Railway Crossing Safety

[ozbob]

Please see these links:

http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=122.0

http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=121.0

and

http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=71.0

Regards
Admin

[ozbob]

Letter received from an overseas correspondent.

Hi,

the best level crossing is "no level crossing at all", but an upper or underpass with the road. Its not very simple, not very cheap, but its is the best solutions.

In Switzerland the policy is to eliminate as soon as possible (2014) all the dangerous level crossings especially on the main roads  and to equip the others level crossings with lights and booms ( not
half boom, but full booms). The policy is to close the small level  crossings and to build new roads with an under or upper bridge for, by example, ten crossings.

I know that in Australia this policy is not possible because the  vast distances.

Safety at railway crossings is an international issue. Thanks for your letter.

Regards
Admin
RAIL Back On Track

[ozbob]

Victorian Government Media Release 25th June

The Victorian Government has announced a Level crossing safety package.

The Level Crossing Safety Package will include:

? 53 Automated advance warning signs - $11.1 million

      To be installed at all 26 level crossings on Highways and a further 27 high road traffic volume sites across the state. The flashing signs will be constructed on the side of the road approximately 250 metres prior to the level crossing and will be activated automatically when a train is approaching to warn motorists well in advance of reaching the crossing.


? Installation of rumble strips at 200 crossings - $11.7 million

      Rumble strips will be installed on each side of 200 level crossings in regional Victoria and will be laid approximately 250 metres prior to the crossings. These raised road strips will physically alert motorists to upcoming level crossing signage.


? Enforcement boost

      Penalties for level crossing infringements will be toughened, rising from $177 and 3 demerit points to $430 and four demerit points. A new offence will also be introduced for speeding to beat a train, crossing tracks when lights and bells are operating, or weaving in between boomgates that are down. It will carry a fine of 30 penalty units ($3,304), 4 demerit points and automatic 3 month licence suspension.


? Don?t risk it! awareness campaign - $2 million

      The Don?t risk it! advertising campaign will be updated to incorporate new measures and laws, and will be distributed via print, radio and television and school programs.


? Line of sight improvements - $3 million

      An accelerated program of works will occur at approximately 75 level crossings to eliminate any ?line of sight? problems such as overgrown vegetation.


? Trial of compliance cameras - $1.8 million

      A trial of compliance ?red light? cameras will be undertaken at two major level crossings - one metropolitan and one regional.

The package also includes $3.6 million for program management.

Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky said the Government would also ask The Victorian Rail Crossing Safety Steering Committee, which includes experts from the Department of Infrastructure, VicRoads, VicTrack and rail operators, to research new technologies to help improve level crossing safety, particularly GPS devices and radio signalling.

Ms Kosky said the government would ask the committee to look specifically at whether in the future GPS devices in trucks could be programmed to recognise and alert drivers that they are approaching a level crossing. The government will also ask the committee to investigate if a radio transmitter at a level crossing could override a vehicle radio to warn the driver that they are approaching a crossing.

?This sort of technology is still in its infancy but we think it is worth looking closely at so that in the future we may be able to apply it to our level crossing safety program,? Ms Kosky said.

Like other states and territories, Victoria will continue to use the Australian Level Crossing Assessment Model (ALCAM) to evaluate the safety risk of each of the State?s railway crossings, determine the optimum treatment for individual sites and prioritise the works accordingly.

Ms Kosky said ALCAM would inform decisions on where to implement each of the Level Crossing Safety Package initiatives.

Ms Kosky said the tragic accident in Kerang earlier this month was a reminder to everybody of how dangerous level crossings could be.

?Unfortunately, we have witnessed the fatal consequences of collisions between a train and a motor vehicle a number of times in Victoria over the last few years,? Ms Kosky said.

?While infrastructure improvements play a role in bringing level crossings to motorists? attention, there is still a vital need to educate and remind drivers about level crossing safety.

?To do this we will build on the level crossing awareness campaign Don?t Risk It! and we will get tougher on road laws on and around level crossings. The Bracks Government is working hard to reduce the potential for accidents such as these to occur at level crossings in the future.?

Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Bob Cameron, said the Government would be working with law enforcement agencies to enforce tougher penalties on motorists who don?t comply with road laws at these intersections.

