NOACA Regional ITS Architecture

TM14: Advanced Railroad Grade Crossing

Need Area Description

This service package manages highway traffic at highway–rail intersections (HRIs) where operational requirements demand advanced features (e.g., where rail operational speeds are greater than 80 miles per hour). This service package includes all capabilities from the Standard Railroad Grade Crossing service package and augments these with additional safety features to mitigate the risks associated with higher rail speeds and leverage Connected Vehicle technologies. The active warning systems supported by this service package include positive barrier systems that preclude entrance into the intersection when the barriers are activated. Like the Standard package, the HRI equipment is activated on notification by wayside interface equipment which detects, or communicates with the approaching train. In this service package, the wayside equipment provides additional information about the arriving train so that the train's direction of travel, estimated time of arrival, and estimated duration of closure may be derived. This service package will alert and/or warn drivers who are approaching an at–grade railroad crossing if they are on a crash–imminent trajectory to collide with a crossing or approaching train. This enhanced information may be conveyed to the driver prior to, or in context with, warning system activation. This service package also includes additional detection capabilities that enable it to detect an entrapped or otherwise immobilized vehicle within the HRI and provide an immediate notification to highway and railroad officials.

Need Area Type

Safety

Service Package

TM14: Advanced Railroad Grade Crossing

Includes Needs

Number	Need
01	Traffic Operations need to be able to warn drivers of crossing closures or potential crash–imminent situations with a crossing or oncoming train in time for the driver to take appropriate action.
02	Traffic Operations need to be able to modify traffic signal timing in order to allow safe movement of vehicles away or towards a highway rail intersection when a train is approaching.
03	Traffic Operations need to be able to know when an approaching or crossing train(s) will cross or is crossing the at–grade crossing.
04	Traffic Operations need to be able to alert and/or warn drivers who are approaching an at–grade railroad crossing if they are on a crash–imminent trajectory to collide with a crossing or approaching train. This enhanced information may be conveyed to the driver prior to, or in context with, warning system activation
05	Traffic Operations need to be able to have detection capabilities that enable it to detect an entrapped or otherwise immobilized vehicle within the HRI and provide an immediate notification to highway and railroad officials.
06	Traffic Operations need to be able to calculate an appropriate deceleration required to stop at the intersection given a collected set of data elements: road geometry, environmental road conditions, vehicle configuration data, and available telematics.