TraxAlert

Increase Motorist Safety at Railroad Crossings

TraxAlert™ Advanced Grade Crossing IRWL Warning Light System

TraxAlert™ applies in-roadway warning lights (IRWL) – a proven traffic calming method that’s shown to significantly increase motorist stopping yield rates and reduce pedestrian crosswalk injuries – to RR grade crossing.

According to the US Department Of Transportation, there are 240,528 at-grade highway-rail crossings in the United States. Even with gates and signal lights, nearly 50% of vehicle-train collisions occur at crossings with these types of active warning devices.

TraxAlert™ Advanced Grade Crossing IRWL — Santa Rosa, CA — Lightguard Systems

TraxAlert™ Features & Benefits

Advanced warning light system designed explicitly for Railway Crossings
Improves drivers’ attention and awareness via flashing IRWL’s and LED enhanced signs
Reduces accident-injury rates resulting from downstream intersections and crossing backups

Enhances overall rail grade crossing system effectiveness with the use of LightGuard’s IRWL system controller
Can be synced up (via our controller) with existing gates and alarm systems or interfaced into existing signalized downstream queuing.
Defines where the vehicle stops
Provides a safe vehicle buffer zone

Applications

Quiet zones
Metro tram rail crossings
Dark country railroad crossings

Intermodal railroad terminals
Commercial facilities
Trainyards

How the System Works

Red and amber-colored LightStar™ 9X LED in-roadway warning light fixtures are embedded across the roadway in front of the railroad tracks. Our rugged case-hardened 14″ Steel Snow plow Resistant base plates house the LGS-9X light fixture.

The row of amber lights is located at the stop bar line; this defines where to stop, providing a safe buffer zone to motorists.

The IRWL fixtures flash upon train activation. First, the red lights flash in a quick strobe pattern, then stay solid until the train clears the track crossing zone. The amber lights flash continuously for the duration of the train’s crossing.

When optional flashing high-intensity LED crossbuck railroad signs are used, they are simultaneously activated with the advance warning amber IRWLs. Although the TraxAlert™ system can be a standalone product, it is typically used with pre-existing railroad grade crossing alarm systems.

LightStar™ 9X LED — Santa Rosa, CA — Lightguard Systems

Featured Installation – 2017 Elk City Study

On Monday, September 18, 2017, LightGuard Systems’ TraxAlert™ ‘Lit Up’ the 7th St. RR Grade Crossing in Elk City, Oklahoma. Representatives from several agencies, including Volpe National Research Center, Farmrails, City of Elk City, and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT), held a demonstration.

This illuminating event commemorates the first installation and study of TraxAlert™ LED in-roadway warning lights (IRWL) used at a RR Grade Crossing in Oklahoma. Funded by the USDOT Volpe National Research Center, the study will evaluate traffic behavior and motorist stopping yield rates before and after the IRWL installation. Results will be available in early 2018.