of a definite finding by the lo- the male-to-female ratio of 3.54 to 1, or cal responsible official of suicidal intention 78%, in U.S. completed suicides by all DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE on the part of the deceased. Without clear means (12). Several studies indicate that intoxicants evidence of suicidal intention, each local often are present at the time of the inci- authority may have differing thresholds of AGE OF DECEDENT dent both in rail trespassing deaths and certainty—and sometimes the evidence Trespassing Figure 3 (above) shows suicide deaths. Most studies show that at does not necessarily point to a particular the number of trespassing victims by age least 50% of rail trespassing and suicide manner of death. For example, is the group. The number of trespassing victims decedents were intoxicated at the time of presence of alcohol or drug use indicative the incident, compared to 24% of overall of incapacitation (suggesting an acci- suicide decedents (10, 15–16). dent), mental distress, or self-administered 3 FRA collects gender data for crossing fatalities, but analgesia (suggesting suicidal intent)? In not for trespassers. The 2014 FRA report “Trespass Differences Between the absence of certainty, the death often is Event Risk Factors” presents gender data from Trespassing and Suicide ruled accidental. surveys sent to medical examiners and coroners in two FRA-sponsored studies: one conducted by North American Management in 2013, TEMPORAL CONSIDERATIONS LOCATION which found that 82% of decedents in railroad- Fatal trespassing accidents tend to be Eighty-eight percent of suicides occur trespassing incidents were male, and an earlier more frequent on Saturdays and Sundays, study by Cadle Creek Consulting in 2008, which along the right-of-way. By definition, all found that 87% of decedents were male. whereas rail suicide tends to be more fre-

12 ‹ TR NEWS July–August 2019 Findings Applicable Rail Suicide Fatality (n=761) All CDC Suicide Fatality (n=124,508) Only to Suicide 40 35 RAIL SUICIDE RATES 30 Worldwide railroad suicide rates—that is, 25 the proportion of all suicides that are rail- 20 road-related—range from 1.3% in Canada to more than 12% in the Netherlands 15 (15). In the United States, the rail suicide

ent of Incidents (%) 10

rc rate is less than 1%. 5 Pe The implications for U.S. railroad safety 0 10 to 14 15 to 24 25 to 34 35 to 44 45 to 54 55 to 64 65 to 74 75 to 84 85+ are: 1) it is fortunate that railroad suicide is relatively rare, compared to other indus- Age Group (10-year grouping) trialized countries, but 2) rail safety efforts must focus on obtaining public health re- FIGURE 4 Comparison of age ranges of U.S. rail suicide fatalities and U.S. suicide fatalities overall, 2012–2014 (9). sources to confront rail suicides. Otherwise, public health officials will likely focus means restrictions or other prevention strategies quent during weekdays, with a peak in the In the EU, 72% of rail-related deaths on suicide methods that are more com- afternoon and early evening (9). from 2012 to 2014 were attributable to mon, such as firearms or poisons. Trespassing fatalities show little sea- suicide and 17% were attributable to sonality, whereas rail suicide is more likely trespassing (18). In the United States, 28% CHOICE OF RIGHT-OF-WAY AS to occur in the spring and, to a slightly of rail-related deaths from 2012 to 2017 SUICIDE MEANS lesser extent, in summer (9). The spring were attributable to suicide and 44% were Availability of means is a significant factor 4 peak of suicide tracks with overall suicide attributable to trespassing. in suicide (19). The relative lack of access patterns worldwide—running counter to to a gun and the proximity of railroad the popular notion of depressed moods in 4 Computed from data found at the FRA Office of tracks to the victim’s residence, as well as wintertime (17). Safety Analysis website: http://safetydata.fra.dot. mental health issues and substance abuse, gov/OfficeofSafety/default.aspx. LETHALITY Nationwide statistics are not kept on railroad suicide attempts or on pedestrian trespass incidents that do not involve injury. Therefore, it is not possible to derive a lethality statistic for rail suicide and trespassing actions. FRA does track trespassing and suicide attempt incidents that involve fatal and nonfatal casualties, however. For the past 5 years, approximately 50% of people injured while trespassing away from crossings were killed and approximately 90% of people injured in confirmed suicide attempts were killed. At grade crossings, around 20% of people injured are killed.

COMPARISONS WITH OTHER COUNTRIES A comparison of the European Union (EU) and the United States shows that, although trespassing and suicide together comprise the vast majority of rail-related Photo: Metropolitan Transportation Authority deaths in both regions, the proportions An intoxicated driver was pulled from her car moments before it was struck by a train at a are reversed. grade crossing. In pedestrian–rail incidents, studies show that at least 50% of rail trespassing and suicide decedents were intoxicated at the time of the incident.

TR NEWS July–August 2019 › 13 ture comes from industry or academic sources. Most railroad safety literature from academia and industry is focused on other railroad accident safety issues, such as track, rolling stock, hazardous material handling, operational safety, and grade-crossing safety—all of which involve fewer deaths.

Suicide The bulk of published rail suicide literature worldwide has used Photo: A Syn, Flickr EU data. Aside from the EU’s RESTRAIL Rail safety efforts to deter suicides must (REduction of Suicides and Trespasses focus on public health resources to address on RAILway property) project, most mental health issues. European literature has not addressed unintended deaths from trespassing, were found to be major contributing presumably because of the low propor- factors to rail suicides (20). Half of all U.S. tion of accidental rail deaths relative to suicides are conducted using firearms— suicides in Europe. eight times the average of other industrial- U.S. rail suicide data were not ized countries (21)—but the overall suicide available until 2011, so there is minimal rate in the United States is similar to that research using data from sources other of other countries (22). than FRA. Photo: Metropolitan Transportation Authority Photo: Metropolitan Transportation Research Gaps EFFECTIVENESS EVALUATION Government agencies and industry groups CAUSATIVE AND OF MOST COUNTERMEASURES contribute to Operation Lifesaver, Inc., whose ENVIRONMENTAL DATA There is a great need for additional, mission is to reduce rail fatalities and injuries through education. Information derived from FRA’s incident scientifically rigorous research into rail- reporting forms is useful to identify the road trespassing and suicide prevention basics of rail incidents—who, what, and activities or countermeasures, especially in Conclusion where—but does not give a complete pic- the United States. Researchers in both the Much is known about the epidemiology ture of more prevention-oriented data; for United States and the EU have pointed out of rail trespassing and suicide, but little example, why or how the person obtained that countermeasures are often installed is known about the causative and envi- access to the tracks. without empirical evidence of effectiveness ronmental factors of rail trespassing and Certain causative and environmental (23–25). Although many of the identified suicide or the efficacy of countermeasures data about the incident may be helpful. countermeasures have seemed to help to prevent incidents. A disproportionately Little quantitative data exist on the rel- reduce trespassing and suicide, it would high number of fatalities and injuries on ative proportions of trespassing motiva- be helpful to have long-term, large-scale, railroads are caused by trespassing and tions or the possible reasons for a lack of well-controlled (that is, test-and-control or suicide—nearly three-quarters of rail-relat- evasive actions on behalf of the injured. before-and-after) tests. Countermeasures ed deaths in the United States. Additional Especially with a fatal accident, it may be often are installed due to their low cost research into these rail safety issues would difficult to know with certainty why the and relative ease rather than as a result benefit all stakeholders, including the fed- injured person was on the railroad tracks of well-planned, cost-effective efforts that eral government, industry, academia, law and why the person was not able to avoid increase the chances of saving lives.5 enforcement, and the public. the accident. Having some insight into Research investigating the following these issues may help in the design of areas would prove particularly helpful: countermeasures. 1) descriptions and measures of causal 5 Although countermeasures primarily are designed to reduce incidents and casualties, they factors; 2) improving the railroad industry LACK OF DIVERSE RESEARCH can only be evaluated by measuring changes in and law enforcement’s ability to prevent ON U.S. RAIL TRESPASSING trespassing behavior; this evaluation may not and respond to railroad trespassing and result in a proportional change in casualties. Also, AND SUICIDE countermeasures must be evaluated over a long suicide attempts; and 3) determining ef- Trespassing Nearly all of the rail tres- period of time. This is because changes in small fective countermeasures and mitigations. passing literature in the United States is populations may be due to randomness, not to Some progress already has been made; countermeasure effectiveness, and because it is published under the auspices of FRA and possible that countermeasure effectiveness may FRA recently announced its National Strat- uses its incident data, but little litera- decline over time. egy to Prevent Trespassing on Railroad

14 ‹ TR NEWS July–August 2019 Property, which describes its plans to address railroad issues:

The report examines the causal factors that contribute to trespassing incidents on railroad property, and responds to a U.S. House of Repre- sentatives Committee on Appropria- tions request. … Over the long term, FRA will measure the success of this National Strategy by how much trespassing incidents and casualties are reduced nationwide. (26) Photo: Xnatedawgx, Wikimedia Commons Soon, the nationwide installation of PTC By the end of 2020, all trains nationwide are required to have fully operational positive train will be complete. After its completion, if control (PTC) technology. If some of the focus from PTC implementation then shifted to rail trespassing safety, the overall number of deaths may be reduced. some of the current rail safety focus on PTC were to shift to address the different categories of pedestrian-related rail trespasser inci- 8. Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), U.S. Patterns Derived from the WHO Mortality dents, perhaps this would reduce the overall DOT. Report to Congress: National Strategy to Database. Bulletin of the World Health Orga- Prevent Trespassing on Railroad Property. Oct. nization, Vol. 86, No. 9, 2008, pp. 726–732. number of deaths. In its National Strategy, 1, 2018. https://www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/ https://doi.org/10.2471/BLT.07.043489. FRA has recognized that it needs and plans Details/L19817. 20. Berman, A., R. Sundararaman, A. Price, K. to do more to address trespassing. 9. Chase, S. G., D. Hiltunen, and S. H. Gabree. Marshall, M. Martino, A. Doucette, S. Chase, Characteristics of Trespassing Incidents in the and S. Gabree. Defining Characteristics of With more policy maker attention and United States (2012–2014). Report ORD- Intentional Fatalities on Railway Rights-of-Way funding, U.S. rail safety stakeholders may 18/24. FRA, U.S. DOT, 2018. in the United States. Report ORD-13/25. FRA, be able to confront the trespassing prob- 10. Stanchak, K., and M. daSilva. Trespass Event U.S. DOT, 2013. Risk Factors. Report ORD-14/32. FRA, U.S. 21. Kochanek, K. D., S. L. Murphy, J. Xu, and lem more effectively. DOT, 2014. B. Tejada-Vera. Deaths: Final Data for 2014. 11. Martino, M., S. Chase, and S. Gabree. National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 65, No. 4, REFERENCES Demographic Profile of Intentional Fatalities on 2016. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/ Railroad Rights-of-Way in the United States. nvsr65/nvsr65_04.pdf. . 1 Association of American Railroads (AAR). Report RR-13/36. FRA, U.S. DOT, 2013. 22. Grinshteyn, E., and D. Hemenway. Violent Freight Rail Safety Record. 2019. www.aar.org/ 12. American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Death Rates: The U.S. Compared with Other wp-content/uploads/2018/09/AAR-Safety- Suicide Statistics. 2017. https://afsp.org/ High-Income OECD Countries, 2010. Ameri- Record-Issue.pdf. Accessed March 13, 2019. about-suicide/suicide-statistics. can Journal of Medicine, Vol. 129, No. 3, 2. Chao, E. L. Remarks Prepared for Delivery by 13. FRA. Rail Trespasser Fatalities: Demographic and 2016, pp. 266–273. https://doi.org/10.1016/ U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao, Behavioral Profiles. 2013. www.fra.dot.gov/ j.amjmed. 2015.10.025. FRA Grade Crossing Safety Summit. Oct. 30, eLib/details/L04702. Accessed March 3, 2017. 23. Cox, G. R., et al. Interventions to Reduce 2018. www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/ 14. Median age of the resident population of the Suicides at Suicide Hotspots: A Systematic federal-railroad-administration- grade-crossing- United States from 1960 to 2017. Statista. Review. BMC Public Health, Vol. 13, No. 214, safety-summit. Accessed March 12, 2019. 2017. www.statista.com/statistics/241494/ 2013. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458- 3. AAR. Positive Train Control. 2019. www.aar. median-age-of-the-us-population. 13-214. org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/AAR- 15. Mishara, B. L., and C. Bardon. Systematic Re- 24. Gabree, S., S. Chase, A. Doucette, and Positive-Train-Control.pdf. Accessed March view of Research on Railway and Urban Transit M. Martino. Countermeasures to Mitigate 13, 2019. System Suicides. Journal of Affective Disorders, Intentional Deaths on Railroad Rights-of-Way: 4. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Vol. 193, 2016, pp. 215–226. https://doi. Lessons Learned and Next Steps. Report ORD- U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). org/10.1016/j.jad.2015.12.042. 14/36. FRA, U.S. DOT, 2014. Railway–Highway Crossings (Section 130) 16. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 25. Havârneanu, G. M., J.-M. Burkhardt, and F. Program. 2018. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ Alcohol and Suicide Among Racial/Ethnic Paran. A Systematic Review of the Litera- hsip/xings. Accessed March 13, 2019. Populations: 17 States, 2005–2006. 2009. ture on Safety Measures to Prevent Railway 5. FHWA. Computations for Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ Suicides and Trespassing Accidents. Acci- Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) mm5823a1.htm. dent Analysis & Prevention, Vol. 81, 2015, Funds, Determination of HSIP Funds After Set- 17. Woo, J. M., O. Okusaga, and T. T. Postolache. pp. 30–50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap. Asides And Takedown, and of HSIP Limiting Seasonality of Suicidal Behavior. International 2015.04.012. Amount, Table 5, Part 1. 2018. https://www. Journal of Environmental Research and Public 26. FRA Issues National Trespass Prevention Strat- fhwa.dot.gov/fastact/fy2018comp.pdf. Health, Vol. 9, No. 2, 2012, pp. 531–547. egy. www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/details/L19830. 6. Illinois Commerce Commission. Crossing Safety https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph9020531. Accessed Feb. 19, 2019. Improvement Program. 2019. www.icc.illinois. 18. European Union Agency for Railways. gov/railroad/crossingsafetyimprovement.aspx. Railway Safety Performance in the European Accessed March 13, 2019. Union, 2016. July 26, 2017. http://dx.doi. 7. AAR. Keeping Pedestrians and Drivers Safe org/10.2821/171211. Around Railroad Tracks. www.aar.org/issue/ 19. Ajdacic-Gross, V., M. G. Weiss, M. Ring, U. freight-rail-pedestrian-driver-safety. Accessed Hepp, M. Bopp, F. Gutzwiller, and W. Rössler. June 7, 2019. Methods of Suicide: International Suicide

