diff --git "a/data/clustering_individual-fc2e4671-7e20-44ad-a373-899a077f1401.jsonl" "b/data/clustering_individual-fc2e4671-7e20-44ad-a373-899a077f1401.jsonl"
--- "a/data/clustering_individual-fc2e4671-7e20-44ad-a373-899a077f1401.jsonl"
+++ "b/data/clustering_individual-fc2e4671-7e20-44ad-a373-899a077f1401.jsonl"
@@ -30,3 +30,5 @@
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 {"tstamp": 1726431331.6948, "task_type": "clustering", "type": "chat", "model": "mixedbread-ai/mxbai-embed-large-v1", "gen_params": {}, "start": 1726431331.4862, "finish": 1726431331.6948, "ip": "", "conv_id": "4eb2085bda854f578aeb71e9cc311571", "model_name": "mixedbread-ai/mxbai-embed-large-v1", "prompt": ["blast", "play", "sleep", "consume", "friends", "flex", "specialize", "generalize"], "ncluster": 4, "output": "", "ndim": "3D (press for 2D)", "dim_method": "PCA", "clustering_method": "KMeans"}
+{"tstamp": 1726527168.9473, "task_type": "clustering", "type": "chat", "model": "text-embedding-3-large", "gen_params": {}, "start": 1726527168.9006, "finish": 1726527168.9473, "ip": "", "conv_id": "bc8a516e09fa4106b2ff49810952c212", "model_name": "text-embedding-3-large", "prompt": ["GRADE CROSSINGS STANDARDS\nJanuary 2019\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nTABLE OF CONTENTS\nPART A – INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................. 3\n1 CITATIONS .................................................................................................................................................... 3\n2 INTERPRETATION ......................................................................................................................................... 3\nPART B - EXISTING GRADE CROSSINGS .......................................................................................... 4\n3 CROSSING SURFACE ................................................................................................................................... 4\n4 RAILWAY CROSSING SIGN AND NUMBER OF TRACKS SIGN .................................................................... 5\nPART C - NEW STANDARDS ............................................................................................................. 10\n5 CROSSING SURFACE ................................................................................................................................. 10\n6 ROAD GEOMETRY (GRADE CROSSINGS AND ROAD APPROACHES) .................................................... 12\n7 SIGHTLINES................................................................................................................................................. 14\n8 SIGNS .................................................................................................................................................. 17\n9 WARNING SYSTEMS SPECIFICATION ....................................................................................................... 24\nPART D – DESIGN CALCULATIONS ................................................................................................. 26\n10 DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS ...................................................................................................................... 26\n11 LOCATION OF GRADE CROSSINGS......................................................................................................... 35\nPART E – WARNING SYSTEM DESIGN ............................................................................................ 36\n12 WARNING SYSTEM OPERATION - GENERAL .......................................................................................... 36\n13 NUMBER AND LOCATION OF LIGHT UNITS ............................................................................................. 41\n14 LIGHT UNITS - ALIGNMENT ...................................................................................................................... 45\n15 BELLS AND GATES ................................................................................................................................... 45\n16 CIRCUITRY ................................................................................................................................................ 46\n17 WARNING SYSTEMS AND TRAFFIC SIGNALS INSTALLED AT A GRADE CROSSING IN LIEU OF\nA WARNING SYSTEM - INSPECTION AND TESTING.............................................................. 48\nPART F – INTERCONNECTED DEVICES .......................................................................................... 51\n18 PREPARE TO STOP AT RAILWAY CROSSING SIGN................................................................................ 51\n19 INTERCONNECTION OF TRAFFIC SIGNALS WITH A WARNING SYSTEMS ............................................ 51\n20 INTERCONNECTED DEVICES - INSPECTION AND TESTING .................................................................. 52\nAPPENDIX A – LIGHT EMITTING DIODE (LED) SIGNAL MODULES ............................................... 53\nAPPENDIX B - LIMITED USE WARNING SYSTEMS AND SIGNS ..................................................... 56\nAPPENDIX C - LIMITED USE WARNING SYSTEMS WITH WALK LIGHT ........................................ 57\nAPPENDIX D – WHISTLING CESSATION .......................................................................................... 60\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 3\nPART A – INTRODUCTION\n1 CITATIONS\nThe following are the citations for documents referred to in the Standards:\n“62-GP-11M is the standard for Marking Material, Retroreflective Elements, Adhesive Backing,\n62-GP-11M, published by the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB), dated May 1978 - as\namended in July 1987 (Amendment No 1);\n“AREMA Communications and Signals Manual” is the 2014 edition of the Communications and\nSignals Manual of Recommended Practice, published by the Communications and Signals Group\nof the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance of Way Association, in effect on\nDecember 31, 2013;\n“ASTM D4956” is the 11th edition of the Standard Specification for Retroreflective Sheeting for\nTraffic Control, published by the American Society for Testing and Materials, dated\nMarch 30, 2011;\n“GCS” means the Grade Crossings Standards;\n“Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Canada” refers to the 4th ed. of the Manual of\nUniform Traffic Control Devices for Canada, prepared by the Traffic Operations and Management\nStanding Committee, published by the Transportation Association of Canada, dated\nSeptember 1998.\n2 INTERPRETATION\nThe following definitions apply in this Standard:\n“crossing user” means drivers of vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists and persons using assistive\ndevices;\n“cross-product” means the product of the average annual daily railway movements and the\naverage annual daily traffic of vehicles on the road that pass across the grade crossing;\n“travelled way” means that part of a road intended for vehicular use, excluding shoulders.\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 4\nPART B - EXISTING GRADE CROSSINGS\n3 CROSSING SURFACE\n3.1 The crossing surface must be of a width that is equal to the width of the travelled way and\nshoulders of the road, plus 0.5 m on each side, measured at right angles to the centreline of\nthe road, as shown in Figure 3-1(a) or (b), as the case may be.\n3.2 A flangeway must be provided between the gauge side of the rail and the road surface and\nmust be between 65 mm and 120 mm wide, and between 50 mm and 75 mm deep.\nFigure 3-1 – Crossing Surface\na)\nb)\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 5\n4 RAILWAY CROSSING SIGN AND NUMBER OF TRACKS SIGN\n4.1 A sign providing warning of a grade crossing (Railway Crossing sign) must have a 50 mm\nborder of transparent red ink that is silk-screen processed over silver-white sheeting material,\nas shown in Figure 4-1(a). A sign indicating the number of tracks (Number of Tracks sign)\nmust have a digit and symbol that is transparent red or black ink that is silk-screened\nprocessed over silver-white sheeting material, as shown in Figure 4-1(b).