Federal Railroad Administration's Ruling: “Use of Locomotive Horns At Highway-Rail Grade Crossings – Establishing Quiet Zones”

Why has FRA issued this Rule? Required by statute in order to provide national policy for trains to sound a locomotive horn at public grade crossings. To permit exceptions where no significant risk exists. Promote Quality of Life without Compromising Safety

Florida’s Experience July 1984 – Florida authorized night-time whistle bans at crossings equipped with flashing lights, bells, gates and signs. FRA noted a 195% increase in collision rate during ban hours at FEC crossings and 67% increase at CSX crossings. July 26, 1991 – FRA issued Emergency Order No. 15 that ended whistle bans in Florida. Current Florida Statute CH 351 (.03) – Any railroad train approaching within 1,500 feet of a public crossing shall emit a signal audible for such distance.

FRA’s Train Horn Rule History Nov 2, 1994 Statutory mandate enacted by Congress (Federal Railroad Safety Authorization Act of 1994) to issue regulations requiring the sounding of locomotive horns at all public crossings, and to provide exceptions under specific conditions and circumstances. Apr 1995 FRA completes and issues Nationwide Study of Train Whistle Bans. Jan 12, 2000 Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) is issued

FRA’s Train Horn Rule History (Contd.) Dec 18, 2003 Interim Final Rule (IFR) is published, effective date of Dec 18, 2004 Nov 22, 2004 IFR effective date changed to Apr 1, 2005 Mar 18, 2005 IFR effective date changed to June 24, 2005 Apr 27, 2005 Final Rule is published June 24, 2005 Final Rule goes into effect

FRA Changes in Train Horn Requirements Requires the sounding of locomotive horn approaching every public crossing (replacing state law and railroad operating rules) Horn shall be sounded at least 15 sec but no more than 20 sec before locomotive enters crossing and not greater than ¼ mile Sec. 229.129 defines minimum and maximum train horn decibel levels (96dBA-110dBA) Effect of these changes will be to reduce horn noise for 3.4 million of the 9.3 million people currently affected by unregulated train horn noise.

Exception to Train Horn Sounding No Significant Risk of loss of life or serious injury Use of locomotive horn is impractical Safety measures compensate for absence of horn Establish Quiet Zone

Quiet Zone A quiet zone is a section of a rail line that contains one or more consecutive public crossings at which locomotive horns are not routinely sounded.

Who may establish a Quiet Zone? Public Authority with jurisdiction for the roadway at the crossing If Quiet Zone includes more than one Public Authority – All agencies must agree – Actions must be taken jointly Quiet Zones may be established irrespective of state law

Minimum Requirements of a Quiet Zone Minimum Length: ½ mile Active Grade Crossing Warning Devices (Flashing Lights & Gates conforming to MUTCD) Constant Warning Time (CWT) Device Advance Warning Signs

Example of Standard Flashing Lights & Gates

Quiet Zones: Two types Pre-rule Quiet Zones (none in Florida) Where train horns were silenced between October 9, 1996 and December 18, 2003 New Quiet Zones Any quiet Zones that do not qualify as Pre-Rule Quiet Zones New Partial Quiet Zones A Quiet Zone in which horns are only silenced between 10 P.M and 7 A.M Same requirements as New Quiet Zone

How is a Quiet Zone established? Approach # 1 Implement Suplementary Safety Measures (SSM) at every public crossing within a proposed Quiet Zone

SSM – Supplemental Safety Measures SSMs are the engineering improvements applied at a crossing to reduce the risk of a collision Temporary Closures 4-Quadrant Gates Gates with Medians or Channelization Devices One-way Streets with Gates Permanent Closure

Temporary Closure Close the Crossing to Highway traffic during designated Quiet Zone periods Crossing must be closed during the same hours every day Public Authority maintaining the street is responsible. Effectiveness: 1.0 *Effectiveness value for each SSM references the likelihood of a collision at the crossing as a result of SSM being installed compared to conventional crossing w/ train horn

Four- Quadrant Gate System Install Gates to fully block the crossing when the gates are lowered Gates must conform to standards contained in MUTCD Effectiveness: 0.77

Gates with Medians or Channelization Devices Install medians bounded by non-traversable curbs or channelization devices on both highway approaches. Minimum curb height is 6-inches Effectiveness: 0.80

One Way Street with Gates Install Gates such that all approaching highway lanes are completely blocked Effectiveness: 0.82

Permanent Closure Permanently close the crossing to highway traffic Must completely block highway traffic Barricades and Signs used for closure shall conform to standards contained in the MUTCD Must account for traffic diverted to other crossing Effectiveness: 1.0