TR NEWS July–August 2019 › 15 Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of a Community-Based Trespass Prevention Model

Photo: Pexels

n the United States, more people are Most often, trespassers walk across or MARCO P. daSILVA, MICHAIL struck and killed by trains each year along railroad tracks as a shortcut to an- GRIZKEWITSCH, AND while railroad trespassing—illegally other destination; rail ROWs often provide FRANCESCO BEDINI JACOBINI entering or remaining on a railroad an easy, though illegal, shortcut to many right-of-way (ROW)—than in motor walking destinations. Trespassers also may daSilva is Senior Engineer, Ivehicle collisions with trains at highway– be engaged in other activities like loiter- Volpe National Transportation rail grade crossings. ing, hunting, bicycling, snowmobiling, or Between 2012 and 2017, the annual riding all-terrain vehicles. In other cases, a Systems Center, Cambridge, number of trespassing-related pedestrian trespasser may have accessed the ROW in Massachusetts; Grizkewitsch is fatalities increased 18%, from 725 in 2012 an attempt to end their life. Transportation Analyst and Bedini to 858 in 2017 (1). In 2018, 783 pedes- A study conducted in 2014 deter- Jacobini is Program Manager, trian trespassing fatalities had occurred mined that the most commonly observed by September 30. Data indicate that the risk factors for pedestrian and bicyclist Federal Railroad Administration, number of trespassing occurrences on trespassing include intoxication, disregard Washington, D.C. railroad property each year far exceeds the for highway–rail grade crossing warning number of fatalities and injuries. This raises systems, and the use of electronic hand- the serious concern of a high potential for held devices (2). even more trespasser accidents. By definition, trespassers are illegally Trespass Prevention on railroad property without permission. The railroad operating environment is In the majority of states, trespassing is inherently hazardous, and one in which codified as a property crime and a general railroad employees receive extensive safety offense, and trespassing on railroad prop- training. Trespassers do not have the bene- erty is specifically forbidden.1 fit of this safety training nor are they aware Above: Railroad trespassing is inherently of current and pending train movements. risky. The Federal Railroad Administration Many trespassers risk life-threatening injury 1 A list of state-by-state trespassing laws is available has developed a four-point strategy for and loss of life by failing to use designated trespassing prevention. at www.fra.dot.gov/StateLaws.

16 ‹ TR NEWS July–August 2019 crossing locations properly. To other trespassers, the dangers of the rail environment may present a perceived opportunity to harm themselves via an act of suicide. Most trespassing casualties can be avoided. The Federal Railroad Administra- tion (FRA), along with its safety partners, has been tackling this issue on several fronts, including developing guidance and conducting and sponsoring research. FRA has conducted several major activities in rail trespassing mitigation and has funded two studies to conduct a Photo: Schnitzel_bank, Flickr demographic and market analysis of rail Railroad tracks are private property and in many states, trespassing is a criminal offense. trespass fatalities (3–4). The objective of these studies was to establish a foundation for either an outreach or a public may reduce the number of ROW and tres- uation (CARE). As shown in Table 1 (page education program and to create law en- passer incidents and fatalities. Three work- 19), CARE consists of four general steps: shops have been held to date, in 2008, forcement efforts focused on those most 1. Community: Identification of the 2012, and 2015, and one is scheduled at risk of rail trespassing. trespassing problem and the associated for 2019 (5–7). Along the way, FRA also The results of the studies indicated that stakeholders within the community. developed rail ROW trespass prevention “trespassers who are involved in fatal in- 2. Analysis: Data analysis of the tres- guidance for local communities. cidents on railroad rights-of-way are most passing problem and identification of the typically identified as white males who are underpinning causes. possibly intoxicated, with a mean age of Community Trespass 3. Response: Identification and imple- 38, and with low socioeconomic status” Prevention Guide mentation of the most effective response(s). (3). In his article “Scope and Trend of U.S. As part of its Community Trespass Preven- 4. Evaluation: Evaluation of the effective- Rail Trespassing and Suicide Fatalities” on tion Program, FRA developed and pub- ness of the implemented treatment(s). page 8 of this issue, Kurt Topel provides lished a guidance document, Community The objective of CARE is to “create more detailed data about the characteris- Trespass Prevention Guide. This document safer communities by fostering the devel- tics of those who trespass. details a collaborative, step-by-step prob- opment of long-term trespass prevention Additionally, FRA held national rail tres- lem-solving approach for local communities strategies through collaborative com- passing workshops to identify and share to address rail ROW trespassing (8) and munity problem-solving partnerships to industry best practices and to explore new presents a problem-solving model called reduce trespass fatalities” (8). It is aimed abatement and mitigation strategies that Community, Analysis, Response, and Eval-

Photos courtesy daSilva et al Rail trespassers in West Palm Beach, Florida.

17 TR NEWS July–August 2019 › Railroad Fatalities in the United States 2012–2017

STEVE LAFFEY The author is Railroad Safety Specialist, Illinois Commerce Commission, Springfield.

ccording to Federal Railroad Adminis- A tration (FRA) data, 6,204 people were 600 fatally injured on railroad property between 2012 500 2012 and 2017. Trespassing on railroad 2013 2014 rights-of-way (ROWs) rather than at a high- 400 way–rail crossing is the leading cause of 2015 2016 railroad-related death—accounting for 44% 300 2017 of all railroad-related fatalities (Table 1, below). Suicide on railroad property is the 200 second-leading cause of death, followed by 100 fatalities that are due to non-suicide-related highway–rail crossing collisions. Of particu- 0 lar note is that, between 2012 and 2017, Employee Other- Trespasser- Suicide- Suicide Suicide At At the rate of total fatalities per million train or Passenger, Not at Not at Crossing- Crossing- Crossing- Crossing- Contractor etc. Crossing Crossing Ped Vehicle Ped Vehicle miles of operation increased by 19.6%. When the fatality data are grouped by type, the magnitude of each group is FIGURE 1 Railroad fatalities, 2012–2017. highlighted, as well as the trend in quantity between 2012 and 2017 (Figure 1, at declining; however, after further analysis right). It appears that trespassing incidents and follow-up with local medical examiners are increasing and suicide incidents are and coroners, a small number of the trespassing incidents reported in 2017 likely TABLE 1 Summary of FRA Fatality Data by Type of Fatality will be reclassified as suicides—smoothing out the trend. Pedestrians, trespassers, and other nonmotorized users constitute the majority of railroad-related fatalities. A common perception is that most people fatally injured by trains are motorists at highway–rail crossings; in reality, non-suicide vehicle operators at highway–rail crossings account for only 15.6% of all railroad-related fatalities. What Can Be Done? The traditional three E's approach of engineering, education, and enforcement has SOURCE: Federal Railroad Administration. been successful in reducing the number

18 ‹ TR NEWS July–August 2019 TABLE 1 CARE Model Steps

COMMUNITY ANALYSIS RESPONSE EVALUATION

• Identify and describe • Develop data collection • Identify and implement • Assess impact of the trespassing and analysis plan. feasible countermea- the response and problem. sures. determine whether the • Collect trespassing trespass problem was • Identify community data. • Develop countermea- displaced, reduced, un- resources and begin sures implementation changed, or eliminated. involvement. • Analyze the data plan. collected to determine • Evaluate the process • Organize a prob- the underlying causes • Implement such used and assess lem-solving committee of the trespassing countermeasures as whether the key stake- with community stake- problem. engineering, education, holders were identified holders and develop an enforcement, and other • Establish baseline and and included, the action plan. strategies developed by underlying causes were identify measures to be the committee. used to determine pro- correctly identified, gram’s effectiveness. and the response was implemented as planned, as well as why any part of the plan of highway–rail crossing collisions. Unfor- may not have been tunately, the three E’s have had little im- implemented. pact on reducing the number of trespass- • Develop and implement ing- and suicide-related fatalities or on the a long-term program number of pedestrians fatally injured at monitoring plan if needed. highway–rail crossings: the rate of these fatalities increased 19.6% between 2012 and 2017. The approach may benefit by incorporating some new E’s, such as:

• Eliminating easy access to rail ROWs, at local stakeholders such as city and town WEST PALM BEACH: especially known “hot spots”; governments, local operating railroads, COMMUNITY • Enhancing proactive intervention with and other interested groups. The ultimate The purpose of the demonstration was to at-risk populations, for example, as in goal is to reduce the number of rail ROW show potential benefits of the CARE com- Metra’s “Question, Persuade, Refer” trespassing incidents nationwide by pro- munity-based approach, document lessons program; moting partnerships at the local level. learned, and provide recommendations for implementation and evaluation of trespass • Engaging nontraditional partners, Implementing the Guide prevention strategies. such as mental health professionals; The Community Trespass Prevention Guide An example of trespassing on the ROW • Embracing new technology for surveil- was tested from 2009 to 2013, when FRA captured by the research team in West Palm lance, detection, and deterrence; and funded a major research initiative (9). Beach is shown in the photo below. • Evaluating the effectiveness of cur- Specifically, FRA directed the Volpe National Stakeholder representatives from rent safety and resource allocation Transportation System Center to conduct federal, state, and local (that is, city and programs. a trespassing prevention research study demonstrating the CARE model on a rough- Finally, one missing component seems ly 7-mile stretch of South Florida Regional to be the lack of an overall goal to reduce Transportation Authority (SFRTA) ROW in the number of railroad-related fatalities by the city of West Palm Beach, Florida. a significant number in a set time frame. This area was selected based on fatal An example of such an effort can be seen incidents in 2008 on the SFRTA line as well as in a 2016 attempt to set a measurable because by 2009 a stakeholder group already goal by the DuPage Railroad Safety Coun- had been created to address the issue—re- cil, which suggested a 50% reduction in flecting the first step in the CARE process, or the total number of fatalities nationwide Community. FRA determined that West Palm within 10 years. Using the 1,033 rail- Beach was most appropriate for a research road-related deaths of 2016 as a bench- study on precursors, mitigation strategies, mark, this would mean a reduction of 516 and support for the development of national Photo courtesy daSilva et al. railroad-related fatalities by 2026. guidance related to trespass prevention. Trespassing event in West Palm Beach.

TR NEWS July–August 2019 › 19 Recommended strategies included engineering treatments like fencing and signage; education programming, such as rail safety mailers, station posters, and outreach to local schools; and enforcement initiatives like enforcement blitzes. Some of these strategies were immediately deployed; others proved to be resource intensive and required additional work to secure the needed funding for such improvements.

WEST PALM BEACH: EVALUATION Evaluation, the last step in the CARE model, assesses the effectiveness of the responses based on the measures identified in the data-analysis step. The research team evaluated the strategies implemented during the study and determined their

FIGURE 1 Trespass prevention research study stakeholders in West Palm Beach, Florida. effectiveness in mitigating the trespassing problem. county) governments—as well as railroads, WEST PALM BEACH: RESPONSE Evaluating the Guide neighborhood groups, and Operation Life- Figure 2 (page 21) shows the results of FRA conducted an evaluation identifying saver, Inc.—participated in the demonstra- the trespassing risk analysis on the SFRTA lessons to use in the design and imple- tion (see Figure 1, above). route through the city of West Palm mentation of future trespassing preven- The photo at right shows one of several Beach. These results were used by the tion studies (12). A key finding was that stakeholder group meetings held during study’s stakeholder group to develop a community-based intervention strategies the demonstration project. A picture of the set of mitigation strategies for identified such as CARE can help railroad agencies stakeholder group during one of its site higher-risk locations, shown in yellow and and other stakeholders better leverage visits in the city is shown on page 21. red; this comprises the third step of the community resources and apply diverse process, Response. safety strategies. WEST PALM BEACH: ANALYSIS For the second step in the process, Analy- sis, the research team adapted and applied a hazard analysis methodology described in FRA’s “Collision Hazard Analysis Guide: Commuter and Intercity Passenger Rail Service” (10). This resulted in the development of a risk-based hazard analysis process and prioritization algorithm to analyze trespassing data, which consisted of casualty incidents, trespassing observations by train crews, contacts by law enforcement, analysis of locomotive video data, and field observations by research staff. The development and implementation of the risk-based analysis used to identify several trespassing high-risk areas in West Palm Beach was detailed in a technical paper published and presented at the

American Society of Mechanical Engineers Photo courtesy daSilva et al. 2013 Joint Rail Conference (11). Stakeholder group meeting at the West Palm Beach mayor’s office.

20 ‹ TR NEWS July–August 2019 removal of an abandoned loading dock on A (high risk): Red the ROW that could have been used for B (medium risk): Yellow unauthorized encampments. Signage and C (low risk): Blue D (negligible risk): Green surveillance cameras also were installed. The city of Worcester currently is implementing the remaining strategies that were recommended for law enforcement. Lessons from implementing the CARE model in West Palm Beach and Worces- ter helped identify appropriate circum- stances in which community-based interventions are warranted and likely to be effective. FRA and the Volpe Center are engaged actively in the process to show the benefits of the CARE model in the approach to solving the rail ROW trespassing problem. Prevention Strategy FIGURE 2 Trespass risk analysis results. Status In its report on the Fiscal Year 2018 MAXIMIZING EFFECTIVENESS WORCESTER PILOT budget, the U.S. House of Representa- A key weakness of the model, however, is After the study, FRA has demonstrated tives Committee on Appropriations asked its resource and time intensiveness. The the use of the CARE model on the rail FRA to study and identify the factors that CARE model requires committed stake- ROWs in Worcester, Massachusetts. That lead to trespassing incidents on railroad holders with the power and incentives to effort, initiated in 2016, resulted in the property and to develop and submit a na- implement proposed responses. For this identification of three high-risk locations tional strategy to prevent these accidents approach to be effective, the underlying along one of the city’s rail ROWs in the to the House and Senate Committees on causes of trespassing must be determined, city. The stakeholder group developed a Appropriations by August 1, 2018 (13). as well as the specific target audience set of recommended strategies, many of The House Committee directed FRA to for problem-solving efforts. Unless both which already have been implemented, include milestones, timelines, and metrics of these variables are identified and including the removal of an unauthorized to define success in its strategy, with the addressed, it is unlikely that significant skate park under railroad property and the expectation that FRA implement a tres- reductions in trespassing will be realized. Ultimately, the study successfully identified how to refine the CARE model and how to improve its effectiveness in the communities in which rail trespassing is a problem. The general guidance worked well to establish a framework for the stakeholders to organize, collect, and evaluate the data, develop solutions, and implement trespass mitigation strategies. It increased stakeholder collaboration, leveraged col- lective resources, and maximized overall effectiveness of the community-based effort to decrease trespassing on railroad ROWs within the city. The implementation of the CARE model also educated non-rail stakeholders about the nature and severity of the trespassing problem with respect to their community, an issue that is often not well understood outside Photo courtesy daSilva et al. of the operating railroads. Stakeholder group site visit in West Palm Beach.