\n4.1.1 Without Warning Systems\nA grade crossing without a warning system must have the following:\n(a) A railway crossing sign;\n(b) The railway crossing signs must be located as shown in Figure 4-2(a) and (b) and must\nbe clearly visible to persons approaching the grade crossing on the road approach;\n(c) The railway crossing signs must be located between 0.3 m and 2.0 m from the face of\ncurb, or outer edge of road approach shoulder; or, where there is no curb or shoulder,\n2.0 m to 4.5 m from the edge of the travelled way;\n(d) The railway crossing signs must be located no closer than 3.0 m from the nearest rail;\n(e) Where there is more than one track at a grade crossing, an additional sign indicating the\nnumber of tracks to be crossed, must be installed on the supporting post of each railway\ncrossing sign as shown in Figure 4-2(c).\n(f) A sidewalk, path or trail with its centreline more than 3.6 m (12 ft.) from a railway crossing\nsign supporting post beside a road approach for vehicle traffic must have separate\nrailway crossing signs.\n4.1.2 With Warning Systems\nA grade crossing with a warning system must have the following:\n(a) A railway crossing sign must be installed as shown in Figures 4-3 and 4-4.\n(b) Where there is more than one track at a grade crossing, a sign indicating the number of\ntracks to be crossed, as shown in Figure 4-1(b), must be installed on the supporting post\nof each railway crossing sign.\n4.1.3 Reflective Marking Material Specifications\n(a) The reflective material of the signs, referred to in 4.1, must cover the entire front surface of the\nsigns.\n(b) The reflective material must meet the Level 2 reflective intensity values in Table 2 of the 62-\nGP-11M standard (cited in Part A).\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 6\nFigure 4-1 – Railway Crossing Sign and Number of Tracks Sign\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 7\nFigure 4-2 – Location of Railway Crossing Signs and Number of Tracks Signs (public\ngrade crossings without warning systems)\na)\nb)\nc)\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 8\nFigure 4-3 – Railway Crossing Sign and Number of Tracks Sign on a Grade Crossing\nWarning Signal of Flashing Light Type\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 9\nFigure 4-4 – Railway Crossing Sign and Number of Tracks Sign where Gates at a Grade\nCrossing\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 10\nPART C - NEW STANDARDS\n5 CROSSING SURFACE\n5.1 Crossing surface of a grade crossing, and a crossing surface of a sidewalk, path or trail must\nbe as shown in Figure 5-1 and in accordance with Table 5-1, and must be smooth and\ncontinuous.\nFigure 5-1 – Grade Crossing Surface Dimensions\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 11\nTable 5-1 – Grade Crossing Surface – Cross Section\na) Flangeway:\nWidth Minimum 65 mm\nMaximum for:\nPublic sidewalks, paths or trails designated by the road\nauthority for use by persons using assistive devices 75 mm\nAll other grade crossings 120 mm\nDepth: Minimum 50 mm\nMaximum for:\nPublic sidewalks, paths and trails designated by the road\nauthority for use by persons using assistive devices 75 mm\nAll other grade crossings No limit\n(b) Field side gap\nA space is permitted on the outer side of the rail at rural locations, except for public\nsidewalks, paths or trails designated by the road authority for use by persons using\nassistive devices\nMaximum width 120 mm\nMaximum depth No limit\n(c) Elevation of the top of the rail with respect to the crossing surface\nThe top of the crossing surface must be installed as close as possible to the top of the\nrail within the wear limits below:\nWear limits:\nPublic sidewalk, path or trail designated by the road authority for use by persons using\nassistive devices\nMaximum distance of the top of the rail above crossing\nsurface\n13 mm\nMaximum distance of the top of the rail below crossing\nsurface\n7 mm\nAll other public grade crossings; the maximum distance of the top of the\nrail above or below the crossing surface 25 mm\nPrivate grade crossings; the maximum distance of the top of the rail\nabove or below the crossing surface 50 mm\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 12\n6 ROAD GEOMETRY (GRADE CROSSINGS AND ROAD APPROACHES)\n6.1 The horizontal and vertical alignment of the road approach and the crossing surface must be\nsmooth and continuous.\n6.2 The allowable difference between the road approach gradient and railway cross-slope, or the\nrailway gradient and the road approach cross-slope, must be in accordance with Table 6-1\nDifference in Gradient.\n6.3 The maximum gradients for road approaches must not exceed the following:\n(a) ratio of 1:50 (2 per cent) within 8 m of the nearest rail and 1:20 (5 per cent) for 10 m\nbeyond, at public grade crossings for vehicular use;\n(b) ratio of 1:50 (2 per cent) within 8 m of the nearest rail and 1:10 (10 per cent) for 10 m\nbeyond, at private grade crossings for vehicular use;\n(c) ratio of 1:50 (2 per cent) within 5 m of the nearest rail at a sidewalk, path or trail; and\n(d) ratio of 1:100 (1 per cent) within 5 m of the nearest rail at a sidewalk, path or trail\ndesignated by the road authority for use by persons using assistive devices.\n6.4 The width of the travelled way and shoulders at the crossing surface must not be less than the\nwidth of the travelled way and shoulders on the road approaches.\n6.5 A grade crossing angle, measured from the tangent of the centreline of the road approach at\nthe crossing surface, to the tangent of the centreline of the line of railway, shall, where the\nrailway design speed is more than 25 km/h (15 mph) be:\n(a) not less than 70 and not greater than 110 degrees for grade crossings without a warning\nsystem; or\n(b) not less than 30 and not greater than 150 degrees for grade crossings with a warning\nsystem.\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 13\nTable 6-1 – Difference in Gradient\nClassification Difference in Gradient (%)\nRLU 2\nRCU 1\nRCD 1\nRAU 0\nRAD 0\nRFD -\nULU 3\nUCU 2\nUCD 2\nUAU 0\n*Legend\nUrban (U) Rural (R) Local (L) Collector (C) Arterial(A) Expressway (E) Freeway(F)\nDivided (D) Undivided (U)\nSource: Geometric Design Guide for Canadian Roads, published by the Transportation\nAssociation of Canada and dated September 1999\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 14\n7 SIGHTLINES\n7.1 General\n7.1.1 Sightlines are measured from a point 1.05 m above the road surface to a point 1.2 m above\ntop of lowest rail.\n7.1.2 For the purposes of section 28(b) of the GCR, refer to the Class of Track in the Table below:\nColumn 1 Column 2 Column 3\nClass of Track The maximum\nallowable operating\nspeed for freight trains\nis -\nThe maximum\nallowable operating\nspeed for passenger\ntrains is -\nClass 1 track 17 km/h (10 mph) 25 km/h (15 mph)\nClass 2 track 41 km/h (25 mph) 49 km/h (30 mph)\nClass 3 track 65 km/h (40 mph) 97 km/h (60 mph)\nClass 4 track 97 km/h (60 mph) 129 km/h (80 mph)\nClass 5 track 129 km/h (80 mph) 153 km/h (95 mph)\n7.2 Determination of sightlines\nIn Figure 7-1,\n(a) SSD is the stopping sight distance and is calculated using the following formula:\nSSD = 0.278 x 2.5 x V + d\nd = braking distance (m)\nV = initial speed (km/h)\n(b) DSSD is the minimum distance along the line of railway that a crossing user must see\napproaching railway equipment from the stopping sight distance, and does not apply if the\ngrade crossing is equipped with a Stop sign or warning system.\nDSSD is equal to the distance required for the design vehicle at its road crossing design speed to\ngo from the stopping sight distance completely past the clearance point on the other side of the\ngrade crossing.\nDSSD = 0.278 VT x TSSD (m)\nDSSD = 1.47VT x TSSD (ft.)\nWhere,\nVT = railway design speed in km/h or mph, and\nTSSD = [(SSD + cd + L)/0.278V] (s)\nWhere,\nV = road crossing design speed (km/h)\ncd = grade crossing clearance distance (m)\nL = length of the grade crossing design vehicle (m)\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 15\n(c) DStopped is the minimum distance along the line of railway that a crossing user must be\nable to see approaching railway equipment from the stopped position at a grade crossing.\nDStopped is equal to the greater of the distances that railway equipment at the railway\ndesign speed will travel during\n(i) the Departure Time for the grade crossing design vehicle calculated in accordance\nwith article 10.3.2, or\n(ii) the Departure Time for pedestrians, cyclists, and persons using assistive devices\ncalculated in accordance with article 10.3.3.\nDstopped must be calculated by the following formula:\nDstopped = 0.278 VT x Tstopped (m)\nDstopped = 1.47 VT x Tstopped (ft.)