National Highway-Rail Crossing Inventory Rule & GCIS · FRA Points of Contacts • Policy,...

12/9/2015

FRA Highway-Rail Crossing & Trespass Programs

Moving America Forward

F E D E R A L R A I L R O A D A D M I N I S T R A T I O N

National Highway-Rail Crossing Inventory Rule & GCIS

2015 National Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety Training ConferenceArlington, TX | November 1-4, 2015Ron E. Ries Dee Chappell, Presenter

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Summary• Requires railroads to submit information to the

U.S. DOT National Highway-Rail Crossing Inventory

• Mandated by section 204(a) of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008

• Submit information about previously unreported and new highway-rail and pathway crossings to the U.S. DOT National Highway-Rail Crossing Inventory and to periodically update existing crossing data.

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Also Included

• New Inventory Form

– Based on input from stakeholders

• New Inventory Guide

– Provides instructions on how to complete the new form

• Instructions for electronic submission of data to the Inventory.

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Railroads Affected

• Railroads on the general system

• Urban rapid transit operators that are connected to the general system– Operate on general system tracks, typically

temporally separate (transit during day and freight at night)

– Transit operates a separate track through the crossing.

• Does not apply to plant railroads

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Dates

• January 6, 2015 – Final Rule published

• March 9, 2015 - Effective date

• March 7, 2016 – Updates due for crossings last updated by the railroad before 3/7/13

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Rule Definitions

Operating railroad means any railroad or urban rapid transit operator that operates one or more trains through a highway-rail or pathway crossing on, or connected to, the general railroad system of transportation.

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Rule Definitions

Primary operating railroad means the operating railroad that either owns or maintains the track through the highway-rail or pathway crossing, unless the crossing is located within a private company, port, or dock area.

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Railroad ABC owns & maintains tracks in crossingand Railroad XYZ operates through the crossing.

ABC is Primary Operating Railroad

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Primary operating railroad (cont’d)

If more than one operating railroad either owns or maintains the track through the highway-rail or pathway crossing, or if no operating railroad owns or maintains the track through the highway-rail or pathway crossing, then the operating railroad that operates the highest number of trains through the crossing is the primary operating railroad.

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ABC and XYZ own separate tracks in crossingABC runs 10 trains/day; XYZ runs 5 trains/day


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ABC RR

XYZ RR

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Tracks owned by Big CityABC runs 10 trains/day; XYZ Runs 5 trains/day


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ABC RR

XYZ RR

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Primary operating railroad (cont’d)

• If there is only one operating railroad that operates one or more trains through a highway-rail or pathway crossing, that operating railroad is the primary operating railroad.

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§ 234.403 Submission of data to the Crossing Inventory, generally

• Data shall be submitted using the Form

– Either hard copy or electronically

• Form shall be completed in accordance with the Guide.

• Class Is shall submit electronically

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§ 234.407 Submission of initial data to the Crossing Inventory for new crossings

Primary Operating Railroad

– Shall provide the Inventory Number to each operating railroad that operates over the crossing.

– Shall submit accurate and complete Inventory Forms no later than 6 months after the crossing becomes operational but no later than March 9, 2016

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§ 234.407 Submission of initial data to the Crossing Inventory for new crossings

• Operating Railroads when operating on separate tracks through the crossing

– Submit data specified in the Guide (mainly train operation information in Part II) no later than March 9, 2016 within 6 months after the crossing becomes operational but not later than March 9, 2016.

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§ 234.409 Submission of periodic updates to the Crossing Inventory.

Primary Operating Railroad

– Shall submit accurate and complete Inventory Forms for each crossing at least every 3 years from the date of the most recent update or by March 9, 2016, whichever occurs later.

• Does not include closed or grade-separated crossings

– Time for hard copy submissions is measured from the mailing date of the most recent submission.

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§ 234.411 Changes requiring submission of updated information to the Crossing Inventory.

• Crossing sale - Any railroad that sells a crossing shall update the Inventory reporting the crossing sale.

– Must be done within 3 months of the sale or by March 9, 2016, whichever occurs later.

• Crossing closure - Railroad shall update the Inventory reporting the crossing closure.

– Must be done within 3 months of the closure or by March 9, 2016, whichever occurs later.

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§ 234.411 Changes requiring submission of updated information to the Crossing Inventory.

• Changes in Crossing Characteristics - Railroad shall update the Inventory reporting the following changes at public crossings:

– Crossing surface

– Warning device – adding or removal of a crossbuck, YIELD or STOP sign, flashing lights or gates

– Must be done within 3 months of the change or by March 9, 2016, whichever occurs later.

• Does not include changes at temporary crossings

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http://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0111

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New Form

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New Form

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New Form

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New Form

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New Form

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Information on NewGCIS and Electronic Updating

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http://safetydata.fra.dot.gov

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References

• Safety Data Public Website– Grade Crossing Inventory System

– FRA Guide For Preparing U.S. DOT Crossing Inventory Forms

– FRA Web User Guide Grade Crossing Inventory System (GCIS) v2.0

– FRA Instructions for Electronic Submission of Grade Crossing Inventory Data v2.0

– FRA Data Migration Strategy Grade Crossing Inventory System (GCIS)

• Note: Many of these reference materials can be found directly within the Grade Crossing Inventory System under the Help tab

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https://safetydata.fra.dot.gov/OfficeofSafety/publicsite/GcisNewRequirements.aspx

https://safetydata.fra.dot.gov/gcis/

http://safetydata.fra.dot.gov/OfficeofSafety/Documents/Crossing Inventory Guide Final.pdf

https://safetydata.fra.dot.gov/OfficeofSafety/Documents/GCIS Web User Guide.pdf

http://safetydata.fra.dot.gov/OfficeofSafety/Documents/GCIS Electronic Submissions Instructions.pdf

https://safetydata.fra.dot.gov/OfficeofSafety/Documents/GCIS Data Migration Strategy.pdf

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FRA Points of Contacts• Policy, Procedures, and Guidance

– Ron Ries - Staff [email protected]

– JoAnn Scott - Program [email protected]

– Kathryn Gresham - Trial [email protected]

• Technical Issues with Electronic System– GCIS Support Desk (See Next Slide)

– Kebo Chen - Staff [email protected]

– Kevin Snyder – Operations Research [email protected]

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mailto:[email protected]





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Moving America Forward30

Questions

Ron Ries

Staff Director

RRS-23

(202) 493-6285

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THANK YOU!

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