TR NEWS July–August 2019 › 21 passer accident prevention strategy within on Railroad Property, which focuses on 7. FRA. 2015 Right of Way Fatality and Trespass the recommended timelines. four areas: 1) data gathering and analysis, Prevention Workshop. www.fra.dot.gov/ conference/row/index.shtml. Accessed In October 2017, FRA formed a team 2) community site visits, 3) funding, and December 18, 2018. of experts to study the problem of people 4) partnerships with the affected stake- 8. FRA Office of Safety. Community Trespassing Pre- being killed or injured while trespassing on holders (14). The report to Congress has vention Guide. December 2011. www.fra.dot. gov/eLib/Details/L02620. Accessed December railroad property. To help define the scope been finalized and was detailed at the FRA 18, 2018. of the problem, the team conducted an Grade Crossing and Trespasser Summit, 9. daSilva, M., and T. Ngamdung. Trespass analysis of the costs of railroad trespassing held on October 30, 2018 (15). Prevention Research Study: West Palm Beach, FL. Report DOT/FRA/ORD-14/19. Volpe National accidents to railroads and to society. They The CARE Guide, which details a col- Transportation Systems Center, Research and found that the total cost to society of all laborative step-by-step rail ROW trespass- Innovative Technology Administration, U.S. trespassing accidents—the value of fatali- ing problem-solving approach for local DOT, 2014. 10. FRA Office of Safety. Collision Hazard Analysis ties, injuries, and travel-time delay caused communities, is one of the tools in the Guide: Commuter and Intercity Passenger Rail by trespassing incidents over 5 years, overall National Strategy. Service. October 2007. www.hsdl.org/?view&- from 2012 to 2016—was approximately did=15767. Accessed December 18, 2018. 11. daSilva, M. Development and Implementation $43.2 billion (14). REFERENCES of a Trespass Location Severity Analysis on a The team also reviewed research and 1. Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Office of Commuter Rail Right-of-Way. In Proceedings Safety Analysis. https://safetydata.fra.dot.gov. data related to railroad trespasser fatalities of the 2013 Joint Rail Conference, American Accessed February 5, 2019. Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2013, pp. nationwide for the 4-year period between 2. Stanchak, K., and M. daSilva. Trespass Event V001T06A008. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/ November 2013 and October 2017. They Risk Factors. Report ORD-14/32. FRA, U.S. JRC2013-2532. Department of Transportation (DOT), 2014. concluded that, out of the 3,100 coun- 12. Jette, A., D. Damm-Luhr, and J. Ranney. Evalu- 3. FRA. Rail Trespasser Fatalities: Developing Demo- ation of FRA Trespass Prevention Research Study. ties and county equivalents in the United graphic Profiles. 2008. www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/ Report RR 15-21. FRA, U.S. DOT, 2015. States, approximately 14% of all fatalities Details/L02669. Accessed December 18, 2018. 13. Departments of Transportation, and Housing 4. FRA. Rail Trespasser Fatalities: Demographic and had occurred in the same 10 counties and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Behavioral Profiles. 2013. www.fra.dot.gov/ Appropriations Bill, H. Rept. 115-750, 115th located in four states. Additionally, 74% eLib/details/L04702. Accessed March 3, 2017. Cong. (2019). of all trespasser casualties during the same 5. Adduci, B., F. Mottley, and M. Haines. ROW 14. FRA. Report to Congress: National Strategy Fatality and Trespass Reduction Workshop 2008: period occurred within 1,000 feet of a to Prevent Trespassing on Railroad Property. Summary of Results. Report DOT/FRA/ORS- October 2018. www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/Details/ grade crossing—less than one-quarter of a 09/001. FRA, U.S. DOT, 2009. L19817. Accessed March 5, 2019. mile away. 6. FRA. 2012 Right of Way Fatality and Trespass 15. FRA. FRA Grade Crossing & Trespasser Summit. Prevention Workshop. www.fra.dot.gov/ To this end, FRA has developed the October 30, 2018. www.fra.dot.gov/Page/ conference/trespass2012/index.shtml. P1145. Accessed December 20, 2018. National Strategy for Trespass Prevention Accessed December 18, 2018.

22 ‹ TR NEWS July–August 2019 Rail Trespassing and Suicide What Can Be Done to Improve Safety?

Photo: Free-Photos, Pixabay

hat can be done to reduce ments installed at crossings, which have GRIGORE M. HAVÂRNEANU the frequency and sever- been made possible through substantial AND KURT TOPEL ity of injury from railroad investments by the federal government trespassing and suicide? Havârneanu is Traffic and According to the Federal WRailroad Administration (FRA), trespass- Transport Psychologist, ing away from crossings has been the International Union of Railways, leading cause of deaths on U.S. railroads Paris, France, and Topel is every year since 1997; today, trespassing Member, Chicagoland Rail Safety fatalities comprise 44% (450) of annual Team, Wilmette, Illinois. rail-related fatalities (1). Suicide fatalities comprise the next-largest category of rail deaths (28%, or about 300 annually) (1). Although other categories of rail deaths—for example, at railroad crossings or of employees or passengers—have been successfully addressed and reduced, railroad trespassing and suicide rates have stubbornly resisted improvement. Although highway–rail crossing fatalities still comprise a significant share (24%) of all rail deaths, this figure has decreased

consistently over time (2). This decrease Flickr Photo: Patrick Hoesly, is correlated to grade-separation projects, Above: Addressing rail trespassing and Upgraded warning devices at crossings and suicide deaths requires a multifaceted crossing closures, upgraded warning other improvements have helped reduce rail approach. devices, and other engineering improve- deaths.

TR NEWS July–August 2019 › 23 and some state governments (2). Driver example, educating the public about the education also was found to contribute likely fatality of a train–person strike may significantly to this decrease (3). decrease trespassing behavior but could To date, efforts to reduce deaths relat- encourage suicidal behavior by reminding ed to rail trespassing and suicide have not a distressed person of the high lethality of received a similar level of investment. the train as a possible means of suicide. Although the reasons for suicide and Classification and trespassing are different, the physical Countermeasures means of accessing the track are remark- A suicide is differentiated from other rail ably similar. As shown in Figure 1 (below), casualties by a finding of intent to self- countermeasures for before the subject en- harm, as determined by a coroner, public ters the right-of-way (ROW) are different police officer, or other public authority (4). but countermeasures for after the subject Unless such a determination is made, FRA reaches the tracks are the same. This sug- classifies the casualty in the appropriate gests that at some point in the prevention accidental injury or death category— process, suicide and trespassing can be usually “trespasser away from crossing” approached as a single problem, with or simply “trespasser.” Some rail safety exceptions for announced public-policy researchers believe that this standard of countermeasures. determination is stringent and probably Other reasons why suicide and tres- leads to some suicides being classified passing incidents can be addressed as one inaccurately as trespassers (5). problem include the following: Because the intent of each person • Suicidal intent is not always clear nor is entering the track area is different, it it easy to prove, especially to railroad sometimes makes sense to look separately safety stakeholders. at the countermeasures for rail suicides Trespassers use railroads for many reasons • Once the individual has entered the and for trespassers. But if not properly and the intention of the decedent in a fatal track area, most of the measures aimed trespassing incident is not always clear. implemented, some countermeasures at reducing trespassing incidents also intended to deter one behavior could could work for suicide prevention. actually encourage the other behavior. For • T respassing can be driven by various reasons—for example, shortcuts, vandalism, thrill seeking, and photography—but also by the intention to put oneself in harm’s way. This model focuses attention on the trespassing person, or subject, and suggests countermeasures for authorities to consider based on the decision-making process of the subject. This approach contrasts with the traditional three E's approach (engineering, education, and enforcement), which focuses primarily on the stakeholder that is providing the countermeasure and on the mode of implementation. For further details and discussion about this model, including the input and output of the model, see research by Burkhardt et al. (6). Project RESTRAIL This article’s approach to rail trespassing

FIGURE 1 A model of the chain of events leading to railway suicides and trespassing and suicide countermeasures is based incidents and corresponding classes of preventive measures (6). in part on one developed by RESTRAIL

24 ‹ TR NEWS July–August 2019 presented in Havârneanu, Burkhardt, and In Figure 2, the third process, selec- Silla (7; see Figure 2, below). Some key tion of measures, suggests that it may be questions that must be considered include: appropriate to implement more than one • Is the problem trespassing behavior, countermeasure either simultaneously or trespassing incidents (injuries), or consecutively depending on the circum- suicide attempts? stances. What follows are examples of the types of countermeasures available to • Is the behavior localized to specific address rail trespassing and suicide. “hotspots,” or is it generalized to a larger portion of the ROW? Organizational and • What are the reasons that people Procedural Measures trespass—for example, convenience or Patrols may be conducted by local police, taking a shortcut, loitering, vandalism, railroad police, or community volunteers. theft, or suicide? To deter trespassing, the patrols should • What are the characteristics of be conspicuous—that is, not in plain the trespassers? What are the clothes—and on foot if possible. If the tres- characteristics of the surrounding area? passing behavior has a temporal component—for example, vandalism that often The RESTRAIL Toolbox guides the end takes place in the evening and nighttime user through these and other checklists to or shortcuts that often are taken during assist in the selection of countermeasures rush hour—the patrols should be deployed

suited to the user’s context. RESTRAIL accordingly. groups countermeasures into three broad Patrols work well with other counter- categories: measures, especially if combined with Photo: PxHere • Organizational and procedural awareness campaigns. Depending on the (REduction of Suicides and Trespasses measures, local situation, patrols can issue either citations or warnings to trespassers. In some on RAILway Property), a research project • Physical and technological measures, and completed in 2014 and funded by the situations, trespassers are aware of the ille- • Public awareness and educational European Union (EU) and a consortium of gality of their behavior; in other situations, measures. European railroad safety stakeholders— they are not. For example, according to national railways, universities, research institutes, technical consultants, and the International Union of Railways. One of the project’s main products was the 1. Describing RESTRAIL Toolbox, a problem-solving and understanding guide to implement suicide and trespass- the problem ing prevention measures and to mitigate consequences after incidents.1 2. Analysis of 6. Evaluation target situation Rail Trespassing and Suicide Countermeasures COUNTERMEASURE SELECTION PROCESS The selection of countermeasures should follow a comprehensive analysis of the 5. 3. Selection of local situation. A thorough view of the Implementation measures problem definition process and details on the countermeasure selection process is 4. Implementation plan

1 More information on the project and toolbox, as well as further examples of countermeasures, can be found at www.restrail.eu/toolbox. FIGURE 2 The RESTRAIL countermeasure selection process model (7).

TR NEWS July–August 2019 › 25 Photo: StockSnap, Pixabay Countermeasures for trespassers who are taking a shortcut differ from countermeasures for those who may be loitering, or those who may be vandalizing.

Freeman and Rakotonirainy, more than 80% As reported at the same FRA conference, Physical and Technological of respondents to an Australian survey un- 228 trespassing violations were issued in a Measures derstood the rules about when it was legal different high-casualty county—but only Detection and surveillance systems are an to cross the tracks (8). On the other hand, a one was prosecuted. example of the physical and technological Croatian study found that 85% of respon- A 2016 FRA report concluded that family of trespassing countermeasures. dents did not know they could be fined “empirical data on the effectiveness of law These systems detect an incursion and for illegally crossing the tracks at a grade enforcement initiatives for preventing rail provide a warning in real time either to crossing when a train is approaching (9). trespassing is not readily available;” the By consecutively testing awareness, report nonetheless asserts targeted education, and enforcement, that “enforcement plays a Lobb, Harré, and Terry found that punish- key role in preventing rail ment may be more effective than targeted trespassing incidents and education in reducing unsafe behavior and casualties” (12). Early much more effective than communica- in 2018, FRA initiated tions to heighten awareness (10). a program to evaluate Patrols do have some drawbacks, the effectiveness of however. Municipal and railroad police often funding local law-en- have competing priorities. At a recent con- forcement activities ference, an FRA official indicated that, in one intended to reduce county with high trespassing casualty rate, trespassing incidents more than 95% of the trespassing violation and casualties.2 cases were filed by railroad police rather than by local police (11). Railroad police also may focus more on vandalism and theft 2 Funding Opportunity than more benign forms of trespassing. FR-LEL-18-001. See Anecdotal evidence also indicated www.grants.gov/ Photo: West Midlands Police, Flickr that railroad trespassing violations are web/grants/ view-opportunity. In the United Kingdom, members of the West Midlands Police Safer not taken seriously in the judicial process. html?oppId=300972. Travel Team patrol a station to deter trespassers.

26 ‹ TR NEWS July–August 2019 the trespasser or to a monitor who may take action to avert a collision.

FINNISH STUDY The RESTRAIL pilot tested an automatic detection and alarm system at two illegal footpaths in Finland (13). Trespassers were detected by an infrared sensor, which triggered a prerecorded voice message instructing them to leave the area immediately. At one test site, a 44% decrease in trespassing behavior was recorded over a 60-day period after installation; the other location showed an 18% decrease.

