2014-05-27_PWETC_AgendaPacket - Laserfiche WebLink

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New Quiet Zones may be created if— All public highway -rail grade crossings are equipped with flashing lights and gates; and either— After adjusting for excess risk created by silencing the train horn, the average risk at the crossings is less than the NSRT; or ✓ Supplemental Safety Measures are present at each public crossing; or ✓ Safety improvements are made that compensate for loss of the train horn as a warning device (or at least to reduce average risk to below the NSRT). Detailed instructions for establishing or requesting recognition of a quiet zone are provided in the regulation. 4. Length of quiet zones: Generally, a quiet zone must be at least %2 mile in length and may include one or more highway -rail grade crossings. Pre -Rule Quiet Zones may be retained at the length that existed as of October 9, 1996, even if less than %2 mile. A Pre -Rule Quiet Zone that is greater than %2 mile may be reduced in length to no less than %2 mile and retain its pre -rule status. However, if its length is increased from pre -rule length by the addition of highway -rail grade crossings that are not pre -rule quiet zone crossings, pre -rule status will not be retained. 5. Supplementary and alternative safety measures: Supplementary safety measures are engineering improvements that clearly compensate for the absence of the train horn. If employed at every highway -rail grade crossing in the quiet zone, they automatically qualify the quiet zone (subject to reporting requirements). They also may be used to reduce the average risk in the corridor in order to fully compensate for the lack of a train or to below the NSRT. ✓ Temporary closure used with a partial zone; ✓ Permanent closure of a highway -rail grade crossing; ✓ Four - quadrant gates; Disclaimer: This is a summary of the Final Rule for initial briefing purposes only. Entities subject to the rule should refer to the rule text as published in the Federal Register on April 27, 2005.