\nWhere,\nVT = railway design speed in km/h or mph\nTstopped = the Departure Times, calculated in accordance with article 10.3\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 16\nFigure 7-1 – Minimum Sightlines – Grade Crossings\n(a) Sightlines for Users Stopped at a Grade Crossing (applicable to all quadrants).\n(b) Sightlines for Users Approaching a Grade Crossing (applicable to all quadrants).\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 17\n8 SIGNS\n8.1 Railway Crossing Sign and Number of Tracks Sign\nAll grade crossings:\n8.1.1 A sign providing warning of a grade crossing (Railway Crossing sign) must be as shown in\nFigure 8-1(a) and must:\na. have a retroreflective coating that covers the entire front surface of the sign;\nb. have a 50 mm border on the front of each blade, with transparent red ink silk-screen\nprocessed over sheeting material;\n8.1.2 A sign indicating the number of tracks at a grade crossing (Number of Tracks sign) must be as\nshown in Figure 8-1(b) and must:\na. have a retroreflective coating that covers the entire front surface of the sign;\nb. have a digit and symbol that is transparent red inked silk-screened processed; and\nc. be installed on the supporting post of each railway crossing sign as shown\nin Figure 8-3(c)\nAdditional requirements for grade crossings without Warning Systems\n8.1.3 A 100 mm retroreflective strip must be applied on the back of each blade of the Railway\nCrossing Sign, for the full length of each blade;\n8.1.4 A 50 mm strip of silver white sheeting must be applied on the front and back of the supporting\npost, extending from no higher than 300 mm above the crown of the adjacent road surface to\n70 mm above the centre of the Railway Crossing sign and must be as shown in Figure 8-2.\n8.1.5 The railway crossing sign must be located:\na. between 0.3 m and 2.0 m from the face of the curb, or the outer edge of the road\nshoulder or, where there is no curb or shoulder, 2.0 m to 4.5 m from the edge of the\ntravelled way; and\nb. must not be located closer than 3 m measured to the nearest rail, as shown in Figure 8-\n3(a) and 8-3(b).\n8.1.6 A sidewalk, path or trail with a centreline that is more than 3.6 m (12 ft.) from a Railway\nCrossing sign supporting post beside a road approach for vehicle traffic must have separate\nRailway Crossing signs, as shown in Figure 8-3(a).\n8.1.7 The supporting post, on which is installed the Railway Crossing sign and the Number of\nTracks sign, must:\na. Unless the Railway Crossing sign is installed on the mast of a warning system, the\nsupporting posts must be of such construction that a 820 kg vehicle striking it at speeds\n32 km/h or more, will not have a change in velocity greater than 4.57 m per second.\nRetroreflective Material\n8.1.8 Retroreflective material referred to in 8.1.1 to 8.1.4 must meet the specifications for Type IV\nmaterial, white sheeting, as specified in sections 4.2.4 and 6.1.4 of ASTM D4956 (cited in\nPart A) when tested in accordance with the Test Methods for Type IV material specified in\nsections 7 and 9 of that Standard.\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 18\n8.1.9 The retroreflection coefficient of the retroreflective material referred to in 8.1.8 is to be\nmaintained above 50 per cent of the value specified for Type IV material specified in article\n6.1.4 of ASTM D4956 (cited in Part A).\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 19\nFigure 8-1 – Railway Crossing Sign and Number of Tracks Sign\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 20\nFigure 8-2 – Retroreflective Stripes on the Back of the Railway Crossing Sign and on the\nSign Supporting Post (public grade crossings without a grade crossing\nwarning system)\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 21\nFigure 8-3 – Location of Railway Crossing Signs and Number of Tracks Signs (public\ngrade crossings without warning systems)\na)\nb)\nc)\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 22\n8.2 Railway Crossing Ahead Sign and Advisory Speed Tab Sign\n8.2.1 A sign providing advanced warning of a grade crossing (Railway Crossing Ahead sign) and a\nsign specifying a recommended speed (Advisory Speed Tab sign) must be as shown in\narticles A3.4.2 and A3.2.5 in the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Canada (cited\nin Part A) and must meet the applicable standards set out in article A1.6 of that Manual, as the\ncase may be.\n8.3 Stop Ahead Sign\n8.3.1 A Stop Ahead sign must be as shown in article A3.6.1 of the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control\nDevices for Canada (cited in Part A) and must meet the applicable standards set out in article\nA1.6 of that Manual.\n8.4 Stop Sign\n8.4.1 A Stop sign must be as shown in article A2.2.1 of the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control\nDevices for Canada (cited in Part A) and must meet the applicable standards set out in article\nA1.6 of that Manual. Where required by law, the word “Arrêt” will replace the word “Stop”, or\nmay be added to the Stop sign.\n8.4.2 When a Stop sign is installed on the same post as a Railway Crossing sign, it must be\ninstalled as shown in Figure 8-4.\nFigure 8-4 – Stop Signs\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 23\n8.5 Emergency Notification Sign\n8.5.1 An Emergency Notification sign that provides information on the location of the grade crossing\nand the railway company’s emergency telephone number, must be installed\na) parallel to the road, or\nb) on each side of the grade crossing, facing traffic approaching the grade crossing.\n8.5.2 the emergency notification sign must be clearly legible\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 24\n9 WARNING SYSTEMS SPECIFICATION\n9.1 The specifications for a public grade crossing at which a warning system without gates is required are\nas follows:\na) where the forecast cross-product is 2,000 or more;\nb) Where there is no sidewalk, path or trail and the railway design speed is more than 129 km/hr\n(80 mph);\nc) Where there is a sidewalk, path or trail and the railway design speed is more than 81 km/hr\n(50 mph); or\nd) where the railway design speed is more than 25 km/hr (15 mph) but less than the railway\ndesign speed referred to in b) or c), as the case may be, and\ni. where there are two or more lines of railway where railway equipment may pass each\nother; or\nii. the distance as shown in Figure 9-1(a) between a Stop sign at an intersection and\nthe nearest rail in the crossing surface is less than 30 m; or\niii. in the case of an intersection with a traffic signal, the distance between the stop line\nof the intersection and the nearest rail in the crossing surface, as shown\nin Figure 9-1(b), is less than 60 m, or where there is no stop line, the distance\nbetween the travelled way and the nearest rail in the crossing surface is less\nthan 60 m.\n9.2 The specifications for a public grade crossing at which a warning system with gates is required are as\nfollows:\n9.2.1 a warning system is required under article 9.1 and;\n(a) the forecast cross-product is 50,000 or more;\n(b) there are two or more lines of railway where railway equipment may pass each other;\n(c) the railway design speed is more than 81 km/hr (50 mph);\n(d) the distance as shown in Figure 9-1(a) between a Stop sign at an intersection and the\nnearest rail in the crossing surface is less than 30 m; or\n(e) in the case of an intersection with a traffic signal, the distance between the stop line of the\nintersection and the nearest rail in the crossing surface, as shown in Figure 9-1(b), is less\nthan 60 m, or where there is no stop line, the distance between the travelled way and the\nnearest rail in the crossing surface is less than 60 m.\n9.3 The specifications for a private grade crossing at which a warning system without gates is required\nare as follows:\n9.3.1 where the forecast cross-product is 2,000 or more, or\n9.3.2 where the railway design speed is more than 25 km/hr (15 mph), and;\n(a) the forecast cross-product is 100 or more and there are two or more lines of railway where\nrailway equipment may pass each other;\n(b) the forecast cross-product is 100 or more and grade crossing does not includes a\nsidewalk, path or trail and the railway design speed is more than 129 km/hr (80 mph); or\n(c) the grade crossing includes a sidewalk, path or trail and the railway design speed is more\nthan 81 km/hr (50 mph).