Advanced Preempted Crossings – A Case Study Tim Oster Railroad Project Manager City of Fort Worth Mid-States Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety Conference May 19-21, 2008 Grapevine, Texas

u There are 193 grade crossings in the city u Fort Worth RR Safety Program:  RR signal upgrades  Planning & coordination of major projects :  Tower 55  New commuter rail, etc.  Crossing Surface Improvement Program  Quiet Zone Program Fort Worth Railroad Saftey Program Background

 TxDOT Stop and Yield Sign Pilot Program  Development Standards near Railroads  Signs and Pavement Markings Program  Portable Railroad Monitoring System  Traffic Signal Preemption Program Fort Worth Railroad Saftey Program Background

When it comes to preemption

Things are not always as they appear!

FORT WORTH PREEMPTION PROGRAM Phase 1 – General Field Investigation Phase 2 – Detailed Field Investigation & Evaluation Phase 3 – Final Report and Recommendations Phase 4 – Develop City Policy, Training & Inspection Program Phase 5 – System Upgrade, Standardization, and Modernization

PHASE 1 GOALS Verify List of Preempted Locations Gather Original Design Data Inspect and Field Test Preemption Verify Field Settings match Design

PHASE I – RESULTS VERIFY LIST OF PREEMPTED LOCATIONS 18 Preempted Crossings Represents 10% of railroad crossings and 2.5% of Traffic Signals in City 15 Existing Locations Preempted 3 Scheduled For Installation 3 Simultaneous Preemption Two New Locations Identified

PHASE I – RESULTS GATHER ORIGINAL DESIGN INFORMATION 2. Traffic Signal Timing Sheets 3. TxDOT Files 4. Railroad Front Sheets/Design 5. Design Material from Cabinets 1. City Railroad Files

PHASE I – RESULTS INSPECT AND FIELD TEST PREEMPTION Created Simple Inspection Form 6 of 12 Advance Preemption Sites required adjustments.  One Constant Warning Time Adjustment  Two Track Clearance Green Adjustments  Three Locations not working at all

Location #2 Bad AC Isolator Card Location #1 Bad Relay

Traffic Signal Controller Installed 1995 Railroad Controller Installed 1999 Pull Box Location #3

City Preemption Cable Railroad Preemption Cable PULL BOX 2007 What we have here is a failure to COMMUNICATE!

PHASE 2 GOALS DETAILED FIELD INSPECTIONS Obtain Additional Expertise Develop Detailed Inspection Form Perform Joint Inspections Demonstrate All Preempted Crossings Operating per Original Design

Max Train Spd = 20MPH ADT +18,000 TxDOT Design = 22 sec Advanced Preemption Warning Time Required: Railroad Design = 18 sec Railroad HXP3 = 14 sec

Max Train Spd = 40MPH HXP3 Settings: WT = 30 sec DAX = 31 sec Design: WT = 25 sec APT = 23 sec DAX = 48 sec ADT +45,000 Equals 1 sec APT TRAIN TEST REQUIRED!

PHASE 2 – RESULTS JOINT INSPECTIONS ALL 18 Preempted Locations operating per the original design Using the TxDOT form only 2 Locations need additional time if FDW terminated All Simultaneous Crossings are scheduled for upgrade Two new locations on 2008 TxDOT Program

PHASE 1 & 2 OBSERVATIONS Original Design Data Unavailable Track Clearance Greens too short Loop Detectors not working Driver Hesitation during Track Clearance Green at location with Permissive Left Turn movements Railroad Warning Time not set Correctly Approach Lengths not Programmed Correctly Railroad Plans Missing or Conflicting City Signal Maintainers Unfamiliar with Preemption Settings Railroad Maintainers Unfamiliar with Preemption Settings Regular Joint Testing (annually) on one Railroad

PHASE 3 – FINAL REPORT Prepare Overview of Preemption Program Summary of Preemption Parameters and Recommended Practices Evaluate each crossing using TxDOT Preemption Form Summary of Recommended Improvements for each Location

PHASE 4 – Policy, Training, and Inspection Develop City Policy for preempted crossings –Minimum Green Time and Calculation Method –FDW Time and Calculation Method –Track Clearance Green Times –Elimination of Yellow Trap –Use of Right Turn Restrictions Signs During Preemption

PHASE 4 – Policy, Training, and Inspection Training and Inspection –Develop Training Program and Material –Provide Training for City Traffic Signal Employees and Railroad Employees (Jointly) –Develop Preemption Inspection Form –Develop Regularly Scheduled Joint Inspection Program

PHASE 5 – FUTURE UPDATES Standardize Traffic Controllers at each site Railroad modifications for additional advanced preemption time Intersection and/or traffic signal modifications to eliminate yellow trap Provide communications to all preempted locations Provide live video at all preempted locations Provide alarms, , or text messaging for notification of issues at each crossing Provide battery back-up

MAINTENANCE ISSUES Traffic Signal Maintainer’s Trouble Report: Preemption was on. Found Preemption switch in test position. Turned it OFF. WORKING FINE.

Do you have Preemption? The appearance of preemption? or

For more info: Website Items: RR Program OverviewRR Program Overview Guideline for Project SelectionGuideline for Project Selection QZ Establishment ProcessQZ Establishment Process Sample NOI & NOESample NOI & NOE Railroad Program

Tim Oster Railroad Project Manager City of Fort Worth