FRA implements enhanced freight train visibility rule

FRA implements enhanced freight train visibility rule    The U.S. Transportation Department’s Federal Railroad Administration has implemented a final rule for freight train operators to enhance their visibility at highway-rail grade crossings at night.
   The agency estimates that about 4,000 times a year a train and highway vehicle collide at a highway-rail grade crossing in the United States. Many of these accidents occur at night. The FRA said the data suggests that motorists are having difficulty seeing trains at night.
   The agency’s new rule, effective March 4, establishes a schedule for the application of retroreflective material and prescribes standards for the construction, performance, application, inspection and maintenance of the material.
   The FRA’s rule may be viewed online at https://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/04-28407.htm.