\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 25\n9.4 The specifications for a private grade crossing at which a warning system with gates is required are\nas follows:\n9.4.1 a warning system is required under article 9.3 and;\n(a) the forecast cross-product is 50,000 or more;\n(b) there are two or more lines of railway where railway equipment may pass each other; or\n(c) the railway design speed is more than 81 km/hr (50 mph).\n9.5 The specifications for a grade crossing for a sidewalk, path or trail where a warning system without\ngates is required are as follows:\n(a) the sidewalk, path or trail is outside the island circuit of an adjacent warning system, and\n(b) the railway design speed is more than 81 km/hr (50 mph).\n9.6 The specifications for a grade crossing for a sidewalk, path or trail where a warning system with gates\nis required are as follows:\n(a) the sidewalk, path or trail is outside the island circuit of an adjacent warning system,\n(b) the railway design speed is more than 25 km/hr (15 mph), and\n(c) there are two or more lines of railway.\nFigure 9-1 – Proximity of Warning Systems to Stop Signs and Traffic Signals\n(a) Intersection with Stop Sign\n(b) Intersection with Traffic Signal\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 26\nPART D – DESIGN CALCULATIONS\n10 DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS\n10.1 Clearance Distance (cd)\n10.1.1 Clearance Distance (cd) is defined as the distance, in metres, between the departure point in\nadvance of the grade crossing, to the clearance point beyond the farthest rail, as shown in\nFigure 10-1.\n10.1.2 The clearance point is the point 2.4 m beyond the outside edge of the farthest rail from the\ndeparture point measured perpendicular to the rail.\n10.2 Vehicle Travel Distance (s)\n10.2.1 The total distance, in metres, the design vehicle must travel during acceleration to pass\ncompletely through the Clearance Distance (cd) is calculated using the following formula:\nwhere,\ncd = the Clearance Distance, in metres; and\nL = the total length, in metres, of the design vehicle.\ns = cd + L equation 10.2\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 27\nFigure 10-1 – Clearance Distance (cd) for Grade Crossings\n(a) For Grade Crossings with a Warning System or Railway Crossing Sign\n(b) For Grade Crossings without a Warning System or Railway Crossing Sign\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 28\n10.3 Departure Time - General\n10.3.1 The Departure Time is the greater of the time required for the design vehicle to pass\ncompletely through the Clearance Distance (cd) from a stopped position (TD) or the time\nrequired for pedestrians, cyclists and persons using assistive devices to pass completely\nthrough the Clearance Distance (cd) (TP).\nTable 10-1 Ratios of Acceleration Times on Grades must be used to account for the effects of\nroad gradient on the design vehicle for the grade crossing. The established ratio of\nacceleration time (G) must be incorporated into the Acceleration Time (T) by multiplying the\nacceleration time on level ground (t) by the ratio of acceleration time (G).\n10.3.2 Departure Time - Design Vehicle (TD)\nThe total time, in seconds, the design vehicle must travel to pass completely through the\nClearance Distance (cd) is calculated using the following formula:\nwhere,\nJ = the perception-reaction time, in seconds, of the crossing user to look in both\ndirections, shift gears, if necessary, and prepare to start (must use 2 seconds at\nminimum); and\nT = the time, in seconds, for the grade crossing design vehicle to travel through the\nVehicle Travel Distance (s) taking into account the actual road gradient at the grade\ncrossing.\nT may be obtained through direct measurement or calculated using the following\nformula:\nwhere,\nt = the time, in seconds, required for the design vehicle to accelerate\nthrough the Vehicle Travel Distance (s) on level ground established\nfrom Figure 10-2 Assumed Acceleration Curves; and\nG = the ratio of acceleration time established from Table 10-1Ratios of\nAcceleration Times on Grade or may be obtained through direct\nmeasurement.\n10.3.3 Departure Time – Pedestrians, Cyclists and Persons Using Assistive Devices (TP)\nThe total time, in seconds, that pedestrians, cyclists and persons using assistive devices\nmust travel to pass completely through the Clearance Distance (cd) is calculated using the\nfollowing formula:\nwhere,\ncd = the Clearance Distance, in metres (Article 10.1); and\nVp = the average travel speed, in metres per second (m/s), for pedestrians, cyclists, and\npersons using assistive devices (to a maximum value of 1.22 m/s).\nTD = J + T\nT = (t x G)\nTp = cd\nVp\nequation 10.3a\nequation 10.3b\nequation 10.3c\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 29\n10.4 Gate Arm Clearance Time\n10.4.1 Gate Arm Clearance Time is the greater of TG ssd or TG stop and represents the time, in seconds, it\ntakes the design vehicle to travel from either the Stopping Sight Distance (SSD) position or the\nStop position to the point past the gate arm.\nGate Arm Clearance Time from the SSD position (TG ssd) is calculated as follows:\nwhere,\nVroad = the road crossing design speed over the crossing in kilometres per hour (km/h);\nand\ncdG ssd = SSD + 2 m + L\nwhere,\nSSD is the stopping sight distance, in metres, and is calculated using the\nfollowing formula:\nSSD = 0.278 x 2.5 x V + d\nd = braking distance (m)\nV = initial speed (km/h)\nL = the total length, in metres, of the design vehicle.\nGate Arm Clearance Time from the Stop position (TG stop) is calculated as follows:\nwhere,\nJ = 2 seconds, and is the perception-reaction time, in seconds, of the crossing user to\nlook in both directions, shift gears, if necessary, and prepare to start; and\nG = the ratio of acceleration time established from Table 10-1Ratios of Acceleration\nTimes on Grade or may be obtained through direct measurement; and\ntcdG stop = the time, in seconds, required for the design vehicle to accelerate through the\nGate Arm Clearance Distance (cdG stop) on level ground established from Figure 10-2\nAssumed Acceleration Curves; (Note; (cdG stop) is used in place of (s) and (tcdG stop) is\nused in place of (t) from Figure 10-2)\nwhere,\ncdG stop = 2 m + L\nwhere,\nL = the total length, in metres, of the design vehicle.\nTG ssd = cdG ssd\n(0.27 x Vroad) equation 10.4a\nTG stop = J + (tcdG stop x G) equation 10.4b\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 30\nFigure 10-2 Assumed Acceleration Curves\nSource: Geometric Design Guide for Canadian Roads, published by the Transportation\nAssociation of Canada and dated September 1999\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 31\nTable 10-1 Ratios of Acceleration Times on Grades\nDesign Vehicle Road Grade (%)\n-4 -2 0 +2 +4\nPassenger Car 0.7 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.3\nSingle Unit Truck & Buses 0.8 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.3\nTractor-Semitrailer 0.8 0.9 1.0 1.2 1.7\nSource: Geometric Design Guide for Canadian Roads, published by the Transportation\nAssociation of Canada and dated September 1999\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 32\nTable 10-2 Road Design Specification for Road Approach\nSPECIFICATIONS\nColumn A Column B Column C\nRural Local Divided\nCollector\nUrban Arterial Not Divided\nExpressway\nFreeway\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 33\nTable 10-3 Characteristics of Rural Roads\nRural Locals Rural Collectors Rural Arterials Rural Freeways\nService function Traffic movement\nsecondary\nconsideration\nTraffic and land\naccess of equal\nimportance\nTraffic movement\nprimary\nconsideration\nOptimum mobility\nLand service Land access\nprimary\nconsideration\nTraffic movement\nand land access of\nequal importance\nLand access\nsecondary\nconsideration\nNo access\nTraffic volume\nvehicles per day\n(typically)\n<1000 AADT <5000 AADT <1 2000 AADT >8000AADT\nFlow\ncharacteristics\nInterrupted flow Interrupted flow Uninterrupted\nflow except at\nfree flow (grade\nseparated) major\nintersections\nDesign speed\n(km/h)\n50 – 110 60 - 110 80 – 130 100 – 300\nAverage running\nspeed (km/h)\n(free flow\nconditions)\n50 – 90 50 – 90 60 – 100 70 -110\nVehicle type Predominantly\npassenger cars,\nlight to medium\ntrucks and\noccasional heavy\ntrucks\nAll types, up to\n30% trucks in the\n3 t to 5 t range\nAll types, up to\n20% trucks\nAll types, up to\n20% heavy