?These initiatives have proven to be successful in improving safety at road intersections and are anticipated to do the same at road-rail intersections,? Mr Cameron said.

The package of works will commence within two months, with the first installation of rumble strips and will take approximately two and half years to complete.

See http://www.dpc.vic.gov.au/pressrel  for more.

[ozbob]

There are still railway crossing crashes and near misses occurring.  A suggestion has been received by RAIL Back On Track.

Instead of flashing red lights at actual crossings, replace these with standard traffic lights.  Drivers are much more likely to obey a red traffic light.  Place warning flashing lights several hundreds of metres away from the crossing, traffic light warnings and then traffic lights.  As train approaches traffic lights to red.

Certainly a suggestion worth considering.  Perhaps additional to present red flashing lights.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Regards
Ozbob

[ozbob]

From ABC News Online click here!

Truckies call for safer rail warnings

A spokesman representing truck drivers says warning lights at level railway crossings are too difficult to see in time to stop for long and heavy vehicles.

Last week, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau released a report on a collision involving The Ghan train and a truck in the Northern Territory.

The report says the time it takes to stop large road trains is a safety issue because stop signs cannot be seen from long distances, although it was not a factor in The Ghan crash.

The Queensland vice-president of the Long Distance Drivers Association, Peter Schuback, says it is a problem for truck drivers throughout Queensland.

"If there's lights flashing and you try and put the brakes on to stop, by the time you stop you're usually halfway through the crossing," he said.

"You've got one-and-a-half trailers hanging out the back, so you've really got a major problem there because of inefficient and ineffective signalling devices which don't give us enough time to stop."

[O_128]

This is a great initaitve.

I am surpeised that there has not been a major accident at lindum station it is so dangerous there!

[ozbob]

Media Release 27th November 2008

Australia:  Our sincere condolences

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport commuters has expressed our heartfelt and sincere condolences to families and friends of all concerned with the recent tragic level crossing crash in Cardwell North Queensland.  It is day of tragedy for Australia with sad events also overseas.

Robert Dow, on behalf of RAIL Back On Track said:

"On behalf of our members I would like to express our sincere condolences to the families and friends of the deceased and injured, and to all at Queensland Rail and to the trucking industry our thoughts are with you."

"Australia has many railway crossings.  It is time that a national policy was implemented. The unfortunate level crossing crash in Cardwell highlights again that action is needed."

"It is time all heavy vehicles were required to stop, look and listen, and then proceed with caution at all railway crossings. This would include all trucks and buses.  Unfortunately level crossing warning lights, booms and gates can fail."

"This could be enacted overnight in every state. Installing further protection such as booms or gates at most railway crossings is then required as soon as possible, particularly in view of the increased speed of today's trains."

"Standard traffic lights should also be incorporated as further protection on approaches to level crossings. Conditioning of all drivers is such that they are more likely to respond to a red traffic light."

"We said the same thing on the 6th June 2007 following the crash in Kerang Victoria."

"How many more deaths will it take before decisive action is taken?"

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[ozbob]

Railway Level Crossing Safety Bulletin
http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/2008/rail_bulletin.aspx
   
Summary

Since 1970 fatalities resulting from accidents between road vehicles and trains at level crossings have reduced by about 70 per cent. However, recently there has been an increasing number of accidents involving heavy road vehicles.

Between April 2006 and December 2007 the ATSB investigated 12 level crossing accidents. Of these 12 accidents, nine have involved heavy road vehicles, four of which have been collisions with long distance passenger trains. In addition, during the same period State authorities have investigated a further three significant accidents between heavy vehicles and passenger trains.

These accidents have cost the lives of 19 people, 13 on board the trains and six occupants of the road vehicles. In addition, over 60 people have been injured and the damage bill is estimated at well over $100 million.

Although fatalities and injuries resulting from accidents at railway level crossings are only a small proportion of the total fatalities and injuries that occur on Australian roads each year, railway level crossing accidents, particularly when they involve heavy road vehicles, have the potential to be catastrophic.

Heavy road vehicles such as road-trains and larger freight trains have become the norm in Australia for the good reason that they are an efficient way to transport goods over long distances between our metropolitan and regional centres. However, with the increased size comes an increased consequence in the event of a level crossing collision. It used to be somewhat rare to hear of a train derailing or of significant casualties on board the train as a result of a collision with a road vehicle. This is not the case today.

