Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety Association of American Railroads July 2012 Summary The grade crossing collision rate has fallen every year since 1978, but too many collisions still occur. Virtually all of them are preventable, so the focus should be on educating the public regarding safety at crossings, on engineering solutions (such as closing unneeded crossings and upgrading warning devices) that prevent collisions, and on enforcement of Email: [email protected] • Web: www.michiganrailroadsassociation.com Web: • [email protected] Email: applicable traffic laws. The federal “Section 130” program, which provides federal funds to (Michigan Operation Lifesaver News continued from page 4.)482-9225 FAX • 482-9413 (517) • 48933 Michigan Lansing, • 601 Suite Square, Washington N. 120 MICHIGAN New House and Senate Transportation Committees Selected states for grade crossing safety enhancements, has helped prevent tens of thousands of injuries 2012. Some of these venues included schools, driver training classes, collision investigation classes and two snowmobile enforcement events. and fatalities. Continued dedicated funding of this important program will mean more injuries House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Senate Infrastructure Modernization Committee truck driver schools, school bus drivers, law enforcement, emergency averted and more lives saved at grade crossings. Decisions on what types of warning devices Operation Lifesaver quarterly meetings are attended by approximately to put at particular crossings are made by state highway authorities, not by railroads. Rep. Wayne Schmidt (R-Traverse City) Chair This new committee has been formed to handle responders training classes, office on the train enforcement programs, 60 supporters and presenters who hear from quality speakers and receive RAIL Rep. Ben Glardon (R-Owosso) VChair legislation on reforming transportation revenue. fairs and special events. educational material. Recent speakers at the meetings were Tim Hoeffner, Rep. Marilyn Lane (D-Fraser) Minority VChair There were 326 presentations made by certified presenters in Michigan, James D’Lamater and Tina Hissong all of MDOT; Larry Lloyd, GORail; What Are Highway-Rail Grade Crossings? Rep. Tom Cochran (D-Mason) Senator Roger Kahn (R-Saginaw ) Chair which included 13 rail safety for emergency responders, six grade crossing Ken Gilsdorf, Operation Lifesaver, Inc.; Terry Ludban,CSX; John A highway-rail grade crossing is where a railway and roadway at the same level intersect. Rep. Kevin Daley (R-Lum) Senator John Pappageorge (R-Troy) VChair UPDATE DeLora, National Association of Rail Passengers; and Robert Chaprnka, A publication of the There are approximately 212,000 grade crossings in the United States. Rep. Scott Dianda (D-Calumet) Senator Morris Hood III (D-Detroit) Minority VChair Michigan Railroads Association. Michigan Railroads Association Grade crossings are equipped either with train-activated “active warning devices” (such Rep. Gretchen Driskell (D-Saline) Senator Jack Brandenburg (R-Harrison Twp.) as gates and flashing lights) or with “passive warning devices” (such as crossbucks, stop signs, The next meetings are scheduled for May 10, 2013 at 9:30am at the Rep. Kurt Heise (R-Plymouth Twp.) Senator Rebekah Warren (D-Ann Arbor) and yield signs). Trains often require a mile or more to stop and they can’t deviate from their Rep. Bradford Jacobsen (R-Oxford) Durand Union Station and August 9, 2013 in Ann Arbor. SPRING 2013 course. That’s why safety at grade crossings, by its very nature, is primarily a motorist Rep. Daniel Lauwers (R-Brockway) Senate Transportation Committee Anyone interested to getting involved in Operation Lifesaver should responsibility. The warning devices are there to protect motorists, not trains. Rep. Michael McCready (R-Bloomfield Hills) Senator Tom Casperson (R-Escanaba) Chair contact Sam Crowl at 248-823-7037 or email [email protected] or States, not railroads, are responsible for evaluating grade crossing risks and prioritizing Rep. Margaret O’Brien (R-Portage) Senator Mike Kowall (R-White Lake Twp.) VChair visit the web at www.mi-ol.org Highway-Railgrade crossings Grade for improvement. Crossing The decision to Safety install a specific type of warning device at a Rep. Peter Pettalia (R-Presque Isle) Senator Morris Hood (D-Detriot) Minority VChair particular public grade crossing is made by the state Rep. David Rutledge (D-Ypsilanti) Senator Jack Brandenburg (R-Harrison Twp.) What Are Highway-Rail Grade Crossings? highway authority, not byactions; a railroad, only and aapproved very small by The Grade Crossing Collision Rate Has Rep. Charles Smiley (D-Burton) Senator Goeff Hansen (R-Hart) A highway-rail grade crossing is where a railway