Accident Reconstruction Network > News > October 2005 > 10/11/04

Accident Reconstruction News Article

Union Pacific Installs New Signs to Improve Railroad Crossing Safety

$14 Million Grade Crossing Safety Program Adds Stop and Yield Signs to Crossings in Wisconsin and Illinois

OMAHA, Neb., Oct. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Union Pacific is investing $14 million in a major safety initiative to upgrade signs at its railroad crossings without active warning devices. The initiative includes the installation of new high reflectivity crossbuck warning signs, emergency notification signs and private crossing signs at more than 17,500 crossings throughout the railroad's 23-state system. The safety initiative is on track to be substantially complete by the end of the year.

"The crossbuck railroad crossing sign is probably one of the most familiar signs in America," said Richard Reynolds, director of transportation and public safety for Union Pacific. "But many people don't know what action they should take when they see the sign. Our upgrades will help them."

Stop and yield signs, as well as active warning signals, are traffic control devices and, consequently, Union Pacific cannot install them without permission and cooperation of the state or local road authority.

In Wisconsin and Illinois, Union Pacific obtained permission to install stop or yield signs at all public crossings without crossing signals. In those two states, more than 600 crossings are receiving stop or yield signs in addition to the new crossbuck warning and emergency notification signs.

Union Pacific is actively working with local, state and federal officials in other states to receive permission to install stop or yield signs.

"In cooperation with local and state government, we're posting stop and yield signs in some areas of Arkansas and are working to develop a broader program in that state," said Reynolds. "This is just one part of our aggressive company-wide safety program to reduce grade crossing collisions."

In addition to the signage upgrades, Union Pacific is actively closing unnecessary and redundant crossings throughout the system. Since 2001, more than 1,400 active at-grade crossings have been closed on Union Pacific lines.

Union Pacific also helps states work through the process of installing active railroad crossing signals such as lights and gates. The decision of where to add active railroad crossing signals rests with state governments, not the railroads. Federal safety funds are allocated to each state to upgrade crossing signals. The states are required to keep a priority list on which crossings to upgrade. Once they make a decision, they contact the involved railroad to get cost estimates and ultimately sign-off on whether or not to proceed. Once the state approves new signals, they are funded with 90 percent federal safety funds and 10 percent local government funds. The railroad installs the signals and is responsible for the maintenance of the signals from that point on.

As a founding partner of Operation Lifesaver, the nationwide, non-profit public safety education program designed to eliminate collisions at rail crossings and rights-of-way, Union Pacific actively promotes railroad crossing safety throughout its 23-state system. Union Pacific sponsors driver education programs and partnerships with law enforcement officers and educators to remind motorists and pedestrians to look, listen and live. Trains cannot stop quickly. A freight train moving at 55 miles per hour can take a mile or more to stop once emergency brakes are applied -- that is the equivalent of 18 football fields.

Union Pacific Corporation owns one of America's leading transportation companies. Its principal operating company, Union Pacific Railroad, is the largest railroad in North America, covering 23 states across the western two-thirds of the United States. A strong focus on quality and a strategically advantageous route structure enable the company to serve customers in critical and fast growing markets. It is a leading carrier of low-sulfur coal used in electrical power generation and has broad coverage of the large chemical-producing areas along the Gulf Coast. With competitive long-haul routes between all major West Coast ports and eastern gateways, and as the only railroad to serve all six major gateways to Mexico, Union Pacific has the premier rail franchise in North America.

For more information, contact John Bromley at (402) 544-3475.

Source: Union Pacific Corporation

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