PITTSFORD STUDY A similar study was performed by FRA at a railroad bridge at Pittsford, New York, in 2006:

At least two events in which a total of four trespassers were removed from the bridge just minutes from Photo: PxHere a train arrival occurred during the Railroad tracks through a Florida neighborhood. Sound warnings are not desirable in 3-year evaluation period. These living communities, especially during nighttime hours. comprised over 1% of the 173 logged trespassing events. A third event involving one trespasser occurred just after the conclusion of • Sound warnings may be more effective BRUNSWICK STUDY the evaluation period. (14) for children than for adults. In 2013, FRA and the Maine Department of Transportation (DOT) announced a field Some technical and operational • Neighbors may object to the noise, especially during nighttime hours. research system that would “utilize remote difficulties were encountered during the presence detection sensors and secure, Pittsford study. A major problem en- • Unless the trespasser fears punishment, wireless cameras at locations frequented countered was “false positives;” that is, the effect of a sound warning alone by trespassers. Upon detecting a person detections triggered by irrelevant stimuli. likely will wane over time. on the tracks, the Brunswick Police De- With the advances in video analytics since • It is not known whether a sound partment will be immediately notified for 2006, as well as more elaborate detection warning would dissuade a trespasser’s appropriate response” (15). algorithms, false positives may perhaps intent to die by suicide, although As of March 1, 2019, results were not be minimized in future applications. it may interrupt their behavioral yet published by the FRA. Although automatic sound warnings intention. In any case, it is assumed seemed be somewhat effective, at least in that a prerecorded sound warning Awareness and the short term, issues such as the follow- against suicide should be different than Educational Measures ing must be considered: one against trespassing. Several studies indicate the positive effects of restrained reporting of suicide events, especially public suicide events. Conversely, news stories on rail suicide that include im- With the advances in video analytics since 2006, ages and specific descriptions of locations can lead to copycat behavior (16–17). One as well as more elaborate detection algorithms, study implied that any reporting—not just sensational or specific reporting—could false positives may perhaps be minimized in increase incidences of suicide (18). A recent FRA study compared media future applications. treatment of FRA-reported suicide and

TR NEWS July–August 2019 › 27 trespassing incidents with the reporting guidelines established by suicide prevention groups (19):

The findings in this report indicate that railway suicide incidents are often reported in a similar way to trespass incidents. In other words, the reportage provides details about or photos of the location, includes details about what hap- pened just before the collision, and does not provide help-seeking information. These are aspects typically absent from reportage about suicide by other means, but con- sistent with how trespass incidents are typically reported. This may be because suicide incidents on the rail system tend to be more visible to the public than many other types of suicide and therefore, reporters feel compelled to provide more details; or, reporters who typically focus on transportation issues may Photo: Metropolitan Transportation Authority not be aware of suicide reporting On International Railroad Crossing Awareness Day, police from the Metropolitan Transportation recommendations. In either case, Authority hand out safety information to pedestrians, motorists, and train passengers. there may be benefits to developing railway-specific recommenda- and should consider both practicality be made, they should be documented tions for how to report on suicide and plans for ongoing evaluation. The alongside any lessons learned. Data on incidents and disseminating such first step is to plan the implementation, outcomes both expected and unexpected recommendations to both media addressing operational issues such as should be collected carefully and con- outlets as well as individuals who how the project is to be financed, who sistently to enable the integrity of the interface with the media following the committed partners are, and how the evaluation process (21). Documentation rail-related incidents. (19) implementation schedule will proceed. and communication of the effectiveness Also, methods for evaluation of counter- of the countermeasures can improve fu- Although public communication measure success must be planned from ture preventive practice and help develop about rail suicide and trespassing in- the beginning, including anticipated out- better safety policies (22). cidents is essential to build awareness comes and how these can be quantified about rail safety, it is not optimal to and evaluated (20). Conclusion report rail suicides in a similar manner as If the implementation plan is exper- Although countermeasures at highway– trespassing incidents. Details about the imental, a baseline measure should be rail crossings—grade separations, crossing trespassing incident “may help others taken so that the effectiveness of the closures, upgraded warning devices, and avoid similar errors, while a similarly de- countermeasures can be determined. other education and engineering im- tailed description of a suicide may simply Also, it is helpful at this stage to consider provements—have greatly reduced the inform the reader of a means to accom- whether a long-term evaluation period rate of fatalities at these locations, it has plish such an act” (19). should be scheduled after the initial eval- proved more difficult to reduce fatalities Countermeasure uation period. This is important because and injuries from rail trespassing and some countermeasures may become less suicide, despite the range of potential Implementation and effective over time. countermeasures. Evaluation Next, if possible, the countermea- Some of the possible reasons progress Implementation of the selected counter- sures must be implemented according has not been made in reducing tres- measures should be conducted carefully to the plan. If changes to the plan must passing and suicide incidents include a

28 ‹ TR NEWS July–August 2019 relative lack of publicly available studies on REFERENCES countermeasure effectiveness, especially 1. Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Office of in the United States, and a lack of funds Safety Analysis. https://safetydata.fra.dot.gov. Accessed March 2019. and expertise for local authorities to select 2. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and implement locally effective counter- U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). measures. A successful prevention action Railway–Highway Crossings (Section 130) Program. 2018. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ plan generally includes a combination of hsip/xings. Accessed March 2019. countermeasures, covering several steps in 3. Savage, I. Does Public Education Improve the chain of events presented in the model Rail–Highway Crossing Safety? Accident Anal- ysis & Prevention, Vol. 38, No. 2, 2006, pp. above. For further information about pos- 310–316. sible countermeasures and their evaluation 4. FRA Guide for Preparing Accident/Incident and adaptability, see research by Havâr- Reports. Report DOT/FRA/RRS-22. FRA, U.S. DOT, 2011. neanu, Burkhardt, and Paran (17). 5. Chase, S. G., D. Hiltunen, and S. H. Gabree. Characteristics of Trespassing Incidents in the United States (2012–2014). Report ORD- Although there is 18/24. FRA, U.S. DOT, 2018. Photo: Wesley Fryer, Flickr 6. Burkhardt, J.-M., H. Rådbo, A. Silla, and F. Detection and surveillance systems can Paran. A Model of Suicide and Trespassing provide warnings to trespassers and alerts hope that the recently Processes to Support the Analysis and Deci- that may prevent a collision. sion Related to Preventing Railway Suicides published FRA national and Trespassing Accidents at Railways. Pre- sented at Transport Research Arena Confer- ence, Paris La Défense, France, 2014. strategy might bring 7. Havârneanu, G. M., J.-M. Burkhardt, and A. 15. FRA and MaineDOT Announce Trespass Silla. Optimizing Suicide and Trespass Preven- Detection System. 2013. https://content.gov- guidelines and funding, tion on Railways: A Problem-Solving Model delivery.com/accounts/MEDOT/bulletins/8b- from the RESTRAIL Project. International Jour- 3cd0. Accessed March 2019. nal of Injury Control and Safety Promotion, Vol. 16. Barker, E., K. Kolves, and D. De Leo. Rail-Sui- each local trespassing 24, No. 4, 2016, pp. 469–486. https://doi.org cide Prevention: Systematic Literature Review /10.1080/17457300.2016.1232275. of Evidence-Based Activities. Asia-Pacific and suicide problem 8. Freeman, J., and A. Rakotonirainy. Mistakes or Psychiatry, Vol. 9, No. 3, 2016. https://doi. Deliberate Violations? A Study into the Origins org/10.1111/appy.12246. of Rule Breaking at Pedestrian Train Cross- 17. Havârneanu, G. M., J.-M. Burkhardt, and F. must be addressed ings. Accident Analysis & Prevention, Vol. 77, Paran. A Systematic Review of the Litera- 2015, pp. 45–50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. ture on Safety Measures to Prevent Railway based on local needs. aap.2015.01.015. Suicides and Trespassing Accidents. Acci- 9. Baric´, D., H. Pilko, and M. Starcˇevic´. Introduc- dent Analysis & Prevention, Vol. 81, 2015, ing Experiment in Pedestrian Behaviour and pp. 30–50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. Risk Perception Study at Urban Level Crossing. aap.2015.04.012. No single “magic bullet” countermea- International Journal of Injury Control and 18. Mishara, B. L., and C. Bardon. Systematic Re- sure can be implemented by all commu- Safety Promotion, Vol. 25, No. 1, 2018, pp. view of Research on Railway and Urban Transit 102–112. https://doi.org/10.1080/17457300. nities nationwide. Some communities System Suicides. Journal of Affective Disorders, 2017.1341934. Vol. 193, 2016, pp. 215–226. https://doi. have a graffiti or vandalism problem in 10. Lobb, B., N. Harré, and N. Terry. An org/10.1016/j.jad.2015.12.042. the vicinity of the railroad tracks; some Evaluation of Four Types of Railway Pedes- 19. S. H. Gabree, and B. Mejia. The Reporting of trian Crossing Safety Intervention. Accident have issues with frequent, heavy usage Suicide and Trespass Incidents by Online Media Analysis & Prevention, Vol. 35, No. 4, 2003, in the United States. Report DOT/FRA/ORD- of drugs and alcohol near the tracks; pp. 487–494. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0001- 17/02. FRA, U.S. DOT, 2017. and some have a problem with pedes- 4575(02)00026-X. 20. RESTRAIL. Implementation Plan. http://restrail. 11. FRA. FRA Grade Crossing & Trespasser Sum- trians who ignore safety rules because eu/toolbox/spip.php?article152. Accessed mit. October 30, 2018. Session 3, timestamp March 2019. of distraction, ignorance, or impatience. 46:20–47:40. www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P1145. 21. RESTRAIL. Implementation. http://restrail.eu/ Although there is hope that the recently Accessed March 2019. toolbox/spip.php?article153. Accessed March 12. Horton, S., and F. Foderaro. Law Enforcement published FRA national strategy might 2019. Strategies for Preventing Rail Trespassing. Report 22. RESTRAIL. Evaluation. http://restrail.eu/ bring guidelines and funding, each local DOT/FRA/ORD-16/03. FRA, U.S. DOT, 2016. toolbox/spip.php?article154. Accessed March trespassing and suicide problem must be 13. Kallberg, V.-P., and A. Silla. Prevention of Rail- 2019. way Trespassing by Automatic Sound Warn- addressed based on local needs. ing: A Pilot Study. Traffic Injury Prevention, Vol. 18, No. 3, 2016, pp. 330–335. https://doi.org Acknowledgement /10.1080/15389588.2016.1203426. Project RESTRAIL was supported by the 14. daSilva, M., W. Baron, and A. A. Carroll. Highway Rail–Grade Crossing Safety Research: European Union’s 7th Framework Pro- Railroad Infrastructure Trespassing Detection gramme for Research, Technological Systems Research in Pittsford, New York. Report Development and Demonstration. DOT/FRA/ORD-06/03-1. FRA, U.S. DOT, 2012.

TR NEWS July–August 2019 › 29 Artificial Intelligence–Aided Automated Detection of Railroad Trespassing

Photo: Jin Guan KOH, Flickr

t the 2018 American Public tected or are not recorded in Federal Rail- ASIM F. ZAMAN, BAOZHANG Transportation Association Rail road Administration (FRA) safety databases REN, AND XIANG LIU Conference, Federal Railroad because no immediate harm occurred. Administrator Ronald L. Batory This lack of data prohibits comprehensive Zaman and Ren are Graduate encapsulated one of the biggest analyses of trespassing risk; although not Aproblems in the rail industry today, noting all trespassing events cause damage, they Research Assistants and Liu is that “trespassing on railroad property indicate certain behaviors that may lead to Assistant Professor, Rutgers is the leading cause of all rail-related severe consequences if repeated. Learn- University, Piscataway, deaths” (1). Ninety-five percent of railroad ing from trespassing is a critical element New Jersey. deaths on freight and passenger railroads of effectively developing the three E’s of between 2009 and 2016 were due to safety—education, enforcement, and engi- trespassing and grade-crossing collisions. neering strategies—to prevent trespassing The number of trespassing casualties on railroad tracks (6). from 2013 to 2016 was 16% higher than A longer version of this article appears the number of casualties from 2009 to Trespassing and in the Transportation Research Record: 2012 (2–4). In this research, trespassing is Big Video Data Journal of the Transportation Research defined as incursions 1) at grade cross- Greater availability of video data in the Board. For more information, see https:// ings, when roadway users enter after the rail industry has made it easier to acquire doi.org/10.1177/0361198119846468. signal lights have been activated, and 2) trespassing data. Closed-circuit television at right-of-way (ROW) locations that are (CCTV) cameras can be found throughout neither intersections nor crossings, except railroad yards, bridges, grade crossings, by authorized railroad personnel (5). and stations. In 2015, the Fixing America’s Above: Approximately 95% of railroad deaths Most rail trespassing behavior does are due to trespassing and grade-crossing Surface Transportation Act mandated the collisions. Artificial intelligence and video not result in injuries or fatalities, however. installation of cameras throughout passen- cameras may be a key to lowering that risk. Many instances of trespassing go unde- ger railroads to promote safety objectives;

30 ‹ TR NEWS July–August 2019 Long Island Rail Road’s Farmingdale Station is equipped with CCTV cameras to monitor activity around the tracks.

ever since then, the deployment of CCTV systems in the United States has increased (7). For example, in Palo Alto, California, Caltrain has installed CCTV cameras at safety-critical grade crossings to monitor and prevent illegal incursions via an integrated alert system (8).