and roadwaythe Federal at the Highway same Administration.number result from the Fallen Every Year Since 1978 (collisions per million train-miles) Senator Phil Pavlov (R-St. Clair) level intersect. There are approximately 212,000 grade crossings in the failure of crossing gates 16 Safer Than Ever House Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee Senator Rebekah Warren (D-Ann Arbor) United States. or signals. According to 14 From 1980 througha 20042011, theU.S. number Department of grade Rep. Robert VerHeulen (R-Walker) Chair Grade crossings are equipped either with train-activated “active warning 12 1980-2011: -81% Rep. Paul Muxlow (R-Brown City) VChair Senate Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee crossing collisions fell 81 ofpercent; Transportation injuries associated report, For those interested in learning more devices” (such as gates and flashing lights) or with “passive warning 10 Rep. Andy Kandrevas (D-Southgate) Minority VChair This committee did not change from last session. with collisions fell 75 percent;“Risky and driver fatalities behavior fell 70 or or becoming active in devices” (such as crossbucks, stop signs, and yield signs).percent. Trains often 8 Rep. Earl Poleski (R-Jackson) The grade crossingpoor collisionjudgment rate accountedhas Michigan Operation, contact require a mile or more to stop and they can’t deviate from their course. 6 fallen every year since 1978for .31,035 or 94 percent Rep. Al Pscholka (R-Stevensville) Senator John Pappageorge (R-Troy) Chair From left, Al Kolpack, receiving outstanding presenter award from Sam Crowl, Michigan OL State Coordinator That’s why safety at grade crossings, by its very nature, is primarily a The vast majority of grade crossing collisions 4 Senator Patrick Colbeck (R-Canton Twp.) VChair Operation Lifesaver State Coordinator. Mr. Kolpack, former purchasing agent with the Sam Crowl at (248) 823-7037 or of public grade crossing motorist responsibility. The warning devices areare there the resultto protect of motorists’ actions; only a very small 2 Senator Glenn Anderson (D-Westland) Minority VChair Ginsan Co. in Grand Rapids, is an engineer with the Coopersville & Marne Railway and an [email protected] or MI-OL.org accidents” from 1994-2003. motorists, not trains. number result from the failure of crossing gates or 0 eight year volunteer with MI OL and lives in Rockford, MI. Photo by Rahn Stokes Most of the rest were vehicles signals. According to a 2004 U.S. Department of '80 '83 '85 '87 '89 '91 '93 '95 '97 '99 '01 '03 '05 '07 '09 '11 States, not railroads, are responsible for evaluating grade crossing risks stuck, stalled, or abandoned Source: Federal Railroad Administration Railroad Co., Lake State Railway, Lake Superior & Ishpeming Railroad Co., Lapeer Industrial Railroad, Marquette Rail, Michigan Shore Railroad Co., Mid-Michigan Railroad Co., Norfolk Southern Corp. Southern Norfolk Co., Railroad Mid-Michigan Co., Railroad Shore Michigan Rail, Marquette Railroad, Industrial Lapeer Co., Railroad Ishpeming & Superior Lake Railway, State Lake Co., Railroad Transportation report, “Risky driver behavior or poor and prioritizing grade crossings for improvement. The decision to install at crossings. Railroad Co., Escanaba & Lake Superior Railroad Co., Grand Elk Railroad, Grand Rapids Eastern Railroad Co., Great Lakes Central Railroad, Huron & Eastern Railway Co., Indiana & Ohio Railway, Jackson & Lansing Lansing & Jackson Railway, Ohio & Indiana Co., Railway Eastern & Huron Railroad, Central Lakes Great Co., Railroad Eastern Rapids Grand Railroad, Elk Grand Co., Railroad Superior Lake & Escanaba Co., Railroad Railroads Association are are Adrian & Blissfield Railroad, Ann Arbor Railroad, Charlotte Southern Railroad Co., CN Railroad, Consolidated Rail Corp. (Conrail), CP Rail System, CSX Transportation, Detroit Connecting Connecting Detroit Transportation, CSX System, Rail CP (Conrail), Corp. Rail Consolidated Railroad, CN Co., Railroad Southern Charlotte Railroad, Arbor Ann Railroad, Blissfield & Adrian are are Association Railroads a specific type of warning device at a particular public grade crossing is America’s freight railroads spend hundreds of millions of dollars each year Amtrak And The Michigan Department of Transportation Michigan the of Members 482-9413. (517) Phone Chaprnka. J. Robert President: 48933. Michigan Lansing, 601, Suite Square, Washington N. 120 Association, Railroads Michigan of publication a is Update Rail Michigan made by the state highway authority, not by a railroad, and approved by to maintain and improve grade crossings. They also: Gearing Up For Higher Speed Rail Passenger Service the Federal Highway Administration. Raise the Grade on Grade Crossing Safety Page 1 of 2 Safer Than Ever · Cooperate with