Details:

Creators:
Zwahlen, Helmut T. ; Schnell, Thomas
Zwahlen, Helmut T. ; Schnell, Thomas Less -
Corporate Creators:
Ohio Research Institute for Transportation and the Environment. Human Factors and Ergonomics Laboratory
Corporate Contributors:
Ohio. Dept. of Transportation ; Ohio Rail Development Commission ; United States. Dept. of Transportation ; United States. Federal Highway Administration
Ohio. Dept. of Transportation ; Ohio Rail Development Commission ; United States. Dept. of Transportation ; United States. Federal Highway Administration Less -
Subject/TRT Terms:
[+]
Highway-railroad Grade Crossings--Ohio
Highway-railroad Grade Crossings--Ohio--Evaluation
Evaluation
Railroad Grade Crossings

Publication/ Report Number:
FHWA/OH-2000/021
Resource Type:
Tech Report
Geographical Coverage:
Ohio
OCLC Number:
665879848
Edition:
Executive summary
Corporate Publisher:
Ohio Research Institute for Transportation and the Environment. Human Factors and Ergonomics Laboratory
NTL Classification:
NTL-RAIL TRANSPORTATION-Railroad Highway Grade Crossings
Abstract:
Two new crossbuck designs for use at passive Railroad/Highway Grade Crossings (RRX) were evaluated.

The Standard Improved and the Buckeye crossbuck were evaluated on a state-wide basis in Ohio with

respect to their potential to alter driver risk taking behavior (part I), their crash reduction potential (part II),

user acceptance (part III), and with respect to their photometric performance at night (part IV). It was found

that the percentage of non-compliant drivers was approximately the same for both crossbuck designs with

slightly more conservative risk acceptance times obtained for the Buckeye crossbuck. Based on the last 10

years of Ohio Railroad/Highway Grade Crossings crash history the overall number of crashes at passive

Railroad/Highway Grade Crossings has continued to drop. Overall, the crash numbers in part II show a

statistically significant (α = 0.05) superiority of the Buckeye crossbuck: 157 crashes for Buckeye crossbuck

vs. 192 crashes for Standard Improved crossbuck (22% decrease in crashes) from 1994 until June 30th,

1999. A user acceptance survey indicated an overwhelming preference of the Buckeye Crossbuck among

all surveyed user groups. The Buckeye Crossbuck provides by far the strongest visual signal among the

measured crossbucks at night and during daytime. Photometric crossbuck luminance measurements

conducted under automobile low-beam illumination at night indicate that due to their increased

reflectorization, both the Buckeye Crossbuck and Standard Improved Crossbuck provide superior visual

stimuli to an approaching driver at night. The positive effect of the Buckeye Crossbuck on crash numbers is

more pronounced during daytime than during nighttime. The nighttime and daytime proportions of the

crash frequencies separately still favor the Buckeye Crossbuck. The multi-faceted, fully reflectorized

(micro-prismatic type VII, long distance performance LPD) shield makes a Buckeye Crossbuck the

brightest and visually most powerful crossbuck design evaluated in this study. In addition, the angled shield

makes the Buckeye Crossbuck less sensitive to placement in approaches that are not straight or

perpendicular to the railroad tracks, and the red YIELD legend on the shield has the potential to instill into

drivers, close to the Railroad/ Highway Grade Crossing, the idea that they must yield to approaching trains.

It is also important to note that, especially at night, both the Standard Improved Crossbuck and the Buckeye

Crossbuck designs provide an approaching driver with a reflectorized ( bright) target on both sides of the

tracks, which makes it possible for a driver to determine if a Railroad/ Highway Grade Crossing is

occupied by a train (left crossbuck either fully or partially obstructed by railroad cars).

It is recommended to amend the national standard for crossbucks at public passive Railroad/Highway

Grade Crossings in the MUTCD and to include the Buckeye crossbuck as an alternate design.


Format:
PDF
Funding:
State Job No. 14612(0)
Collection(s):
US Transportation Collection
Main Document Checksum:
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urn:sha256:e40a8ec2dc84d4b050879d22e7721e8b80b6aae238b55cad665fac94f5eda88d
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Supporting Files

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