BNSF to Participate in Diagnostic Process to
Evaluate Select San Diego Crossings
BNSF : Thursday June 29, 2000
 The
Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company
(BNSF) today said it is participating in a two- day
diagnostic process to determine what supplemental
safety measures are needed at select downtown San
Diego grade crossings to enhance the safety of
residents and tourists if the train whistle is not
blown. BNSF is participating in this diagnostic
process with the California Public Utilities
Commission (CPUC), Federal Railroad Administration (FRA),
Amtrak, California Department of Transportation
(Caltrans), Metropolitan Transit Development Board (MTDB),
North County Transit District (NCTD) and the City of
San Diego.
The FRA previously issued a Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking concerning the blowing of the train
whistle to alert motorist and pedestrians at grade
crossings to the approach of railroad trains. The
FRA Notice points out for similarly situated
crossings the likelihood that an accident will occur
at grade crossings is 62 percent greater when the
train whistle is not blown unless other engineering
solutions called ``supplemental safety measures''
are constructed to suffice in lieu of blowing the
whistle. The FRA also points out that slow operating
speeds of a train do not mitigate this alarming
statistic.
The federal rulemaking process could take
approximately two years until a final rule can be
implemented. Therefore, rather than wait for the FRA
final rulemaking to become effective, BNSF has
stepped forward to initiate and complete a "pilot
project" so that the community of San Diego can have
a quiet zone in the downtown area. " We have engaged
the services of an engineering consultant to propose
engineering solutions which will be submitted to the
Diagnostic Team for their evaluation and approval,
in order that the quiet zone may go forward as a
pilot project," says Roy Ketring, Assistant Director
Public Projects for BNSF. This will require close
coordination between the CPUC, FRA, MTDB, Caltrans,
NCTD and the City so that CPUC can complete the
diagnostic process, and the City can obtain
appropriate funding and construct engineering
solutions.
"As a member of the San Diego community since 1885,
BNSF is committed to completing this project as
expeditiously as possible, and in a way that
addresses not only the convenience for the community
but also the safety for residents and tourists that
visit this fine city," says Jeff Wright, BNSF
Assistant Vice President, San Bernardino Service
Region. `"We appreciate this opportunity to partner
with the City of San Diego and all the other
stakeholders." Of the 44 trains (excluding trolleys)
that operate in the downtown San Diego area, BNSF
currently operates 4-6 trains in a 24-hour period.
Headquartered in Fort Worth, BNSF operates one of
the largest rail networks in North America, with
33,500 route miles of track covering 28 states and
two Canadian provinces.
source: www.bnsf.com
http://danger-ahead.railfan.net/reports/rep2000/us_bnsf_pr_crossings_20000629.html
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