trucks\nNormal\nconnections\nLocals\ncollectors\nLocals\ncollectors\narterials\nCollectors\narterials\nfreeways\nArterials\nfreeways\nSource: Geometric Design Guide for Canadian Roads, published by the Transportation\nAssociation of Canada and dated September 1999\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 34\nTable 10-4 Characteristics of Urban Roads\nPublic Lanes Locals Collectors Arterials Expressways Freeways\nResidential Commercial Residential Indust./Comm. Residential Indust./Comm Minor Major\nTraffic service\nfunction\nTraffic movement not a\nconsideration\nTraffic movement secondary\nconsideration\nTraffic movement and land access\nof equal importance\nTraffic\nmovement\nmajor\nconsideration\nTraffic\nmovement\nprimary\nconsideration\nTraffic\nmovement\nprimary\nconsideration\nOptimum\nmobility\nLand service/\naccess Land access only function Land access primary function Traffic movement and access of\nequal importance\nSome access\ncontrol\nRigid access\ncontrol No access no access\nTraffic volume\n(veh/day) (typical) <500 <1000 <1000 <3000 <8000 1000-12 000 5000 – 20 000 10 000 – 30 000 >10000 <20 000\nFlow\ncharacteristics Interrupted flow Interrupted flow Interrupted flow Uninterrupted flow except at signals\nand crosswalks\nUninterrupted\nflow except at\nsignals\nFree-flow\n(grade\nseparation)\nDesign speed\n(km/h) 30-40 30 – 50 50 - 80 40-60 50-90 80 – 110 80- 120\nAverage Running\nspeeds (km/h) (off-\npeak) 20 - 30 20 - 40 30 - 70 40 - 60 50 -90 60 - 90 70 – 110\nVehicle type\nPassenger and\nservice\nvehicles\nAll types\nPassenger\nand service\nvehicles\nAll types\nPassenger and\nservice\nvehicles\nAll types All types All types up to\n20% trucks\nAll types up to\n20% trucks\nAll types up to\n20% trucks\nDesirable\nconnections\nPublic lanes, locals Public lanes, locals, collectors Locals, collectors, arterials Collectors, arterials, expressways,\nfreeway\nArterials,\nexpressway,\nfreeways\nArterials,\nexpressways,\nfreeways\nTransit service Public lanes, locals Public lanes, locals, collectors Locals, collectors, arterials Express and local busses permitted Express buses\nonly\nExpress buses\nonly\nAccommodation of\ncyclists\nNo restriction or special\nfacilities\nNo restriction or special\nfacilities No restriction or special facilities Lanes widening or separate facilities\ndesirable prohibited prohibited\nAccommodation of\npedestrians\nPedestrian permitted, no\nspecial facilities\nSidewalks\nnormally on\none or both\nsides\nSidewalks\nprovided\nwhere\nrequired\nSidewalks\nprovided both\nsides\nSidewalks\nprovided where\nrequired\nSidewalks may be provided,\nseparation for traffic lanes preferred\nPedestrian\nProhibited\nPedestrian\nProhibited\nParking (typically) Some restrictions No restrictions or restrictions\none side only\nFew restrictions other than peak\nhour\nPeak hour\nrestriction\nProhibited or\npeak hour\nrestriction\nprohibited prohibited\nMin. Intersection\nspacing1 (m) As needed 60 60 200 400 800 1600 (between\ninterchanges)\nRight-of-way width\n(m) (typically) 6 - 10 15 - 22 20 - 24 202 - 453 >453 >603\nSource: Geometric Design Guide for Canadian Roads, published by the Transportation Association of Canada and dated September 1999\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 35\n11 LOCATION OF GRADE CROSSINGS\n11.1 A public grade crossing where the railway design speed is more than 25 km/h (15 mph) must\nbe constructed so that no part of the travelled way of an intersecting road or entranceway\n(other than a railway service road), is closer than 30 m (D) to the nearest rail of the grade\ncrossing (see Figure 11-1).\nFigure 11-1 – Restrictions on the Proximity of Intersections and Entranceways to Public\nGrade Crossings\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 36\nPART E – WARNING SYSTEM DESIGN\n12 WARNING SYSTEM OPERATION - GENERAL\n12.0 Except as otherwise specified in articles 12 to 16 and Appendix B of these Standards or in the\nGrade Crossings Regulations, warning systems must be in accordance with the requirements\nand recommended practices of Part 3 of the AREMA Communications and Signals Manual\n(cited in Part A).\n12.01 For the purposes of these Standards, the following interpretations and adjustments apply with\nrespect to AREMA:\n(a) Any guidelines, recommendations, and similar matters are to be considered mandatory;\n(b) Any references to “should” are to be read as “must”;\n(c) The term “highway-rail grade crossing warning system” is to be read as “warning system”;\n(d) The term “railroad” and the phrase “operators of the passenger or commuter rail system”\nis to be read as “railway company”;\n(e) The term “lights” is to be read as “light units”;\n(f) The term “train” is to be read as “railway equipment”;\n(g) The term “roadway” and “roadway approach” is to be read as “road approach”;\n(h) All references to the “MUTCD” are to be disregarded;\n(i) All “Purpose” articles, paragraph 2 of article 3.1.16 G.1.(b)(ii) and article 3.2.35 K.5. are\nto be disregarded;\n(j) The following are to be disregarded:\n(i) all references to and requirements related to the “Diagnostic Team”;\n(ii) all references to and requirements related to the “highway agency” or “highway\nagency or authority with jurisdiction”;\n(iii) all references to and requirements related to the “agency” or “public agency”;\n(iv) all references to and requirements related to “manufacturers” except where the\nrequirement is to do something in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions;\n(v) all references to “unless otherwise specified” or “other considerations”, all\nreferences to approvals or orders, and any other reference to the exercise of\ndiscretion;\n(vi) all purchase order requirements;\n(vii) all requirements to create or keep records;\n(viii) all requirements for a diagnostic review, an engineering study, a study of train\noperations, a risk analysis, a safety analysis, and all requirements to provide special\ninstructions, operating rules, orders, or operational procedures.\n12.1 Signal assemblies must be as shown in Figure 12-1, and gate assemblies must be as shown\nin Figure 12-2 and the cantilever assembly’s clearance must be as shown in Figure 12-3, and\nmust meet the following specifications:\n(a) The minimum clearance distance from the face of a curb to the clearance line must be\n625 mm (2 ft);\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 37\n(b) Where there is no curb, the minimum clearance distance must be 1.875 m (6ft) from the\nedge of the travelled way to the clearance line and a minimum of 625 mm (2 ft) from the\nouter edge of the road approach shoulder to the clearance line, if there is a shoulder;\n(c) The top of the warning signal foundation must be at a maximum of 100 mm (4 inches)\nabove the surrounding ground. The slope of the surrounding ground away from the\nfoundation toward the travelled way must not exceed the ratio of 4:1;\n(d) The gate arm reflective materials shall have:\n(i) stripes of 406 mm (16 inches), and must be affixed with white and red alternately\nand be aligned vertically;\n(ii) Retroreflective material must meet the specifications for Type XI, white sheeting,\nin sections 4 and 6 of ASTM D4956 (cited in Part A), when tested in accordance with the Test\nMethods for Type XI specified in sections 7 and 9 of that Standard; and\n(iii) The retroreflection coefficient of the retroreflective material referred to in (ii) is to\nbe maintained above 50 per cent of the value specified for Type XI, white sheeting, in sections\n4 and 6 of ASTM D4956 (cited in Part A).\n(e) For grade crossings used by vehicles, gate arms must extend to no more than 1 m (3 ft)\nfrom the longitudinal axis of the road approach. Where gates are installed on each side of\nthe same road approach, gate ends must extend to within 1 m (3 ft) of each other.\n(f) Where gates are installed at sidewalks, paths or trails:\n(i) Each gate arm must extend across the full width of the sidewalk, path or trail; and\n(ii) in the case of a sidewalk, path or trail that is less than 3.5 m (11.5 ft.) wide, two\nlights are required on each gate arm located so that the lights are over the two points dividing\nthe sidewalk, path or trail into thirds. The two gate arm lights must flash alternately.\n(g) the height of the cantilever assembly clearance must be between 5.2 m (17 ft) and 6.0 m\n(20ft) above the crown of the road as shown in Figure 12-3.