A number of innovative active warning devices for use at railroad-highway grade crossings were conceptualized, ranked and subjectively evaluated. Eight candidate devices were developed that could be reduced to five for further laboratory testing. Specific characteristics of the eight candidate systems were incorporated into three systems, namely, the four quadrant gate system, the standard highway traffic signal with active advance warning, and improvements to existing flashing light signals. The six concepts embodied in these three systems will be field tested for a one-year period. The use of short-arm gates in all four quadrants is a significant departure from present practice and concepts within the U.S., although not from practice in Europe. The use of standard highway traffic signal at railroad-highway grade crossings is a definite more toward placing a railroad-highway grade crossing in the same category as a highway intersection.
Abstract