The CCTV trend is global. For exam- Photo: Metropolitan Transportation Authority ple, in 2018 India began an initiative to install cameras on more than 11,000 trains and in 8,500 stations throughout the country (9). objects. In this research, Mask R-CNN was made between ROWs and grade crossings These cameras provide valuable integrated with the Common Objects in (see Figure 1, page 32). The difference video-based sources of big data for rail- Context (COCO) data set, which consists is that any object—for example, person, roads—but analyzing the data accurately of more than 328,000 labeled images of motorcycle, bicycle, car, or truck—detect- in real time is a challenge. At present, everyday scenes built for object-recogni- ed within the ROW ROI will be deemed many camera systems are reviewed manu- tion research. This provides valuable train- illegal and will trigger an alert, except for ally by railroad staff, but limited resources ing data for computer-vision algorithms authorized railroad personnel. Conversely, and operator fatigue can lead to missed to recognize commonly seen objects like the grade-crossing area only will trigger trespassing events (10–11). people, cars, and trains (13). an alert if the algorithm detects that the As developed, the AI system parses signal lights are active. Artificial Intelligence for a video live stream, prompts the user Trespassing Detection to identify the ROIs within the frame, STEP 3: TRESPASSING This article presents research on an artificial detects whether people or vehicles are DETECTION intelligence (AI) algorithm that uses an ex- in the ROI, and sends alerts if trespassing The third step in the algorithm utilizes isting video infrastructure to watch for, rec- has occurred. Mask R-CNN (12). Each frame is checked ognize, and understand trespassing events for objects within the selected ROI. If a in real time. The algorithm is coupled to STEP 1: PARSING THE grade-crossing ROI is identified, a subrou- a live alert system that sends trespassing LIVESTREAM tine will actively check for the initiation of alerts to designated destinations. The first step of the AI system is to estab- a crossing signal light. As soon as that light Evidence from parallel industries that lish a connection to the livestream of the activates, anyone who enters the ROI is use similar algorithms, such as highway selected location. After raw video data considered to be trespassing. Both freight and aviation, indicate that AI can help is provided—for example, via Internet and passenger trains also are identified current railroad staff detect more tres- livestream—the program will proceed to by the algorithm, but are deemed legal passing. The AI detection system outlined Step 2. occupiers of the ROI and therefore do not here combines two computer-vision AI trigger alerts. techniques: region of interest (ROI) and STEP 2: DRAW ROI One limitation of the algorithm is Mask R-CNN. The second step of the program is to its inability to differentiate between ROI is a user-defined area in the identify the ROI. A user will be prompted authorized railroad personnel and tres- camera’s field of view that denotes a with a static image of the video feed and passers. In future research, this will be trespassing event if the area is entered then can select the outer limits of the resolved by providing the Mask R-CNN by a person or vehicle. Mask R-CNN is an trespassing area in sequential order. The with training data to automatically filter artificial neural network (that is, AI that borders of the ROI will be represented by a out authorized railroad personnel and mimics the network of neurons in the green line and can be closed by selecting workers based on the unique characteris- human brain) used for image recognition the first point. tics of their attire. In the current system, (12). For neural networks to function, Multiple ROIs can be identified in the these possible trespassing events are they must be trained to recognize certain same frame and differentiation can be filtered out manually.

TR NEWS July–August 2019 › 31 (a) (b) (c)

FIGURE 1 ROI for (a) grade-crossing stream, (b) first ROW stream, and c( ) second ROW stream. (ROW = right-of-way; ROI = region of interest.)

(a) (b) (c)

FIGURE 2 Selected (a) grade-crossing stream, (b) first ROW stream, and c( ) second ROW stream.

STEP 4: ALERT AND DATABASE crossing, pedestrians and vehicles enter To maximize accuracy, the AI system POPULATION the crossing after the signal lights are was tested on two new locations. Two The final step is twofold: 1) an alert text activated. ROW locations are defined as ROWs were selected for this portion of the message or e-mail is sent to a designated railroad property with no intersection or analysis and a cumulative 100 hours of live user and 2) the trespassing event video crossing; in these locations, all incursions video were reviewed. The AI was not mod- and metadata are recorded to a database. are deemed illegal except for those by ified during this phase and a copy of the The alert text messages or e-mails can authorized railroad personnel. footage was reviewed to see if the system be directed to railroad safety officials for The study did not address passive grade missed an instance of trespassing or if it immediate action. The database contains crossings, which lack active signalization raised false alarms. Longer, more diverse information on time, object detection, such as lights and gates, because of a lack of training data would increase the accuracy and identified zone (that is, grade crossing available video coverage of these locations. and adaptability of the AI in future research. versus ROW), as well as the name of the A training and testing plan was put To select an appropriate stream, associated video file. into place to ensure that the AI sys- researchers searched for several variables, in- tem achieved the highest accuracy and cluding a clear view of signal lights for grade Results smallest number of missed detections and crossings and an urban population, to in- This system was tested on two different false alarms. First was initial development crease the chance of trespassing events (14). safety-critical scenarios: grade cross- of the AI, using 130 hours of recorded With these factors considered, three streams ings and ROWs. Grade crossings are grade-crossing footage. A known quantity were identified for analysis. Figure 2 (above) highway–rail intersections with active of trespassing was established by manual shows a typical view of the locations. signalization that alerts pedestrians inspection of the training data and then A grade crossing in Ashland, Virgin- and vehicles to an approaching train. by debugging the AI until 100% accuracy ia, and two ROWs in Thomasville, North During a trespassing event at a grade was achieved. Carolina, were chosen for two reasons: 1)

32 ‹ TR NEWS July–August 2019 availability of video streams with a clear Vehicles Car view of signal lights and 2) demonstration 83% 79% of the flexibility to different trespassing environments. Pedestrian Bus 17% Ashland, Virginia 3% Bicycle Between July 19 and 25, 2018, 120 hours Truck 0% of live footage of the Ashland grade 3% crossing were analyzed. The alert system Motorcycle 0% reported 140 positively identified trespassing events. The analysis period included a range of environmental conditions, including heavy rainfall, fog, and many FIGURE 3 Distribution of Ashland, Virginia, grade-crossing trespassers by type, based on 120 hours of sample video data. day–night cycles. The AI system was able to automatically differentiate among types of trespassers. detected trespassing events at the study the intersection before the train arrives. Figure 3 (at right) shows a breakdown of location. Figure 4 (below) shows several Individuals who cross the intersection the results acquired during the analysis typical examples of this type of detected while the gates are raising assume that the period. This graph represents the results event. The color overlay of the vehicle, au- crossing is safe, disregarding the possibility during the limited duration testing and does tomatically generated by the AI, indicates that a second train might approach and not indicate a general trend. With a longer a recognized object. The masking also pre- reactivate the gates. analysis period, this system could ascer- serves the privacy of detected trespassers. These events were recorded to a local tain general trespasser demographics and The second most common trespassing trespassing database. If such a database trends. The AI algorithm searched for six event, shown in Figure 5 (page 34), was is expanded, commonalities between categories of trespassers—car, truck, bus, the illegal incursion of pedestrians while trespassing behaviors can be better person, bicycle, and motorcycle—selected the active signalized gates were down. understood. If the data gathered by the from more than 80 object categories These events, 24 in all, made up 17% AI system indicate trends—for example, allowed by Mask R-CNN and the training of all detected trespassing events at this increased trespasser activity at similar time data from the COCO data set (12, 13). location. periods during the day—the presence of The most common type of violation Both types of trespassing events rep- law enforcement may deter a large portion observed in the study was the passage of resent typical nonconforming behaviors at of illegal behavior (15). In another exam- vehicles through the grade crossing while grade crossings. Drivers and pedestrians ple, if it is discovered that most trespass- the signalized intersection lights were who traverse the crossing while the gates ing at the selected grade crossing occurs activated. A total of 116 events of this kind are lowering appear to be confident that from a particular roadway direction, were detected—comprising 83% of all they have enough time to pass through installing additional active signalization

(a) (b) (c)

FIGURE 4 Vehicle (a) driving around deployed gates from far roadway, (b) driving around deployed gates from near roadway, and (c) school bus crossing as gates are closing.

TR NEWS July–August 2019 › 33 and barriers for traffic coming from that direction may mitigate excessive crossing (15). In the future, expanding this research to more locations and aggregat- ing a large trespassing database could highlight trends and inform solutions to the trespassing problem. An additional feature of the Mask (a) (b) R-CNN is its ability to anonymize trespassers automatically (12). The overlay of colored masks on the images of detected trespassers prevents the identification of the individual. Similarly, the masks overlaid on the images of vehicles obscure the license plate sufficiently to prevent identification, therefore maintaining the privacy of the driver. Thomasville, North Carolina In the final portion of the study, two (c) (d) completely new locations were tested with FIGURE 5 Single pedestrian (a) walking behind gates and (b) crossing behind train, the AI system to demonstrate the flexibility (c) multiple pedestrians crossing behind train, and (d) single pedestrian waiting on of this algorithm to different trespassing railroad tracks. scenarios. In the first ROW location, the AI analyzed 69 hours of live footage from July 21 to 27, 2018. During this period, the AI recognized 10 trespassing events in several distinct environmental conditions, including rain, fog, and nighttime (see Fig- ure 6, at right). The AI was able to identify trespassers correctly, despite suboptimal detection conditions. To date, the AI system is 100% accurate at this location; that is, producing no false positives and no false negatives. Most of the trespasses detected at this location show individuals walking along the rail- (a) (b) road tracks instead of the sidewalk on the roadway to the north of the camera’s view. It is unclear why these individuals made the choice to trespass on railroad tracks, but the aggregation of these events can inform proactive strategies for preventing accidents. A feature of the AI is the live- alert system that sends text messages or e-mails to a user-defined destination. In a trespassing scenario, it is conceivable for the AI to inform railroad staff that a trespasser is present on their property. At this (c) (d) point, law enforcement could be contact- ed and a trespasser could be removed be- FIGURE 6 Single trespasser (a) detected crossing in foggy weather, (b) group of fore potentially catastrophic consequences trespassers detected at night, (c) single trespasser detected before crossing, and (d) single trespasser traveling within railroad property. occur (15).

34 ‹ TR NEWS July–August 2019 (a) (b)

4. McCausland, P. Railroad Trespassing Fatalities in the U.S. Reach 10-Year High. NBC News, March 11, 2018. www.nbcnews.com/news/ us-news/railroad-trespassing-fatalities-u-s- reach-10-year-high-n852881. 5. FRA. Report to Congress: National Strategy to Prevent Trespassing on Railroad Property. Oct. 1, 2018. www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/Details/ L19817. Accessed March 11, 2019. 6. Gnoni, M. G., and J. H. Saleh. Near-Miss Man- (c) (d) agement Systems and Observability in Depth: Handling Safety Incidents and Accident FIGURE 7 Trespasser (a) crossing tracks from parking lot to downtown area and (b) Precursors in Light of Safety Principles. Safety crossing in evening conditions, (c) adult and child trespassers crossing railroad tracks, Science. Vol. 91, 2017, pp. 154–167. https:// and (d) two trespassers loitering on tracks near parking lot. doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2016.08.012. 7. Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act. Pub. L. No. 114-94, 129 Stat. 1312 (2015). 8. Sheyner, G. Palo Alto to Install Cameras Along Caltrain Tracks. Palo Alto Online, March 20, 2018. www.paloaltoonline.com/ At the second ROW location, the AI Learning from trespassing can inform news/2018/03/20/palo-alto-to-install-camer- system analyzed 48 hours of live footage education, enforcement, and engineering as-along-caltrain-tracks. between July 29–30, 2018, successfully solutions to the most severe safety prob- 9. All 11,000 Trains, 8,500 Stations to Have CCTV Surveillance. Indo Asian News Service, detecting 109 trespassing events. The lem faced by the railroad industry today. Jan. 22, 2018. www.hindustantimes.com/ livestream view (Figure 7, above) overlooks india-news/all-11-000-trains-8-500-stations- a stretch of track leading to a grade Conclusion to-have-cctv-surveillance/story-dMtFDGr43u- This research tested a customized AI algo- 6GO2E03m3dBO.html. crossing that can be seen at the far upper 10. Dee H. M., and S. A. Velastin. How Close Are right of the screen. The detection of grade rithm for automated trespassing detection We to Solving the Problem of Automated crossing–specific trespassing was impossible based on big video data in the railroad in- Visual Surveillance? Machine Vision and Appli- dustry. Previously, collecting and analyzing cation, Vol. 19, No. 5–6, 2008, pp. 329–343. at this location because the view of the 11. Dadashi. N. Automatic Surveillance and CCTV active signalization was obstructed and camera video data for railroad trespassing Operator Workload. MSc thesis. University of because of the extreme distance of crossing was very laborious. With this AI technolo- Nottingham, United Kingdom, 2008. gy, it is possible to compile large data sets 12. He, K., G. Gkioxari, P. Dollàr, and R. Girshick. in the frame. Despite these limitations, Mask R-CNN. Presented at 2017 IEEE Inter- a ROI was identified on the ROW and of trespassing events and provide useful national Conference on Computer Vision, trespassing events were detected. insights into trespassing behavior to ulti- Venice, Italy, 2017. mately support risk mitigation decisions. 13. Lin T.-Y., et al. Microsoft COCO: Common Some cases captured by the AI appear Objects in Context. In Computer Vision: ECCV to show trespassers using the railroad 2014 (D. Fleet, T. Pajdla, B. Schiele, and property as a shortcut to travel between a REFERENCES T. Tuytelaars, eds.) Springer International Publishing Switzerland, 2014, pp. 740–755. parking lot and a downtown area. If aggre- 1. Batory, R. L. As Prepared Remarks of Federal Railroad Administration Administrator Ronald https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-10602- gation of the data into a larger trespassing L. Batory. Presented at 2018 America Public 1_48. database shows this behavior to be a trend, Transportation Association Rail Conference, 14. Savage, I. Trespassing on the Railroad. Research in Transportation Economics, Vol. 20, it is possible to develop solutions to this Denver, Colo., June 12, 2018. 2. Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). Tres- 2007, pp. 199–224. https://doi.org/10.1016/ trespassing problem (e.g., fencing). Addi- passer Casualties. https://safetydata.fra.dot. S0739-8859(07)20008-3. tionally, the AI system can record changes gov/officeofsafety/publicsite/query/castally4. 15. Horton, S., and F. Foderaro. Law Enforcement Strategies for Preventing Rail Trespassing. in trespassing frequency before and after aspx. Accessed July 1, 2018. 3. FRA. Highway–Rail Grade Crossings Overview. Report DOT/FRA/ORD-16/03. John A. Volpe solutions are implemented, allowing for www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0156. Accessed July National Transportation Systems Center, U.S. accurate countermeasure analysis. 1, 2018. Department of Transportation, 2016.

