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Advanced Preempted Crossings – A Case Study Tim Oster Railroad Project Manager

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. Fort Worth Railroad Saftey Program Background. There are 193 grade crossings in the city.

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Advanced Preempted Crossings – A Case Study Tim Oster Railroad Project Manager

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  1. 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

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

  3. 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

  4. When it comes to preemption

  5. Things are not always as they appear!

  6. 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

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

  8. PHASE I – RESULTSVERIFY 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

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

  10. PHASE I – RESULTSINSPECT 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  17. PHASE 2 – RESULTSJOINT 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

  18. 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

  19. 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

  20. 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

  21. 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

  22. 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, email, or text messaging for notification of issues at each crossing • Provide battery back-up

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

  24. Do you have Preemption? The appearance of preemption? or

  25. Railroad Program • Website Items: • RR Program Overview • Guideline for Project Selection • QZ Establishment Process • Sample NOI & NOE • For more info:www.fortworthgov.org

  26. Tim Oster Railroad Project Manager City of Fort Worth 817.392.6798 tim.oster@fortworthgov.org

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