\n12.2 In addition, warning systems must have monitoring devices that gather and retain the date and\ntime of the following information for a minimum of 30 days;\n(a) Activation and deactivation of Interconnected devices;\n(b) Gates have returned to or left the vertical position (Gate up Position);\n(c) Gates have descended to a point 10 degrees from horizontal (Gate down Position);\n(d) Activation of the warning system test switch\n(e) Activation and deactivation of all track circuits used in the control of the warning system,\nincluding electronic track circuits;\n(f) Activation of the warning system;\n(g) Activation and deactivation of all devices used to control the warning systems at adjacent\ncrossings; and\n(h) Activation and deactivation of all devices used to activate the warning system from a\nlocation other than the crossing.\n12.3 All control circuits that affect the safe operation of a warning system must operate in a manner\nthat activates the warning system if there is a failure of a safety-critical component of that\nsystem.\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 38\n12.4 The electromagnetic, electronic, or electrical apparatus of a warning system must be operated\nand maintained in accordance with the limits to which the system is designed to operate.\n12.5 Railway track circuits must:\n(a) detect railway equipment in any part of the track circuit;\n(b) detect a shunt of 0.06 ohm resistance when the shunt is connected across the track rails\nof any part of the circuit;\n(c) provide a set of fouling wires that consist of at least two discrete conductors and must\nensure proper operation of the track circuit when the circuit is shunted. Single duplex wire\nwith single plug is not permitted;\n(d) in the case of a non-insulated rail joint within the limits of a track circuit, be bonded by\nmeans other than joint bars and the bonds must ensure electrical conductivity; and\n(e) in the case of an insulated rail joint used to separate track circuits, prevent current from\nflowing between rails separated by the insulation.\n12.6 Warning system battery back-up of 8 hours of continuous activation and 24 hours of normal\nrailway operations must be provided.\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 39\nFigure 12-1 – Warning Signal Assemblies\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 40\nFigure 12-2 – Gates\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 41\nFigure 12-3 – Cantilevers\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 42\n13 NUMBER AND LOCATION OF LIGHT UNITS\n13.0 Where incandescent lights are installed, the light unit voltage must be maintained between\n90 and 110 per cent of the rated voltage under standby power conditions.\n13.1 Light units must be installed in a warning system and located to ensure that the crossing user,\non a road approach, or accessing a road approach:\n(a) is within the effective distribution pattern of luminous intensity of a set of light units within\nthe distances specified for the front light units within SSD; and\n(b) is able to see at least one set of front light units clearly.\n13.2 Except for when the visibility of units is obstructed by railway equipment, light units must be\nprovided in a warning system and located to ensure that a crossing user in the stopped\nposition at the grade crossing;\n(a) is within the effective distribution pattern of luminous intensity of a set of back lights;\n(b) so that at least one set of back lights is clearly visible to crossing users in each lane.\n13.3 Cantilevered Light Units\n13.3.1 Except on a one-way road where a second warning signal is installed on the left side of the\nlane, a cantilevered light unit must be provided in a warning system if:\n(a) the distance between the centre of a warning signal mast and the edge of the lane of the\nroad that is the farthest from the mast, measured perpendicular to the road, exceeds\n7.7 m for DR, and 8.7 m for DL as shown in Figure 13-1;\n(b) the front light units of the warning signal (i.e. those on the same side of the track as\napproaching traffic) are not clearly visible within the distance for the set of light units as\nspecified in article 14.4.\n13.3.2 Cantilevered light units must be installed for a warning system on a road that meets the\nspecifications for an expressway as specified in Table 10-4.\n13.4 Light Units for a Sidewalk, Path or Trail\n13.4.1 A sidewalk, path or trail with a centre line more than 3.6 m (12 feet) from the centre of a\nwarning signal mast must have separate light units for each direction of travel, as shown in\nFigure 13-2(a).\n13.4.2 Lights must be installed for persons travelling in the direction opposite to vehicle traffic where\nthere is a sidewalk, path or trail along a one-way road as shown in Figure 13-2(b).\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 43\nFigure 13-1 – Warning Signal Offsets Requiring Cantilevered Light Units\n(a) Two-Way Road\n(b) One-Way or Divided Road\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 44\nFigure 13-2 – Sidewalks, Paths and Trails\n(a) Two Way\n(b) One-Way\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 45\n14 LIGHT UNITS - ALIGNMENT\n14.1 General – Light Units\n14.1.1 Light units must be 200 mm or 300 mm Light Emitting Diode (LED) signal module type and as\nspecified in Appendix A.\n14.1.2 Sets of light units of warning systems must flash alternately and uniformly at a rate of 45 to 65\nflashes per minute.\n14.2 Alignment Height – Front and Back Lights for Vehicles\n14.2.1 Light units must be aligned so that the axis of the light units pass through a point 1.6 m above\nthe road surface at stopping sight distance.\n14.3 Alignment Distance –Front Light Units for Vehicles\n14.3.1 Front light units must be aligned through the centre of the approaching traffic lane for which\nthey are intended as follows:\n(a) at a minimum, to the stopping sight distance; or\n(b) at the point at which the light units are first visible, if this point is less than the distance\nspecified in (a).\n14.4 Alignment – Intermediate Front Light Units for Vehicles\n14.4.1 Additional sets of light units must be aligned to cover any intermediate areas of the road\napproaches between the coverage provided by the front light units aligned as required in\narticle 14.3 and the back lights aligned as required in article 14.5.\n14.4.2 Additional sets of light units provided for a crossing user must be aligned through the point that\nis 1.6 m above the surface of the road, at the point at which the crossing user enters the road\napproach.\n14.5 Alignment – Back Light Units for Vehicles\n14.5.1 Back light units intended for motor vehicles approaching the grade crossing from a lane on the\nopposite side of the line of railway from the warning signal on which they are installed, must be\naligned through the centre of that lane, 15 m in advance of the warning signal for that side of\nthe line of railway.\n14.6 Alignment – Light Units installed exclusively for sidewalks, paths, or trails\n14.6.1 Light units installed exclusively for sidewalks, paths, or trails, must be aligned to be visible\nthrough a point 1.6 m above the centre of the sidewalk, path or trail and 30 m (100 ft) in\nadvance of the nearest rail on both sides of the line of railway or the point at which the set of\nlights units first become visible if less than 30 m (100 ft).\n15 BELLS AND GATES\n15.1 Bells\n15.1.1 A bell is required for all warning systems, except for limited use warning systems referred to in\nAppendix B and for limited use warning systems with walk lights referred to in Appendix C.\n15.1.2 Where there is only one sidewalk, path or trail along a road approach, the bell must be located\non the signal mast adjacent to the sidewalk, path or trail.\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 46\n15.1.3 A bell is required on a signal mast adjacent to a sidewalk, path or trail if separated from any\nother signal mast with a bell by more than 30 m (100 ft).\n15.1.4 All bells must continue to operate for the same duration as the light units.\n15.2 Gates\n15.2.1 The gate arm must be installed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the road approach.\n15.2.2 The descent of the gate arm must take 10 to 15 seconds and its ascent must take\n6 to 12 seconds.\n15.2.3 The gate arm must begin its descent once the gate arm clearance time has elapsed,\ncalculated in accordance with article 10.4.