Interconnected Systems

Interconnected traffic signals and AAWS signs should be jointly inspected on a regular basis by State and railroad signal personnel. County or municipal representatives need to be included in this inspection if they share the responsibility for operation or maintenance of the device. Operation of the preempt should be checked any time a railroad or roadway signal maintainer visits the crossing or the highway intersection. Installation of recording devices which monitor train detection and operation of the relays associated with operation of the railroad warning devices should be provided in accordance with current FRA policies. The highway agency and the local law enforcement agency should have a railroad company’s telephone number available 24 hours per day to report railroad signal damage or malfunctions. Relevant Federal requirements include the following regulations, safety advisories, and technical bulletins:

•49 CFR 234.261—Requires that a railroad test each highway traffic control signal pre ‑emption interconnection for which it has maintenance responsibility at least once each month.

•FRA Technical Bulletin S-12-01—“Guidance Regarding the Appropriate Process for the Inspection of Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Warning System Pre-Emption Interconnections with Highway Traffic Signals”: This technical bulletin recommends that the inspector conduct the following: review circuit plans which should show the interconnection and designed pre ‑ emption time; request maximum right-of-way transfer time (RTT), minimum track clearance green (TCG) interval, and “worst ‑case” traffic control signal condition from the highway authority, and test pre-emption function by observing a train movement and implementation of the pre-emption function.(55)

•FRA Safety Advisory 2010-02—“Signal Recording Devices for Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Active Warning Systems that are Interconnected with Highway Traffic Signal Systems” (56): This safety advisory recommends that States, local highway authorities, and railroads install, maintain, and upgrade railroad and highway traffic signal recording devices at crossings. This safety advisory also recommends that States, local highway authorities, and railroads conduct comprehensive periodic joint inspections of highway traffic signal pre ‑emption interconnections and use information obtained from any railroad and highway traffic signal recording devices during those inspections to determine whether further investigation of any recorded operational anomalies may be warranted. Additional information on recording devices can be found in an Informational Report published by USDOT/FHWA. (57)