TR NEWS July–August 2019 › 35 Safety Education and Community Outreach Initiatives for Trespasser Prevention Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road

Photo: National Renewable Energy Lab

etro-North Railroad and more than 100,000 people every year on JUSTIN VONASHEK, Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) issues including trespasser prevention. DEIDRE MITCHELL, LORI continuously seek ways to TRACKS delivers rail safety presen- EBBIGHAUSEN, KARL MEYER, mitigate trespassing within tations to people of all ages within the AND LINDA KATZ the system, using a compre- Metro-North and LIRR territories. The Mhensive strategy that includes education, program’s content not only teaches Vonashek is Vice President, outreach, and community partnerships; individuals to act safely around trains and System Safety, and Mitchell inspections and system hardening; and, tracks, but also focuses on the dangers most recently, technology. and unlawfulness of trespassing on rail- is Safety Education Program Safety education and community road property. The presentations include Coordinator, Metro-North outreach efforts have been established as short educational videos and testimonials Railroad, New York. Ebbighausen important methods to prevent trespass- to reinforce the seriousness of trespass- is Vice President, Corporate er activity and consequent incidents. In ing incidents and to prevent individuals 1989, LIRR initiated the Together Railroads from trespassing. These presentations are Safety; Meyer is Director, Safety and Communities Keeping Safe (TRACKS) tailored for different ages and are revital- Operations; and Katz is Manager, program, along with the Metropolitan ized frequently to keep content engaging, Administration and Community Transportation Authority (MTA) Police current, and effective. Relations, Long Island Rail Road, Department. In May 2016, Metro-North’s Office of System Safety launched its own Community Outreach Jamaica, New York. TRACKS program. TRACKS is a fully cus- Community outreach is a primary compo- tomizable rail safety education and com- nent of the TRACKS effort to reduce tres- Above: A Metropolitan Transportation munity outreach program that promotes passers. In conjunction with MTA police, Authority (MTA) employee hands educational safe behaviors at or around railroad grade safety professionals at Metro-North and material to pedestrians as part of the TRACKS rail safety program. The outreach program crossings and tracks. Both the LIRR and LIRR conduct frequent outreach sessions reaches more than 10,000 people annually. Metro-North TRACKS programs educate at stations and grade crossings, handing

36 ‹ TR NEWS July–August 2019 Community Partnerships Another key component of Metro-North’s strategy is community partnerships. Metro-North’s TRACKS program has developed outreach on the topic of suicide prevention and awareness. Since 2015, Metro-North has had 52 trespasser strikes, 47 of which (90%) were confirmed suicides or suicide attempts. In 2016, Metro-North TRACKS and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline partnered on a poster campaign to encourage individuals experiencing a mental health crisis to seek help. These posters are displayed in Metro-North train cars and stations and are revised and reposted annually. In addition to the poster campaigns, the TRACKS program participates in community Out of the Darkness Walks, hosted by local chapters of the American Foundation for

Example of Metro-North (left) and LIRR (right) rail safety information distributed Suicide Prevention. Employees staff infor- at outreach events. mational tables and hand out rail safety and trespass prevention information to event at- tendees. The TRACKS program will continue out rail safety information to pedestrians, team to address trespasser issues. This to expand the suicide prevention program passengers, and drivers during peak hours. partnership facilitates the creation of to reduce this subset of trespasser incidents. The information outlines safe behaviors on effective messaging targeted at trespassers Similarly, LIRR is helping to promote or near train tracks and grade crossings so to be posted to Metro-North’s Twitter, awareness of the issue of suicide, work- as to prevent individuals from trespassing Facebook, and Instagram accounts. The ing with the New York State Office of on Metro-North and LIRR properties (see content is created and revised as new Mental Health and the Suicide Prevention photos above). trespasser-related issues arise. Coalition of Long Island. The Coalition For example, the teams recently created is dedicated to saving lives through Education a hiker safety campaign that involved social suicide prevention training, education, The TRACKS program also focuses on media blasts during the hiking season to and resource distribution. Two Coalition educating drivers so that they do not prevent trespassing on trespass on railroad property with their tracks near trails. Many vehicles. Metro-North and LIRR work of these social media with Operation Lifesaver, Inc., to remind messages have also drivers of the importance of making safe been transformed choices at grade crossings, abiding by into creative posters, vehicle traffic laws, and considering pen- which are displayed alties for violations. Metro-North and LIRR at Metro-North also support and participate in Interna- stations. tional Level Crossing Awareness Day. At this annual event, Metro-North and LIRR employees conduct TRACKS outreach at grade crossings located throughout the Metro-North and LIRR territories, relaying Metro-North’s TRACKS program grade-crossing safety information and the works with dangers of trespassing with vehicles and social media answering customer questions. to discourage hikers from Metro-North’s TRACKS program trespassing on recently partnered with its social media rail property. Photo: Guduru Ajay Bhargav, Pexels

TR NEWS July–August 2019 › 37 members, the Response Crisis Center and the Long Island Crisis Center, staff the LIRR suicide and crisis intervention hotline, which operates 24/7, 365 days per year. Professionally trained and supervised counselors provide callers with emotion- al support and assess level of risk. The counselors can immediately contact MTA police to intervene if the individual is on LIRR property. When indicated, crisis counselors follow up and provide ongoing outreach via telephone. LIRR has installed suicide prevention awareness posters at all 124 of its stations and metal signs at 30 of its stations to continue to publicize the availability of resources and support. Inspections and System Hardening Photo: Staff Sgt. Luke Graziani, IMCOM Inspections and system hardening also are A suicide crisis center manager answers calls. Suicide prevention counselors can critical to managing risk. For this reason, contact MTA police to intervene if an individual is on LIRR property. the LIRR Right-of-Way Task Force (ROWTF) was formed in 2003 to conduct proactive safety and security improvements of the property immediately adjacent to active Technology Metro-North and LIRR continue to rail corridors. ROWTF is a partnership Most recently, Metro-North and LIRR have invest in initiatives to mitigate trespass- between the LIRR Corporate Safety De- leveraged technology to enhance their ap- ing-related issues. As two of the largest partment and MTA police. Two dedicated proach to minimizing trespassing. In May commuter railroads in the United States— employees analyze trends, investigate 2018, Metro-North and LIRR joined Waze’s serving more than 177 million customers immediate reports, and perform real-time Connected Citizens Program (CCP). Waze annually—Metro-North and LIRR are patrols to identify potential security is a community-based traffic and navigation committed to the safety of employees, breaches, unauthorized encampments, app created as a social navigation tool for customers, and communities. illegal dumping, encroachments, and private cars. The program issues real-time trespass conditions. Combined police traffic alerts, leveraging a wide subscrib- and railroad resources help abate these er base to receive safety notifications for conditions through coordinated oversight at-grade railroad crossings. As a member of clean-up, enforcement, community ed- of Waze’s CCP, Metro-North and LIRR can ucation, and right-of-way hardening such keep their grade-crossing hazard alerts as high-security fencing. active regardless of consumer interaction. In April 2018, LIRR initiated a Fatalities on LIRR have steadily de- grade-crossing delineator program to creased over the years, from an average install delineators and reflective road of 30 fatalities per year between 1992 and markers at all crossings. The delineators 1994 to an average of 20 fatalities per guide motorists over the crossings and year in the past 3 years—a 33% reduc- offer a warning not to turn onto the tion—according to internal figures. At tracks. All LIRR crossings were furnished Metro-North, after TRACKS was imple- with delineators by August 2018. LIRR mented in 2016 along with other trespass- monitors, investigates, and tracks all er prevention initiatives, the number of incidents at crossings and shares the trespasser strikes by train also decreased findings with senior management. By by 33%. According to Metro-North’s inter- analyzing the incident data, LIRR will be nal safety claims database, the number of Photo: Metropolitan Transportation Authority Photo: Metropolitan Transportation able to determine the effectiveness of the broken gates at grade crossings decreased LIRR’s Waze integration feature alerts delineator program. by 25% since the TRACKS program began. motorists of upcoming train tracks.

38 ‹ TR NEWS July–August 2019 › NEWS BRIEFS Rear-Seat Passenger Guide Pups Train at Oakland Airport

Safety Lags In May, Oakland International Airport and Alaska Airlines hosted 70 pup- Although front-seat occupants have benefited signifi- pies in training, along with handlers, cantly from advancements in safety restraints, rear-seat volunteers, and staff, from the Bay safety has not kept pace. A recent study by the Insurance Area Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB) Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) examined the fac- to navigate ticketing and security, gate tors contributing to serious and fatal injuries for belted check-in, boarding and deplaning, and rear-seat passengers in frontal crashes, especially those in claiming baggage. which front-seat occupants survived. Only 42% of dogs who begin the Researchers conducted a series of case reviews, service training program go on to examining crashes in which occupants were 6 years of graduate. According to a 2017 study Photo courtesy of Rebecca Lacefield age or older and in which the vehicle was within 10 published in the Proceedings of the Tampa and her handler practice model years of the crash. Case reviews of 117 rear-seat National Academy of Sciences, a boarding an airplane as part injuries and fatalities showed that more than half of of an Oakland Airport training successful guide dog needs not only those occupants were more severely injured than the designed to expose the puppies to be obedient but also to have prob- front-seat occupants of the same crash, most often due to real-world travel experiences. lem-solving abilities, perseverance, to seat belt load limiters. IIHS reported that backseat and calmness, and lack distractibility. The study also pointed out that occupants are more likely to have head injuries from a real-world experience before training can lead to higher success rates. lack of airbags and are more likely to have chest injuries The partnership between the airport, airline, and GDB gave the young because of seat belt limiters. dogs early exposure to what often can be a stressful experience. When For more information, visit www.iihs.org/news/detail/rear- dogs are introduced to the complexities and distractions of an airport at a seat-occupant-protection-hasnt-kept-pace-with-the-front. young age, they are more likely to handle such situations calmly as working adults. The dogs also act as ambassadors, teaching airport, security, and airline personnel best practices when working with service animals. To read more about the training, visit www.mercurynews. com/2019/05/11/65-guide-dogs-in-training-descend-on-oakland-airport.

Thriving Ports Buoy U.S. Flying Cars an Answer to Congestion?

Economy According to a new study by the University of Michigan The nation’s ports added $5.4 trillion to the economy in Center for Sustainable Systems, 2018, according to a recent economic impact study. This electric vertical takeoff and figure, which is up 17% since 2014, accounts for more landing (eVTOL) aircraft may than one-quarter of the total U.S. economy and represents alleviate traffic congestion, 165 million tons of addi- compete in a ridesharing envi- tional international cargo ronment, and fill a niche role over the past 4 years. for longer trips. The study by Martin Using publicly available Photo: JAXPORT, Flickr Associates examines the information, researchers Use of fully electric, automated urban air impact on four business created a physics-based model taxis, like the Volocopter 2X shown here, sectors associated with could reduce traffic congestion and be to compute energy use and marine terminals: surface more environmentally friendly. greenhouse gas emissions for transportation, cargo eVTOLs. They then compared the model outputs with ground-based marine transportation, car data and found that eVTOLs carrying a pilot and three passengers Photo: Spielvogel, Wikimedia vessel operations, and outperformed ground-based cars in all areas—even when accounting for cargo handling. Data and Jaxport’s container volumes the electricity generated in producing the vehicles’ batteries. were up 25% in February. interviews were collected Five phases of flight—takeoff, climb, cruise, descent, and landing hover— from more than 14,000 were evaluated. Takeoff and climb used the most energy; longer trips were firms in the industry to develop a baseline; tax impacts were the most energy efficient because of a longer cruise time. According to estimated based on published Tax Foundation data. the study, point-to-point eVTOL trips could result in an 80% time savings The gains included a jobs increase of 7.7 million; an compared with ground-based vehicles. Researchers note, however, that 18% increase in federal, state, and local tax revenues; eVTOLs are most sustainable in trips of more than 22 miles. and personal wage and average salary increases. To learn more about the study, visit https://aashtojournal.org/2019/04/12/ To read more, visit www.ttnews.com/articles/ports-shipping- university-study-says-flying-cars-ideal-for-congested-cities-as-ride-share-taxis/. industry-responsible-26-us-gdp-study-says.

TR NEWS July–August 2019 › 39 Anne Goodchild University of Washington PROFILES

Anne Goodchild has led freight transportation research for nearly two decades “I have tried to take on differences in and is an urban freight, international border, and port operations expert. At culture, priorities, and objectives, the University of Washington, she leads and build those perspectives academic and research efforts in supply chains, logistics, and freight transportation into my research.” as professor of civil and environmental engineering and as adjunct professor of industrial and systems engineering. She teaches transportation logistics and analysis, global trade, and transportation and supply-chain concepts to freight model Goodchild has been active with TRB logistics management, and advises gradu- architectures. She has worked at the fore- since 2001, when she was a graduate ate students in transportation engineering. front of GPS data applications, identifying student at the University of California, Goodchild is founding director of both observable transportation characteristics Berkeley. In 2004, she joined the Freight the Supply Chain Transportation and Lo- that predict transportation behavior statis- Transportation Planning and Logistics gistics master’s degree programs and the tically. “I enjoy doing new things: building Committee, which she served for nearly Supply Chain Transportation and Logistics new ways of doing research, finding new 10 years, including as committee secretary Center. In 2016, the Supply Chain Trans- spaces in research that are underserved, and paper review chair. She chaired the portation and Logistics Center launched and thinking about why and whether I can Intermodal Freight Transport Committee the Urban Freight Lab to investigate take those on,” she notes. from 2013 to 2016. She also has served cost-effective, high-impact solutions for Under Goodchild’s leadership, the on National Cooperative Freight Research businesses delivering goods in urban set- Urban Freight Lab set two goals for the Program project panels, Second Strategic tings and cities trying to manage limited Final 50 Feet program: to reduce truck Highway Research Program expert task curb and parking space. The Urban Freight dwell time—that is, the time a truck is groups, and policy study committees. Lab uses a novel approach to research: parked in a load–unload space in the In 2016, Goodchild became chair of the public- and private-sector support to work city—and to reduce failed first deliveries. Freight Group and in that position served collaboratively on shared goals. To meet these goals, Goodchild is study- on the Technical Activities Council. “I like the challenge of translating ing common carrier parcel locker systems, “There are very few unbiased voices among communities—whether students, which will allow carriers to leave packages in delivering a transportation system; the research peers, public- and private-sector in one secure, accessible area, as a way to city, the port, transportation consultants, partners, administrators at the Univer- create delivery density in a single loca- and private companies each have their sity of Washington, or people locally in tion. The Urban Freight Lab recently led own perspectives,” she adds. “To me, Seattle who want to know what we are a pilot test of parcel lockers in an urban being a researcher means being a voice doing,” Goodchild comments. “It is an tower in downtown Seattle. The test—the for the entire region. As researchers, our exciting intellectual challenge to translate first demonstration of a common carrier job is to provide accurate data, consider what we are doing into their language, locker system in a public space in the all stakeholders’ perspectives, and honestly and to try to get people to communicate United States—found that these locker characterize the trade-offs. Where would across environments.” systems could reduce total parcel deliv- we be if we didn’t have anyone to play Goodchild’s research focuses on the ery time by 78%, from 27 minutes to that objective role?” intersection between supply chain man- 5.6 minutes—and reduce the number of Goodchild muses that her aim is to agement and freight transportation to failed first deliveries to zero—compared conduct relevant research—and not to shy better manage the delivery of goods and with traditional delivery. away from the practical and sometimes services, including evaluating the chang- “In freight transportation, it is tedious challenges of trying things on the ing nature of e-commerce—in particular, essential to work collaboratively with ground: “As academics, we can sometimes how increased goods delivery may affect people who do that work—those who hide in our models. When what we study vehicle activity, carbon dioxide emissions, move freight or need freight moved—in is a real system that is implemented daily, local pollutants, and vehicle miles traveled. order to do impactful, relevant research,” we have to tackle those implementation Goodchild has made significant Goodchild observes. “I have tried to take challenges to get to solutions, and I want contributions to transportation engi- on differences in culture, priorities, and to incorporate that into my research.” neering in the United States and abroad objectives, and build those perspectives and has been instrumental in bringing into my research.”