\n15.2.4 For a grade crossing where railway equipment enters the grade crossing at more than 25 km/h\n(15 mph), the gate arm must rest in the horizontal position not less than 5 seconds before the\narrival at the crossing surface of railway equipment.\n15.2.4.1 For a grade crossing where the railway equipment enters the grade crossing at 25 km/h\n(15 mph) or less, the gate arm must rest in the horizontal position when the railway equipment\narrives at the crossing surface.\n15.2.5 The gate arms must operate uniformly, smoothly, and complete all movements without\nrebound, and must be securely held when in the raised position.\n15.2.6 If the gate arm strikes or fouls any object during its ascent or descent, it must readily stop and,\non removal of an obstruction, assume the position corresponding with the control apparatus.\n16 CIRCUITRY\n16.1 Warning Time\n16.1.1 The time during which the warning system must operate, before the arrival of railway\nequipment at the crossing surface, must be the greatest of:\n(a) 20 seconds, unless the grade crossing clearance distance (Figure 10-1) is more than\n11 m (35 ft), in which case, the 20 seconds must be increased by one second for each\nadditional 3 m (10 ft), or fraction thereof;\n(b) the Departure Time for the design vehicle (article 10.3.2);\n(c) the Departure Time for pedestrians, cyclists, and persons using assistive devices\n(article 10.3.3);\n(d) the gate arm clearance time, plus the time to complete the gate arm descent, plus\n5 seconds;\n(e) the minimum warning time required for traffic signal interconnection as referred to in\narticle 19.3(a);\n(f) the time for the design vehicle to travel from the stopping sight distance, and pass\ncompletely through the clearance distance.\n16.2 Consistency of Warning Times\n16.2.1 Operating control circuits must provide consistent warning times for railway equipment\nregularly operating over the grade crossing.\n16.2.2 Where the maximum railway operating speed has been reduced, the approach warning times\nfor railway equipment, regularly operating over the grade crossing, must not be more than\n13 seconds longer than the warning time for the railway design speed.\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 47\n16.3 Cut-Outs\n16.3.1 Where railway equipment regularly stops, or railway equipment is left standing, within the\nactivating limits of a warning system, the warning system must be equipped with a control\nfeature to minimize the operation of the warning system.\n16.3.2 A switch, when equipped with a switch circuit controller connected to the point and\ninterconnected with the warning system circuitry, must cut out only when the switch point is\nwithin one-half inch of full reverse position.\n16.4 Directional Stick Circuits\n16.4.1 Where a warning system is equipped with directional stick circuits, the circuit must:\n(a) include a stick release timer to activate the warning system after a preset time if there is\nfailure of an approach circuit; or\n(b) cause a train control signal system to restrict railway equipment speed to 25 km/h\n(15 mph) or less.\n16.5 Identification\n16.5.1 Each wire in all housings, including switch circuit controllers and terminal or junction boxes,\nmust be identified at each terminal and the identification must not interfere with moving parts\nof the warning system. Material used for identification purposes must be made of insulating\nmaterial. This requirement does not apply to light units or wiring that is an integral part of solid\nstate equipment.\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 48\n17 WARNING SYSTEMS AND TRAFFIC SIGNALS INSTALLED AT A GRADE CROSSING IN\nLIEU OF A WARNING SYSTEM - INSPECTION AND TESTING\n17.1 Inspection and testing of warning systems must be done in accordance with article 3.3.1 and\n3.1.15 of AREMA Communications and Signals Manual (cited in Part A).\n17.2 Inspection and testing of traffic signals installed at a grade crossing in lieu of a warning system\nmust be done in accordance with the road authority’s procedures.\nTable 17-1 – Interpretation of Frequencies of Inspections and Tests for Warning Systems\nand Traffic Signals installed at a grade crossing in lieu of a warning system\nCOLUMN 1 COLUMN 2 COLUMN 3\nDESIGNATED\nFREQUENCY\nDEFINITION MAXIMUM INTERVAL\nBETWEEN EACH\nINSPECTION OR TEST\nWeekly Once every week\n(Sunday to Saturday)\n10 clear days\nMonthly Once every calendar month 40 clear days\nQuarterly Once every 3 months\n(January to March, April to June, July to\nSeptember, and October to December)\n100 clear days\nTwice annually Once every 6 months\n(January to June and July to December)\n200 clear days\nAnnually Once every calendar year 13 months\nEvery 2 years Once every 2 calendar years 26 months\nEvery 4 years Once every 4 calendar years 52 months\nEvery 10 years Once every 10 calendar years 130 months\nTable 17-2 – Required Frequencies of Inspections and Tests for Warning Systems and\nTraffic Signals installed at a grade crossing in lieu of a warning system\nCOLUMN 1 COLUMN 2 COLUMN 3 COLUMN 4 COLUMN 5\nITEM Elements: Inspection and Testing\nrequirements\nFrequency for\nWarning\nSystems and\nTraffic Signals\ninstalled at a\ngrade crossing\nin lieu of a\nwarning\nsystem\nFrequency for\nLimited Use\nWarning\nSystems\nFrequency for\nLimited Use\nWarning\nSystems with\nWalk Light\n1 Warning Systems: for operation of\nlights, bell, gates, and power-off light.\nWeekly or no\nmore than 7\ndays before the\noperation of\nrailway\nN/A N/A\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 49\nequipment\n2 Light units: for misalignment,\nphysical damage and conspicuity.\nMonthly Quarterly Quarterly\n3 Standby power: for operating bank\nvoltage\nMonthly Quarterly Quarterly\n4 Light units, and gates: for damage,\ncleanliness, and visibility\nMonthly Quarterly N/A\n5 Bell: for operation Monthly N/A N/A\n6 Gate arm: for operation Monthly N/A N/A\n7 Surge protection: for condition Monthly Quarterly Quarterly\n8 Circuits: for grounds Monthly Quarterly Quarterly\n9 Battery: for isolation faults Monthly Quarterly Quarterly\n10 Batteries: for voltage, current,\nelectrolyte level, and plate\ndeterioration where plates are visible\nMonthly Quarterly Quarterly\n11 Interconnection components: for\nenergization of circuits as intended.\nMonthly N/A N/A\n12 Switch circuit controller: for\nadjustment\nQuarterly Quarterly Quarterly\n13 Batteries: for degree of exhaustion,\nvoltage and current\nQuarterly Quarterly Quarterly\n14 Fouling circuits: for continuity Quarterly Quarterly Quarterly\n15 Direct Current relays: visual check of\ncondition\nTwice Annually Twice Annually Twice Annually\n16 Bond wires, track connections,\ninsulated joints, and other insulated\ntrack appliances: visual check of\ncondition\nTwice Annually Twice Annually Twice Annually\n17 Cut-out circuits (any circuit that\noverrides the operation of a warning\nsystem) : for operation\nTwice Annually Twice Annually Twice Annually\n18 Gate mechanism and circuit\ncontroller: visual inspection of\ncondition\nTwice Annually N/A N/A\n19 Control circuits operation of traffic\nsignals installed at a grade crossing\nin lieu of a warning system\nTwice Annually N/A N/A\n20 Light units: for proper alignment,\nfocus, and visibility.\nAnnually Annually Annually\n21 Light Unit: for voltage Annually Annually Annually\n22 Track circuits: for proper functioning Annually Annually Annually\n23 Flash controller: for flash rate Annually Annually Annually\n24 Battery: load test Annually Annually Annually\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 50\n25 Warning time: for required time Annually Annually Annually\n26 Electronic railway equipment\ndetection devices, including\nprocessor-based systems: for\nprogramming and function ability.