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RailwayBlocked Crossing Response (49 CFR 234 Subpart E)
Twenty flashcards on the emergency number at every crossing: what to report, who the railroad calls first and what the blue sign shows.
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20 cards
- What must each dispatching railroad keep for the public?
- A toll-free telephone service to receive reports of unsafe conditions at its grade crossings.
- Who may answer those calls?
- A live person, directly and promptly, or an automated answering system or a third-party telephone service.
- A car is stalled on the tracks. Is that reportable?
- Yes: a disabled vehicle or other obstruction blocking a railroad track at the crossing.
- The gates or lights at a crossing are not working. Is that reportable?
- Yes, a warning system malfunction at the crossing.
- Bushes hide approaching trains from drivers. Is that reportable?
- Yes, an obstruction to the view of a pedestrian or driver for a reasonable distance in either direction.
- What else can be reported besides these three?
- Any other unsafe condition at the crossing, such as a pot hole that could cause injury or damage.
- After a report of a blocked track, whom does the railroad contact first?
- All trains authorized to operate through the crossing, to warn the crews before they arrive.
- Whom does it contact second?
- The law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the crossing, to help remove the obstruction or keep it safe.
- What is the third step?
- Investigate promptly, find out what the obstruction is, and have it removed without undue delay.
- What if the railroad that took the call does not maintain the crossing?
- After the trains and the police, it informs the maintaining railroad, which investigates and removes the obstruction.
- How does the railroad reach a train without a required radio?
- It contacts the occupied controlling locomotive by the quickest means available.
- For a warning system malfunction, what is the order of calls?
- First the trains through the crossing, then law enforcement, then the investigation and repair.
- When may a railroad use an answering machine?
- When every train through the crossing is authorized at not greater than 20 mph, checking messages right before starting operations each day.
- Does this rule cover a report made some other way than the emergency number?
- No, a report not made through that telephone service is outside this subpart.
- What three things must the blue emergency sign show?
- The toll-free number, the purpose of the sign (for example, "Report emergency or problem to") and the U.S. DOT crossing number.
- How big must the sign be?
- At least 12 inches wide by 9 inches high.
- What colors does the sign use?
- White text on a blue background with a white border; the DOT number may be black on a white rectangle.
- What else makes the sign readable at night?
- It must be retroreflective, with letters and numbers at least 1 inch high.
- Where are the signs placed, and how many?
- One on each approach to the crossing, conspicuous by day and night; a sign on the signal bungalow does not count.
- How fast must a missing or damaged sign be fixed?
- No later than 30 calendar days from the time the railroad detects it.
Official sources
Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), via eCFR
49 CFR Part 234 Subpart E: Emergency Notification Systems for Telephonic Reporting of Unsafe Conditions at Highway-Rail and Pathway Grade Crossings
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