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Railrooad Crossiings Safetyy

A propanee cargo tank
trransport was drivven onto a
raailroad ttrack wheere it waas
hit by a trrain.

Thhe impact ruptuured the cargoo tank and caussed
a mmassive fire annd train derailmment. The smaall
towwn nearby hadd to be evacuatted. The incideent
higghlights the immportance of saafe procedure aat
raiil crossings. Wiith that in mind, Crum & Forrster
Rissk Engineering provides videoo of the incident,
rellevant FMCSA rregulation for rail crossings, and
traaining materialls from Operattion Lifesaver, a
naationwide, non--profit public iinformation
proogram dedicated to reducingg collisions,
injjuries and fataalities at rail crrossings.

htttp://www.msnn.com/en-
ca/news/video/mmassive-blast-vvisible-from-
deerailed-train-sitte/vi-BBqUxAUU?refvid=BBqUIkj

The types of commerrcial vehicles tthat must stop at railroad croossings are dettailed in FMCSAA
regulattion § 392.10. It requires alll buses transpoorting passengeers, all commercial vehicles
carryinng HAZMAT Claass 2.3 chlorinee, all commerccial vehicles thaat are requiredd to be
placardded, all cargo tank vehicles uused for the trransportation oof any hazardouus material as
defined in FMCSA Hazardous Materiials Regulationns or transportiing a material at a
temperature higher tthan its flashpooint, and all caargo tank vehiccles transporting certain
exemppted commodities to stop at rrail crossings. The full text oof the regulatioon can be
viewedd here:

https:///www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulaations/title49//section/392.10

Safe procedure for sstopping at raiilroad crossinggs is set forth in the FMCSA regulations
TKH\ tell us thDW D driver of D commerciaO vehicle shall not cross a raailroad track at
grade unless WKH\ first :
1. Stop the comme rcial motor vehicle within 50 feet of, and not closer than 15 feet to, thee
tracks;
2. Thereafter listens and looks in e ach direction aalong the trackks for an approoaching train;
3. Ascertains that QR train is approoaching.
4. Wheen safe to do soo, he may drivve the commerccial motor vehhicle across thee tracks in a
gear thhat permits thee commercial mmotor vehicle to complete thhe crossing witthout changingg
gears;
5. The driver must noot shift gears wwhile crossing the tracks.

Operattion Lifesaver iis a nationwidee, non-profit public informattion program deedicated to
reducing collisions, injuries and fattalities at rail ccrossings. It pprovides safety training for
commeercial drivers wwho can cross rrailroad tracks. Some helpfuul links:
Operattion Lifesaver –– Rail Safety Edducation for Prrofessional Drivvers
http://oli.org/training/professionaal-drivers
Operattion Lifesaver –– Rail Safety Edducation for Scchool Bus Driveers
http:///oli.org/traininng/school-bus--drivers

Operattion Lifesaver –– E-Learning foor Professional Drivers
http://oli.org/e-learrning-survey

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