Alternative to SSM within a Quiet Zone: Wayside Horn Stationary horn system designed to sound like a Train Horn Mounted at the crossing Reduces noise pollution in neighborhoods located near grade crossings Treated as a One-for-One substitute for the train horn Warning sounded until train reaches the crossing

Wayside Horn (Contd.) Horn system must be equipped with an indicator to notify the locomotive engineer that the wayside horn is functioning properly. Horn system must provide a minimum of 92 dB(A) and a maximum of 110 dB(A)

Wayside Horn vs. Train Horn

Alternative Safety Measures (ASMs) All ASMs must be approved by FRA Non-complying SSMs (e.g., shorter, or otherwise modified traffic channelization devices) Photo enforcement Programmatic education and awareness Programmatic enforcement Justification for any education or enforcement ASM must show a statistically significant measure of its effectiveness in reducing risk.

How is a Quiet Zone Established? (Contd.) Approach # 2 (Risk based analysis) Risk of a collision must be at the level that would be expected with the train horn sounding, or below a nationwide average risk level at public gated crossings where horns are sounded 3 Scenarios under this approach Scenario # 1 Scenario #2 Scenario #3

Determination of Risk Components of Risk for each crossing Expected number of collisions Probability of a collision producing a facility or an injury Average number of fatalities or injuries that occur in such collisions Cost to society

FRA’s Quiet Zone Calculator FRA’S Quiet Zone Calculator will calculate the risk index for each crossing, and other necessary values The Quiet Zone Calculator can be used to develop and store multiple scenarios (try it with different combinations of SSMs) for any Quiet Zone proposal http://safetydata.fra.dot.gov/quiet/

Quiet Zone Risk Index (QZRI) Represents average risk index for all crossings in a proposed quiet zone with the absence of train horn. Risk index for each crossing is obtained from Quiet Zone Calculator developed by FRA (available online)

National Significant Risk Threshold (NSRT) Represents the average risk index of all public gated crossings in the nation at which train horns are sounded. NSRT value is calculated by FRA NSRT value varies every year 15,424 (old value in IFR) 17,030 (as of April 27,2005)

Risk Index With Horns (RIWH) Represents the average risk index in the proposed quiet zone that would exist if train horns were sounded at every crossing in a quiet zone

Approach #2 Scenario #1 Quiet Zone may be established without any supplementary safety measures or wayside horn if: QZRI  NSRT Reviewed annually by FRA to determine if the Quiet zone still qualifies under this rule

Approach #2 Scenario #2 Additional safety measures are taken at selected crossings so that: QZRI  NSRT Reviewed annually by FRA to determine if the Quiet zone still qualifies under this rule

Approach #2 Scenario #3 Additional safety measures are taken at selected crossings so that: QZRI  RIWH Not subject to FRA annual review Local jurisdiction will never need to be concerned about the NSRT

Cost of a Quiet Zone Depends on Approach Methodology adapted Number of crossings needing improvements Type of improvement at a crossing

FRA Capital Costs of Equipment Flashing Lights & Gates - $150,000 Flashing Lights & Gates to Four Quadrant Gates - $150,000 New Four Quadrant Gates - $300,000 Medians or Channelization Devices - $15,000 Vender supplied cost (Railroad Controls Limited) Wayside Horn - $50,000

Hillsborough County Quiet Zones Countywide study Identified 81 potential crossings Developed 15 Quiet Zones Cost of implementing Quiet Zones based on Approach #1 is approax. $23,000,000 Cost of implementing Quiet Zones based on Approach # 2 is $ 4,700,000 Funding Options

Summary of Costs of Quiet Zones Established Based on Different Approaches for Hillsborough County

Funding Sources / Options No Direct funding sources for Quiet Zones Federal Government Programs (very low funding probability) Federal Highway Administration Section 130 program Administered by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Provides bulk of the federal crossing improvement fund. Up to 10% of the cost of crossing improvement may be assessed to the affected railroads. County’s efforts at receiving funds would be directed towards the State, not Federal government. Innovative Financing Special Benefit Assessment (Special Taxing District) Identify Noise Impact Area

Train Horn Noise Concepts Train horn noise is measured in dBA dB = decibels, general strength of noise. A = indicates that the sound has been filtered to reduce the strength of very low & high frequency sounds.

Acceptable Noise in Residential Area “U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)” Acceptable if  65 dBA “U.S. Environmental Protection Agency” Acceptable if  55 dBA

Impact Areas Determined by FRA’s horn noise model Impact Area (within 55 dBA Contour) Severe Impact Areas (within 65 dBA contour) ¼ mile on either side of the crossing

Typ. Impact Area in a Suburban Area

Required Notifications for New Quiet Zones Notice of Intent: Railroad & State DOT 60 days notice to provide information and comments to public authority Notice of Quiet Zone Establishment: RR & State DOT 21 day notice

Questions?