40 ‹ TR NEWS July–August 2019 Lisa Staes Center for Urban Transportation Research PROFILES

As Director of the Transit Safety and Staes points out that effective imple- Panel on Updated Methodology for Esti- Workforce Development Programs at the mentation of the SMS framework relies mating Demand for Rural Passenger Trans- University of South Florida’s Center for on a structured, robust research strategy, portation. She chairs the American Public Urban Transportation Research (CUTR), which is supported by TRB’s standing com- Transportation Association’s (APTA’s) Bus Lisa Staes leads a highly successful and mittees and task forces, the Transit Co- Safety Committee and serves on several motivated team that manages programs operative Research Program (TCRP), and other safety-related APTA committees. and projects related to transit safety, federal research partners: “A balance of A research strategy to better under- transit training, and workforce develop- research methods will ensure the efficacy stand the state of the industry should ment. She has conducted research on such of the research program and will include include benchmarking efforts and should topics as decreasing collisions and other establish a baseline knowledge of the bus incidents, bus operator assaults, transit safety climate at transit agencies, Staes safety standards, bus operator simulator notes: “The type of research methods used training and its role in reducing transit in- by TRB and federal programs—and the cidents, training certificate programs and corresponding outcomes—can help transit elements of success, other transit safety– agencies set appropriate safety policies related research and technical assistance, and procedures, by identifying effective alternative mobility strategies, rural and safety practices and principles, determin- senior mobility initiatives, and coordinated ing whether agencies are implementing transportation system planning. recommended practices, and evaluating After graduating from Florida State the impact of those practices on transit University with a bachelor’s degree in safety.” geography, Staes joined the Tallahassee– Staes affirms the role of research in Leon Metropolitan Planning Agency as a safety assurance through the continuous transportation planner in 1991. She served collection, monitoring, and analysis of as regional manager at the Florida Com- performance data, as well as via formu- mission for Transportation before joining lation of safety targets and performance the Florida Department of Transportation measures to gauge the effectiveness (DOT), where she worked as grant pro- of safety interventions and to support grams administrator from 1996 to 1998. oversight and performance monitoring. She then joined the University of South “The importance of Research findings also may lead to signif- Florida and became program director at icant data reporting and analysis process CUTR in 2003. research in the improvements and may help promote and “Advancing safety management ever-evolving safety improve organizationwide safety perfor- systems—and improving the overall safety mance, she notes. and reducing risks in the public trans- climate and in the areas “The importance of research in the portation industry—must be supported ever-evolving safety climate and in the and directed by rigorous research and of most significant risk areas of most significant risk to the demonstration programs,” Staes com- industry—such as reducing collisions, ments. The most successful of these safety to the transit industry rail–highway grade crossing events, tran- management systems (SMS) research sit operator and passenger assaults, and programs would identify areas of safety cannot be overstated.” suicides, for example—cannot be over- risk, research to validate and verify those stated,” Staes comments. “It must also risks, specific critical focus areas, standards be recognized that research results drive or recommended practices, and mitiga- actionable transit safety research priorities, safety improvement across the industry. tion measures utilized by transit agencies; executed through foundational research, The industrywide adoption of tools such review risk-based analyses performed by demonstration projects and deployments, as voluntary standards, guidance docu- sample agencies to understand and frame and synthesis research projects.” ments, or recommended practices will methods that could be utilized across As chair of TRB’s Transit Safety and only occur through well-documented, the industry; provide a structure both for Security Task Force, Staes coordinated the well-disseminated evidentiary processes research on standards and for technical content for this issue of TR News, which and research reports and findings that research to test and evaluate technologies; examines the theme of rail trespassing. extol the benefits of those standards and and offer relevant findings. She also has served on the TCRP Project guidelines.”

TR NEWS July–August 2019 › 41 › TRB HIGHLIGHTS by a research team led by the University of safety hardware devices. AASHTO and the COOPERATIVE RESEARCH North Carolina Highway Safety Research Federal Highway Administration signed an PROGRAMS NEWS Center with Kittelson and Associates and implementation agreement for bridge rails independent consultant Robert Schneider, to be MASH-compliant after December the guidebook provides steps to imple- 31, 2019. ment a systemic approach: how to define Section 13 of the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Systemic Pedestrian the scope of a systemic analysis, which Design Specifications needs to be updated data are required, how to identify risk fac- to incorporate the MASH requirements Safety Analysis tors and sites needing treatment, and how and address outdated language and areas NCHRP Research Report 893 to select countermeasures that address of ambiguity, particularly related to loads, risk factors. The report also describes how load distribution to bridge barriers and n recent years, transportation crash to augment the analysis with community deck overhangs, and analysis methods for data reveal increasing numbers of priorities and economic assessments and determining the demand and capacity of pedestrian crashes and fatalities. outlines ways to evaluate and maintain bridge barriers. This troubling trend has challenged a systemic safety process over time. Four Modjeski & Masters received a transportation agencies to redouble case examples from transportation agen- $230,000, 24-month contract (NCHRP Itheir efforts to improve safety for these cies illustrate real-world applications of a Project 22-41, FY 2019) to rewrite the vulnerable users. systemic approach. entire Section 13 of the AASHTO LRFD One promising approach is the use of The guidebook was developed from an Bridge Design Specifications and to develop systemic pedestrian safety analysis. Unlike extensive literature review and interviews examples to demonstrate the application the more traditional method of site or with practitioners. Information on the risk of the proposed rewritten section. factors associated with pedestrian crash “hot spot” analysis, which identifies loca- For more, contact Waseem Dekelbab, TRB, at frequency and severity was enhanced with tions where past crashes have occurred, 202-334-1409 or [email protected]. a systemic approach proactively identifies additional, original analysis of risk factors associated with two types of midblock sites based on specific features and factors GUIDE FOR SNOW AND ICE known to be associated with prevalent collisions. These risk factors are combined CONTROL OPERATIONS types of crashes, especially more severe with information about available pedes- When the AASHTO Guide for Snow and types. This process creates an opportunity trian crash countermeasures and their Ice Control was published in 1999, it was for identifying higher-risk locations even known effectiveness in different contexts. intended as a training tool to help opera- if historical crash data are sparse. Because The guidebook and accompanying tors, supervisors, and managers select and the analysis focuses on identifying specif- technical report are available at www.trb. implement methods or technologies to ic elements associated with target crash org/Publications/Blurbs/178087.aspx. effectively deal with snow and ice condi- types, results can help agencies fine tune —Ann M. Hartell, Transportation tions and to provide road users with safe their countermeasure selections. Research Board, National Academies of conditions and timely information to make Systemic safety analysis offers a data- Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, trip decisions. driven, proactive approach to addressing Washington, D.C.; Libby Thomas and Laura Since the publication of the guide- safety across the transportation network Sandt, University of North Carolina Highway book, advancements in plowing equip- by focusing resources toward effective Safety Research Center, Chapel Hill ment, materials handling and storage, countermeasures that are selected to target communications, technology, and strat- prevalent risks. The analysis also supports PROPOSED MODIFICATION TO egies, and other aspects of snow and ice prioritization of locations by relative risk AASHTO LRFD BRIDGE DESIGN control and management have changed using crash prediction metrics or other SPECIFICATIONS, SECTION 13 the industry state of practice. A new guide weighting methods that account for pe- Section 13, on railings, of the American is needed, one that recognizes environ- destrian exposure. This process also allows Association of State Highway and Trans- mental issues, budgetary and workforce agencies to bundle locations with similar portation Officials (AASHTO) LRFD Bridge constraints, and the new research findings. risks and context together to improve cost Design Specifications has not had a major Texas A&M Transportation Institute effectiveness and to accelerate delivery of revision since the load and resistance has been awarded a $300,000, 21-month appropriate safety countermeasures. factor design (LRFD) specifications were contract (NCHRP Project 06-18, FY 2019) National Cooperative Highway Re- adopted. Some of the text dates back to to develop a guide that will serve as the search Program (NCHRP) Research Report 1989; since then, the Manual for Assess- primary source for guidance on all aspects 893: Systemic Pedestrian Safety Analysis ing Safety Hardware (MASH) has replaced of snow and ice control operations. offers guidance for developing a systemic NCHRP Research Report 350: Recommended For more, contact Amir N. Hanna, TRB, at approach to identifying priority safety Procedures for the Safety Performance Eval- 202-334-1432 or [email protected]. improvements for pedestrians. Produced uation of Highway Features for evaluating

42 ‹ TR NEWS July–August 2019 › GUIDELINES FOR CORROSION gies has not been addressed clearly. The and discuss solutions to prevent wildlife PROTECTION OF STEEL HCM 6 methodology does not conform roadkill and improve driver safety. Cospon- BRIDGES USING DUPLEX to the fundamental relationship of traffic sored by TRB’s Ecology and Transportation COATING SYSTEMS flow—namely, that flow is the product of Committee and cohosted by the Endan- Bridge coatings greatly contribute to the speed and density—and does not offer any gered Wildlife Trust (EWT) and Eskom, the longevity of steel bridges and reduce the methodology for lane drops or additions. national power company of South Africa, total life-cycle cost by protecting steel Kittelson & Associates has received a the conference featured many fascinating bridge members from corrosion. For many $400,000, 30-month contract (NCHRP presentations, such as a look at Canadian steel bridges across the nation, the most Project 07-26, FY 2019) to develop meth- initiatives to build wildlife bridges over or popular practice is to provide a three- odologies to update the HCM related to under roads—simple, effective measures coat, zinc-rich primer system. This system merge, diverge, and weaving methodolo- to help animals to cross over the road and generally requires regular maintenance, gies, and to demonstrate the full range of avoid an interaction with a vehicle. which often is a maintenance challenge for applicability of the proposed updates in a bridge owners. pilot project. NEW KIND OF CONFERENCE Research indicates that the synergetic Centered around the environmental life of duplex coatings—hot-dip galvanized For more, contact Waseem Dekelbab, TRB, at 202-334-1409 or [email protected]. impacts of linear infrastructure such or metallized with a coating system—will as roads and rail, energy, power lines, extend the bridge service life beyond the Inaugural African Linear canals, pipelines, and fences, ACLIE was traditional coating systems. Bridge owners the first conference of its kind—not have had mixed experience with duplex Infrastructure and only in Africa but also as a single forum coatings, however. Ecology Conference addressing transportation and energy Elzly Technology Corporation has Many drivers have, at some point, acci- and outlining multiple common threats received a $430,000, 34-month contract dentally hit an animal on the road. The to the environment. Instead of following (NCHRP Project 12-117, FY 2019) to consequences can include not only an in- a more traditional international confer- develop AASHTO guidelines for corrosion jured or dead animal but also an insurance ence framework, focusing on each form protection using duplex coating systems claim or even a visit to the emergency of linear infrastructure in isolation (for and to plan and conduct a workshop for room. The inaugural African Conference example, roads only), ACLIE introduced transportation agency staff and other for Linear Infrastructure and Ecology 2019 a less-siloed approach, combining all stakeholders to demonstrate the use of (ACLIE) was held in March in South Africa’s forms of transportation and energy. These proposed guidelines. iconic Kruger National Park to identify necessary transportation and energy For more, contact Waseem Dekelbab, TRB, at 202-334-1409 or [email protected].

UPDATE OF HIGHWAY CAPACITY MANUAL: MERGE, DIVERGE, AND WEAVING METHODOLOGIES Freeway congestion usually occurs at freeway merge, diverge, and weaving segments that have the potential for bottlenecks. To alleviate or mitigate the impacts of congestion at these segments, active management operational strategies have been implemented—ramp metering, hard-shoulder running, managed lanes, and more. The freeway merge and diverge methodologies in Chapter 14 of the High- way Capacity Manual, 6th Edition (HCM 6) were developed more than 25 years ago using limited field collected data. Although weaving segment analysis was Photo: Christine Gerencher updated more recently, its relationship with the merge and diverge methodolo- As part of a demonstration at ACLIE, a rubber snake was placed in the road to see how drivers would respond.

TR NEWS July–August 2019 › 43 TRB HIGHLIGHTS

modes usually coexist and have multiple negative impacts on biodiversity; for example, the loss of wildlife from roadkill and electrocution on power lines. For years, EWT’s Wildlife and Transport and its Wildlife and Energy programs have addressed these impacts and developed solutions, spearheading the international gathering of experts at ACLIE to expand the knowledge pool. The impacts of transportation and energy on wildlife are not unique to South Africa—they are a threat worldwide.