Some recent accidents have involved significant loss of life, the worst case being the tragic accident at Kerang when a semi-trailer collided with a Melbourne-bound passenger train on 5 June 2007. Eleven people were killed and 20 injured in this accident.

Another major collision between a B double truck and a freight train occurred at Lismore, Victoria on 25 May 2006. This accident resulted in the death of the truck driver and an estimated damage bill in excess of $30 million.

Download Complete Document: rail_bulletin External Link[PDF: 235Kb]

[ozbob]

Media Release 28 November 2008

Queensland:  Action needed today to protect trains and road vehicles at level crossings

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport commuters has called for the implementation of an immediate requirement for buses and trucks to stop at level crossings; drivers to look, listen and then proceed only if safe to do so.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Promises of road overpasses and boom gates are not going to make safe the dangerous level crossings on our railway network now, today.  As an emergency interim measure we call on the Queensland Government to require all heavy vehicles; buses and trucks, to stop at railway level crossings, and then look and listen for trains approaching from either direction and to cross only when it is clearly safe to do so."

"Other jurisdictions implement these safety procedures as routine (1).  Is it not time that rail crew, passengers and road users are afforded some common sense protection?"

Reference:

1.  http://www.dot.state.wi.us/safety/motorist/railcrossings/rules.htm

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail click here!

Two-thirds of Australia's 9000 level crossings lack signals

Two-thirds of Australia's 9000 level crossings lack signals
Article from: The Courier-Mail

By Tuck Thompson

January 04, 2009 11:00pm

THERE have been nearly 600 level crossing smashes in Australia since 2001, but two-thirds of the 9000 crossings still have no flashing lights or boom gates.
Fatalities and serious injuries are common in the wrecks but governments routinely blame drivers even when they are unable to see trains approaching at high speeds.

Government agencies, such as the Australian Transport Council, have discussed remedies to the carnage, including driver education and improvements to the crossings.

Some experts advocate boom gates and lights at all crossings, though the cost has been estimated in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

Excessive speed and alcohol or drug use by drivers is a factor in about half the crashes at level crossings.

Other factors include adverse weather and road conditions, lack of awareness by drivers, fatigue and risk-taking.

"Most crashes occur where the driver has a local understanding of the railway level crossing," according to a 2003 ATC report.

"Documented evidence from train drivers indicates many situations where road vehicle drivers deliberately choose to ignore the railway crossing signs or signals, perhaps to minimise delays or inconvenience."

But safety organisations accuse governments of not doing enough to safeguard level crossings by using moderately priced wireless technology already used at children's pedestrian crossings.

Lights are triggered to give drivers time to slow down as they approach crossings.

The ATC recommended that additional government funds be sought to upgrade level crossings.

The Australian Trucking Association endorsed the recommendation and called for the installation of flashing yellow lights 200m before crossings.

Meanwhile the main line between Townsville and Cairns reopened yesterday following last week's collision between a train and garbage truck that killed the truck driver.

Security will continue to guard the two locomotives and the baggage car of the Sunlander train, which remains at the crash site at Mundoo.

The train's black box was removed from the train on Friday and will be analysed to determine the speed of the train before the collision and when emergency brakes were applied.

[ozbob]

From the Couriermail click here!

Federal Government releases $56m for NSW, SA rail crossings

Federal Government releases $56m for NSW, SA rail crossings
Article from: AAP

March 26, 2009 10:58am

The Federal Government is continuing to roll out funding for rail level crossings, giving more than $56 million to South Australia and NSW.

NSW will receive $42.7 million for 45 projects determined by the state Government.

The money will be used to install flashing lights, boom gates and bells at crossings where there are presently just stop signs.

Thirty-four crossings, identified by the South Australia Government as in need of an upgrade, will benefit with $13.6 million for the installation of flashing lights, boom gates, boom barriers and even escape lanes.

The funding is part of the Government's $42 billion economic stimulus package.

The latest announcement by Transport Minister Anthony Albanese follows a $42 million allocation for 66 upgrades in Queensland, where there were 18 collisions, five fatalities and four serious injuries at crossings last year.