AASHTO - Freight Transportation Network

Chair -- Astrid C. Glynn, New York
Vice Chair -- Kenneth Uznanski, Washington State
Secretary -- Leo Penne, AASHTO

Safety/Security

Did you know...
People walking or playing on, near or along railroad tracks and equipment, and collisions at highway-rail grade crossings account for 96 percent of rail-related deaths in the U.S. In 2003, 324 people were killed in motor vehicles collisions with trains at grade crossings and over 500 people died after being hit by trains. Currently, a train strikes someone nearly every three hours in the United States.

Read Secretary's Action Plan --------> Highway-Rail Crossing Safety Trespass Prevention (June 2004)

SEE ALSO http://safety.transportation.org/

Safety

U.S. Department of Transportation
Proposed New Rail Car Reflector Rule Will Enhance Safety

A proposed rule to enhance safety by establishing specific requirements for the placement of reflective material on freight railcars was announced today by Federal Railroad Administrator Allan Rutter.
The large size of rail freight cars can cover a motorist's entire field of view, making them difficult to detect. Limited visibility at night, dusk, dawn, and during adverse weather conditions also can make it difficult for motorist to see dark-colored rail cars. As a result, a motorist's ordinary expectation may be dangerously altered. FRA research indicates that safety may be improved by placing reflective material on the train itself, since it can aid drivers in better judging a train's distance and relative state of motion. Rail Car Relector AAR Rail Safety

Safety is the U.S. railroad industry’s top priority. Through comprehensive employee training; massive investments in infrastructure and technology; cooperative efforts involving rail management, rail suppliers, rail labor, and the Federal Railroad Administration; partnerships with customers and communities; cutting-edge research and development; and steadfast commitment to applicable laws and regulations, railroads are actively and consistently at the forefront of advancing safety.
AAR advancing Safety Rail Carrier Security Recommendations for Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT)
Recognizing that a safe and secure supply chain is critical to defending against acts of terrorism, the United States Customs Service initiated C-TPAT with the trade community following the events of September 11, 2001. Through C-TPAT Customs is establishing close cooperation with the trade community to heighten security efforts of the global supply chain, specifically commercial shipments imported into the U.S. against terrorist infiltration. Although currently a volunteer program, C-TPAT has grown rapidly to more than 1600 participants who recognize the value and benefits of becoming a C-TPAT member. C-TPAT

Security

Office of Emergency Transportation
Transportation is both a vulnerable lifeline in our communities on a daily basis, but during disasters it is an essential component for helping the community get back on its feet and restoring its economy. To provide a centralized, effective program, the Office of Emergency Transportation (OET), in the Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA) of the Department of Transportation (DOT), performs coordinated crisis management functions for multimodal transportation emergencies, including:

natural disasters

technological incidents / accidents

labor strikes

security situations, such as domestic criminal acts or international terrorist acts

national defense mobilization.

Transportation Emergency Management General Accounting Office--Report to Concressional Requesters
Rail Safety and Security
Some Actions Already Taken to Enhance Rail Security, but Risk-based Plan Needed
Rail Safety & Security April 2003 AASHTO Rail Safety
Each year, hundreds of fatalities are sustained at the nation’s ubiquitous highway-rail grade crossings. Many are the result of drivers deliberately circumventing or otherwise purposely violating active control devices. In other cases drivers are unsure of their responsibilities because warning devices, both active and passive, are perceived by motorists as ambiguous. There also exists a general lack of public awareness about highway-rail crossings that may be traced in part to ineffectual licensing and driver education efforts. While these strategies concentrate on railroad highway crossing initiatives, they may be expanded as appropriate to similar light-rail transit crossing concerns. Goal 14 -Reducing Vehicle-Train Crashes Federal Railroad Administration--Safety
FRA's Office of Safety promotes and regulates safety throughout the Nation's railroad industry. We employ more than 415 Federal safety inspectors, who operate out of eight regional offices nationally. Our inspectors specialize in the following five safety disciplines and promote numerous grade crossing and trespass-prevention initiatives: Hazardous Materials,

Motive Power and Equipment,

Operating Practices,

Signal and Train Control
,
Track,

Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety Program
Safety Issues

Links

White House/ Homeland Security:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/homeland/
Ready. Gov
http://www.ready.gov/
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Page:
http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/index.jsp
Transportation Security Administration
http://www.tsa.gov/public/
Homeland various DHS other organizations:
http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/display?theme=13
ITS America Homeland Security
http://www.itsa.org/homeland.html
Defense Homeland Security
http://www.defenselink.mil/specials/homeland/
National Homeland Security Knowledgebase: Link Database
http://www.twotigersonline.com/resources.html
The Office for Domestic Preparedness (ODP)
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/odp/
American Red Cross—Disaster Services:
http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_319_,00.html
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/
FHWA Safety
http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/
AASHTO Homepage Security
http://security.transportation.org/
AASHTO Homepage Safety
http://safety.transportation.org/