PRESENTATIONS Presentations ranged from global perspectives to case studies from individual countries and encompassed current scientific research, policy, legislation, and best practice. A common thread among many presentations was the threat posed by current and future development across Photo: Christine Gerencher Africa. Major developmental projects have A white rhinoceros crosses the road at Kruger National Park, South Africa. been planned for Africa in the coming decade, with development corridors comprising networks of power lines, roads, multiple threatened species. The confer- Case studies included ways to prevent railways, pipelines, and ports to facilitate ence attracted many key players, including electrocution of martial eagles by power the movement of commodities. More the World Bank and the U.S. Agency for lines, reducing the deaths of Samango than 30 development corridors—spanning International Development’s Power Africa monkeys on roads in South Africa, and more than 53,000 km—are taking shape partnership, to facilitate discussions and the design of North American bridges across Africa, potentially affecting protect- influence decision makers regarding future constructed over roads to assist wildlife ed areas with high conservation values and developments on the continent. in crossing. Keynote speakers included EWT CEO Yolan Friedmann; Deidre Herbst, Eskom Holdings; and George Ledec, World Bank. Wendy Collinson-Jonker, EWT Wildlife and Transport Programme and member of the Ecology and Transportation Com- mittee, elaborated: “We were extremely proud to be able to showcase our projects to the rest of the world at ACLIE, as well as to share potential solutions for the proposed linear infrastructure developments across the African continent. The challenge will be implementing many of these solutions, but the input and support from experts who attended ACLIE may well assist us in ensuring development that is more resilient and ultimately benefits the economy but conserves the environment.” —Christine Gerencher, Transportation Research Board, National Academies of Photo: Christine Gerencher Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, In South Africa, wildlife in the roads can include herds of impalas. Washington, D.C.

44 ‹ TR NEWS July–August 2019 BOOKSHELF ›

Uniformity of Transport Law Through Standard Specifications for International Regimes Transportation Materials and Olena Bokareva. Lund University, 2019; 360 Methods of Sampling and Testing pp.; $130.50; 978-1-78643-744 0. and AASHTO Provisional Standards Addressing problems in the uniformity of AASHTO, 2019; 4,855 pp.; AASHTO transport law, this book examines concerns members, $575; nonmembers, $775; 978- and solutions for carriage of goods by sea 1-56051-732-0. and multimodal transport in the European Specifications, test methods, and provi- Union and internationally. In particular, the Rotterdam Rules are sional standards commonly used in the construction of high- explored as one of the solutions to the complexity of transport way facilities are included in this web-based publication. Three jurisprudence. updates are included to reflect new and revised standards.

Manual for Bridge Element Sustainable Asphalt Pavements: Inspection, 2nd Edition A Practical Guide American Association of State Highway National Asphalt Pavement Association, and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), 2019; 62 pp.; free PDF available at 2019; 124 pp.; AASHTO members, $125; www.asphaltpavement.org/PDFs/ nonmembers, $169; 978-1-56051-723-8. EngineeringPubs/SIP102-Sustainability- This reference for standardized element Specifics.pdf. definitions, element quantity calculations, Each year, 70 million tons of asphalt conditions state definitions, element feasible actions, and pavement are removed during resurfacing and put to use in inspection conventions is designed for use by state transpor- new asphalt pavements, reducing the need for raw materials tation and agencies that provide bridge inspections. The book and keeping material out of landfills. This book outlines 92 captures bridge conditions in a simple way that can be stan- specific actions to boost sustainability for asphalt pavement dardized nationwide. projects as well as in production and construction operations.

The titles in this section are not TRB publications. To order, contact the publisher listed.

TRB PUBLICATIONS

Developing Emergency medical service response 2018 Fred Burggraf Award: Safety Countries issues, student pedestrian walking speeds, and System Users Transportation and a crash risk-scoring tool for pedestrian Transportation Research Record 2672, Research Record and bicycle projects are a few of the topics Issue 34 2672, Issue 31 examined in this issue. This volume includes research from Included in the 2018; 119 pp. For more information, visit winners of the 2018 Fred Burggraff Award, issue are articles on http://journals.sagepub.com/home/trr. on such topics as the utilization of gaps at using open source single-lane roundabouts, roadway-related data to measure Operator Education and Regulation; truck crash risk analysis, and the challeng- street walkability Safe Mobility for Older Persons; es in hazard detection for commercial and modeling pedestrian crossing behav- Traffic Law Enforcement; and motor vehicle drivers. ior at signalized intersections. Occupant Protection 2018 2018; 134 pp. For more information, visit 2018; 129 pp. For more information, visit Transportation Research Record 2672, http://journals.sagepub.com/home/trr. http://journals.sagepub.com/home/trr. Issue 33 Papers in this issue include latent hazard To order the TRB titles described Transportation Safety Management anticipation in young drivers, virtual reality in Bookshelf, visit the TRB online 2018 headset training, and distracted driving bookstore, www.TRB.org/bookstore, Transportation Research Record 2672, behavior among older adults. or contact the Business Office at Issue 32 2018; 108 pp. For more information, visit 202-334-3213. http://journals.sagepub.com/home/trr.

TR NEWS July–August 2019 › 45 › BOOKSHELF

Pedestrians 2018 of real-time crash prediction models, and moplastic pipe, the influence of thermal Transportation Research Record 2672, revisiting hit-and-run crashes are some of sweep on girder stability during construc- Issue 35 the topics explored in this issue. tion, and performance of skew reinforcing This issue presents research on pedestri- 2018; 312 pp. For more information, visit in inverted T-bridge caps, and more. ans, including behavior at signalized inter- http://journals.sagepub.com/home/trr. 2018; 220 pp. For more information, visit section crosswalks, the effect of cellphone http://journals.sagepub.com/home/trr. use on walking behavior, and walkability Highway Design 2018 in the era of connected and automated Transportation Research Record 2672, Prioritization vehicles. Issue 39 Procedure for 2018; 160 pp. For more information, visit Highway design research examined Proposed Road– http://journals.sagepub.com/home/trr. in this issue include uses of lidar in Rail Grade highway cross-slope measurement and Separation Bicycle Transportation 2018 automated extraction of horizontal Projects Along Transportation Research Record 2672, curve attributes, transitions between Specific Rail Issue 36 freestanding and reduced-deflection Corridors Research on bicycle travel—including per- portable concrete barriers, and the NCHRP Research ceived safety of separated bike lanes, bicycle mitigation of impacts to groundwater Report 901 share program equity, and mixed-fleet bike- quality from highway runoff. This report provides a comprehensive sharing systems—are explored in this issue. 2018; 176 pp. For more information, visit way to compare similar project alter- 2018; 166 pp. For more information, visit http://journals.sagepub.com/home/trr. natives within a specific rail corridor. http://journals.sagepub.com/home/trr. Factors include economic, environmen- Pavement Management 2018 tal, and community livability factors. User Performance 2018 Transportation Research Record 2672, A railroad crossing assessment tool is Transportation Research Record 2672, Issue 40 included. Issue 37 This issue explores pavement management 2019; 76 pp.; TRB affiliates, $51.75; This issue presents research on driver research, including highway performance nonaffiliates, $69. Subscriber categories: exiting behavior at complex interchanges, the monitoring system data, estimation of gravel highways, railroads, planning and forecasting. impact of distracted drivers, in-vehicle passing roads ride quality, full-depth patching identi- collision warning systems, and other topics. fication methods, and pavement risk assess- Using GIS for 2018; 180 pp. For more information, visit ment for future extreme weather events. Collaborative http://journals.sagepub.com/home/trr. 2018; 462 pp. For more information, visit Land Use http://journals.sagepub.com/home/trr. Compatibility Safety Data, Analysis, and Evaluation Planning Near 2018 Structures 2018 Airports Transportation Research Record 2672, Transportation Research Record 2672, ACRP Research Issue 38 Issue 41 Report 200 Developing a comprehensive road safety Presented in this issue is research on This report index, enhancing prediction performance section idealization of corrugated ther- includes a description of perspectives, goals, responsibilities, and concerns of the federal government, airports, and local communities and SAGE is now the publisher of the Articles for Issues 1–6 of TRR examines the benefits that geographic Transportation Research Record: Volume 2673 (2019) are now information systems might have on foster- Journal of the Transportation online. Beginning this year, TRR ing collaboration for compatible land use Research Board (TRR) series. To will publish one interdisciplinary around airports. issue monthly. Individual arti- search for TRR articles, 2019; 134 pp.; TRB affiliates, $60; cles will be released as available visit http://journals.sagepub. nonaffiliates, $80. Subscriber categories: and compiled into the issue at com/home/trr. To subscribe the end of the month. Readers aviation, design and information technology, to the TRR, visit https:// will be able to choose to access planning and forecasting. us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/ either the complete issue or indi- transportation-research-record/ vidual articles. For more informa- journal203503#subscribe. tion, visit http://journals. sagepub.com/home/trr.

46 ‹ TR NEWS July–August 2019 › CALENDAR TRB STANDING November 13–15 Transportation Resilience 2019: 2nd International Conference 4–7 Geostructural Aspects of COMMITTEES on Transportation System Pavements, Airfields, and Resilience to Natural Hazards Railways 2019* September and Extreme Weather Colorado Springs, Colorado 10–12 Texas Department of Washington, D.C. 5–6 9th International Visualization Transportation Annual 20–21 1st International Conference on in Transportation Symposium: Environmental Conference* 3D Printing and Transportation Visualization in Action Austin, Texas Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. 10–13 6th International Conference on Women’s Issues in 10–14 GeoMEast International December Conference: Sustainable Civil Transportation 11–12 Conference on Health and Infrastructures—Beyond the Irvine, California Active Transportation Horizon* Washington, D.C. 12–18 12th International Conference Cairo, Egypt on Low-Volume Roads 11–13 International Accelerated Bridge Kalispell, Montana Construction Conference* 15–19 Conference on Performance and UPCOMING Miami, Florida Data in Transportation Decision WEBINARS 18–21 5th Conference of Transportation Making Research Group of India* Atlanta, Georgia August Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India 22–26 International Conference on 6 Social and Economic Ecology and Transportation* Sustainability Metrics for Public Transportation Sacramento, California CONSENSUS and 29– 3rd International Conference 8 Plan for Disaster: Is Your Airport Prepared for an ADVISORY STUDIES Oct. 2 on Information Technology in Airfield Accident? Geo-Engineering* October Guimaraes, Portugal 13 How It Affects You: IMO’s 2 FHW A Emerging Trends January 1, 2020, Vessel Fuel Symposium Deadline October Washington, D.C. 6–10 PIARC 26th World Road 15 Limitations of the Infiltration Congress Approach to Stormwater November Management Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates 6–7 Marine Board Fall 2019 20 Use of Life-Cycle Assessment Meeting 21 TRB Workshop at the 69th in Public Procurement: State Woods Hole, Massachusetts Highway Geology Symposium* of Practice Portland, Oregon December 22 Not Your Average Analysis: 10–11 Research and Technology 23–24 Air & Waste Management Introducing Travel Time Coordinating Committee Association Conference on Reliability in the HCM Freight and Environment: Ports Winter 2019 Meeting of Entry* 26 Recent Developments in Cold Irvine, California Asphalt Recycling Newark, New Jersey For more information on these events, 27 Practices and Marketing e-mail Michael Covington, TRB, at to Increase Rural Transit *TRB is cosponsor of the meeting. [email protected]. Ridership and Investment

Additional information on TRB 29 Roundabout Implementation meetings, including calls for Experience: Overcoming Challenges abstracts, meeting registration, To subscribe to the TRB E-Newsletter and keep up to date on upcoming and hotel reservations, is available For more information, contact Elaine at www.TRB.org/calendar, or by Ferrell, TRB, at 202-334-2399 or activities, go to www.trb.org/ e-mail at [email protected]. [email protected]. Publications/PubsTRBENewsletter.aspx and click on “Subscribe.”

TR NEWS July–August 2019 › 47 CALENDAR

NATIONAL ACADEMIES COOPERATIVE RESEARCH EVENTS PROGRAMS September National Cooperative Highway Research 3–4 Standing Committee Program (NCHRP) Innovations Deserv- on Advancing Science ing Exploratory Analysis (IDEA) Program Communication Research and proposals are due Wednesday, Practice September 4. Keck Center, 500 Fifth Street NW, For more information, visit www.trb.org/ Washington, D.C. IDEAProgram/IDEAHighway.aspx. For more information, contact Leticia Garcilazo Green at lgreen@ nas.edu or 202-334-3212.

10–12 Climate Intervention Strategies that Reflect Sunlight to Cool Rail Safety IDEA Program proposals are Earth: Research Governance due Sunday, September 15. Workshop For more information, visit www.trb.org/ Stanford Woods Institute for the IDEAProgram/IDEASafety.aspx. Environment, California For more information, contact Katie Thomas at reflectingsunlight@nas. edu or 202-334-3512.

16–17 Role of Authentic STEM Learning Experiences in Developing Interest and Airport Cooperative Research Program Competencies for Technology Synthesis Program topic ideas are due and Computing Committee Friday, September 20. Meeting To submit a topic idea, visit IdeaHub at Keck Center, 500 Fifth Street NW, https://ideahub.trb.org. Washington, D.C. For more information, contact Leticia Garcilazo Green at lgreen@ nas.edu or 202-334-3212.

48 ‹ TR NEWS July–August 2019 INFORM ATION F O R CONT RIBUTO RS TO TR NEWS

TR News welcomes the submission of manuscripts for ate; however, no endorsement by TRB is implied when possible publication in the categories listed below. All such information appears. Foreign news articles should manuscripts submitted are subject to review by the Edi- describe projects or methods that have universal instead torial Board and other reviewers to determine suitability of local application. for TR News; authors will be advised of acceptance of articles with or without revision. All manuscripts accepted POINT OF VIEW is an occasional series of authored for publication are subject to editing for conciseness and opinions on current transportation issues. Articles (1,000 appropriate language and style. Authors receive a copy to 2,000 words) may be submitted with appropriate, of the edited manuscript for review. Original artwork is high-quality illustrations, and are subject to review and returned only on request. editing.

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Join more than 13,000 transportation professionals at the TRB Annual Meeting, January 12 –16, 2020, in Washington, D.C. The program will cover all transportation modes, with more than 5,000 presentations in nearly 800 sessions, addressing topics of interest to policy makers, researchers, administrators, practitioners, and representatives of government, industry, and academic institutions. Also, many sessions and workshops will focus on the spotlight theme for the 2020 meeting, “A Century of Progress: Foundation for the Future.” The full 2020 program will be available online in November 2019. Plan now to attend. For more information, visit www.trb.org/AnnualMeeting.