\nAnnually Annually Annually\n27 Timing relays and timing devices: for\nrequired time\nAnnually Annually Annually\n28 Cable and wire entrances: for\ncondition\nAnnually Annually Annually\n29 Switch circuit controller centering\ndevice: for condition\nAnnually Annually Annually\n30 Interconnection operation between of\nwarning systems and traffic control\ndevices\nAnnually N/A N/A\n31 Pole line and attachments: for\ncondition\nEvery Two\nYears\nEvery Two\nYears\nEvery Two\nYears\n32 Gate mechanism: for electrical\nvalues, mechanical clearances and\ntorque\nEvery Four\nYears\nEvery Four\nYears\nEvery Four\nYears\n33 DC Polar, AC Vane, and Mechanical\nTimer relays: for electrical values\nand operating characteristics\nEvery Two\nYears\nEvery Two\nYears\nEvery Two\nYears\n34 Relays that affect proper functioning of\na warning system (except for DC polar,\nAC Vane and Mechanical Timer): for\nelectrical values and operation\nEvery Four\nYears\nEvery Four\nYears\nEvery Four\nYears\n35 Ground: for resistance value Every Ten Years Every Ten\nYears\nEvery Ten\nYears\n36 Wire and cable insulation: for\nresistance\nEvery Ten Years N/A N/A\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 51\nPART F – INTERCONNECTED DEVICES\n18 PREPARE TO STOP AT RAILWAY CROSSING SIGN\n18.1 The Prepare to Stop at Railway Crossing sign must be as shown in A3.6.6 of the Manual of\nUniform Traffic Control Devices for Canada (cited in Part A), must meet the applicable\nspecifications in article A1.6 of that Manual, and must operate:\n(a) in advance of the activation of the light units of the warning system; and\n(b) during the time of the operation of the light units of the warning system.\n18.2 The advance activation time must be the greater of the time it takes a vehicle travelling at the\nroad crossing design speed to pass a deactivated Prepare to Stop at Railway Crossing sign\nand the vehicle to:\n(a) clear the grade crossing before the arrival of railway equipment at the crossing surface\nwhere there is a warning system without gates; or\n(b) clear the grade crossing before the gate arms start to descend where there is a warning\nsystem with gates.\n18.3 Where a Prepare to Stop at Railway Crossing sign is installed, 4 hours continuous battery\nback-up power must be provided for the Prepare to Stop at Railway Crossing signs.\n19 INTERCONNECTION OF TRAFFIC SIGNALS WITH WARNING SYSTEMS\n19.1 Interconnection is to be provided at grade crossings where the railway design speed is\n25 km/h (15 mph) or more and where there is less than 30 m between the nearest rail of a\ngrade crossing and the travelled way of an intersection with traffic signals.\n19.2 Except as otherwise specified in these standards or in the Grade Crossings Regulations, the\ndesign and operation of the interconnection of traffic signals with a warning system, at a grade\ncrossing that corresponds to the specifications of 19.1, must be in accordance with Part 3.1.10\nof the AREMA Communications and Signals Manual (cited in Part A).\n19.3 The interconnection of traffic signals with a warning system must:\n(a) provide sufficient time for vehicles to clear the grade crossing before the arrival of railway\nequipment at the crossing surface.\n(b) prevent movement of road traffic from the intersection towards the grade crossing.\n19.4 Where traffic signals are interconnected by warning systems, 4 hours continuous battery back-\nup must be provided for the traffic signals.\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 52\n20 INTERCONNECTED DEVICES - INSPECTION AND TESTING\nTable 20-1 – Required Frequencies of Inspections and Tests for Prepare to Stop at\nRailway Crossing Signs or an Interconnected Traffic Signal\nCOLUMN 1 COLUMN 2 COLUMN 3\nITEM Elements and Inspection and\nTesting requirements\nFrequency\n1 Prepare to Stop at Railway Crossing\nsign: for visibility of light units\nAnnually\n2 Traffic Signals installed at a grade\ncrossing in lieu of a warning system:\nfor cleanliness, visibility of signal\nheads, and physical damage\nAnnually\n3 Traffic signal interconnection\nactivation and operation with warning\nsystems\nAnnually\n4 Prepare to Stop at Railway Crossing\nSign activation and operation\nAnnually\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 53\nAPPENDIX A – LIGHT EMITTING DIODE (LED) SIGNAL MODULES\nStandards for LED Signal Modules in Warning Systems\n1 DEFINITIONS\nCandela (cd) – SI unit of luminous intensity. The candela is the luminous intensity, in a given direction, of\na source that emits monochromatic radiation of frequency 540 nm and that has a radiant intensity in that\ndirection of 1/683 W per steradian (1 cd = 1 lm/sr).\nLumen (lm) – SI unit of luminous flux. Luminous flux emitted in unit solid angle [steradian (sr)] by a\nuniform point source having a luminous intensity of 1 candela (1 lm = 1 cd x 1 sr).\nLuminance Lv (in a given direction, at a given point on a real or imaginary surface) – quantity\ndefined by the formula:\nLv = dΦv\ndA • d\n • cosθ\nwhere dΦv is the luminous flux transmitted by an elementary beam passing through the given point and\npropagating in the solid angle dΩ containing the given direction; dA is the area of a section of that beam\ncontaining the given point; θ is the angle between the normal to that section and the direction of the beam\n(footlambert, cd/m2).\nLuminous Efficacy of Radiation (K) – the luminous flux Φv divided by the corresponding radiant flux Φe\n(K = Φv/Φe).\nLuminous Intensity (Iv) (of a source in a given direction) – the luminous flux dΦv leaving the source\nand propagating in the element of solid angle dΩ containing the given direction, divided by the element of\nsolid angle (Iv = dΦv / dΩ candela).\nLuminous Flux (Φv) – quantity derived from radiant flux Φe by evaluating the radiation according to its\naction upon the CIE standard photometric observer (lumen).\nRated Voltage – the nominal or design operating voltage of the LED signal module; the voltage at which\nrated watts, candelas, and life are determined.\nRated Watts – the average initial power (watts) consumed when the lamp is operated at rated voltage.\n2 PHOTOMETRIC REQUIREMENTS\n2.1 Luminous Intensity\nWhen LED signal modules are in use at a warning system, they must meet the minimum luminous\nintensity values shown in Table A-1.\nTable A-1 – Minimum Luminous Intensity (Candela) over Temperature and Lifetime\n0˚\n5˚Left\n(L)/Right\n(R)\n10˚L/R 15˚L/R 20˚L/R 25˚L/R 30˚L/R\n0˚ 400 375 250 150 75 40 15\n5˚Down\n(D) 350 325 250 150 75 40 15\n10˚D 130 125 110 85 60 35 15\n15˚D 45 40 35 30 25 20 15\n20˚D 15 15 15 15 15 15 10\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 54\n2.2 Chromaticity\nA signal module must produce a uniform red light output as specified in article 4.2 of the Vehicle Traffic\nControl Signal Heads – Light Emitting Diode Circular Supplement, published by the Institute of\nTransportation Engineers, dated June 2005.\n2.3 Uniformity\nThe ratio of the greatest and least luminance on the signal module must not be more than 5:1, when\nmeasured over average areas of 500 mm2.\n2.4 Rise/Fall Time\nThe maximum rise time from zero intensity to full intensity, and the maximum fall time from full intensity to\nzero intensity, must be 75 ms.\n3 PHYSICAL AND MECHANICAL REQUIREMENTS\n3.1 LED Signal Module Design\n3.1.1 The LED signal module must be designed to fit the grade crossing light unit housings,\ndescribed in Part 3.2.35 of the AREMA Communications and Signals Manual (cited in Part A),\nwithout requiring modification of the mechanical, structural, or electrical components.\n3.1.2 The LED signal module must be either 200 mm or 300 mm in size.\n3.1.3 The LED signal module must have either a clear or a red lens.\n3.1.4 Any gasket or similar sealing provisions must be made of a material as specified in\nPart 15.2.10 of the AREMA Communications and Signals Manual (cited in Part A).\n3.2 Environmental Requirements\n3.2.1 The LED signal module must operate over an ambient temperature range of -40°C (-40°F)\nto 70°C (158°F) in accordance with sections 1 to 3 of the \"Method 1010.8 Temperature\nCycling\", dated June 18, 2004, of MIL-STD-883H, Test Method Standard, Microcircuits,\npublished by the United States Department of Defence, dated February 26, 2010 and must\nsatisfy the failure criteria set-out in article 3.3 of that standard, and any reference to end-point\nmeasurements and examinations are to be read as those provided by the supplier.\n3.2.2 The LED signal module must be protected against dust and moisture intrusion in a Type 4\nenclosure in a manner that meets the requirement of article 8.6.2 of the Canadian Standards\nAssociation standard CAN/CSA-C22.2 No. 94.2-07 entitled Enclosures for Electrical\nEquipment, Environmental Considerations, as amended from time to time, when tested in\naccordance with article 8.6.1 of that Standard.\n3.2.3 The LED signal module must meet mechanical vibration and shock requirements as specified\nin Part 11.5.1 of the AREMA Communications and Signals Manual (cited in Part A).\n3.2.4 The LED signal module lens must be UV stabilized.\n3.3 Identification\n3.3.1 The LED signal module must have a label containing the following information:\na) the LED colour;\nb) the beam deflection classification;\nc) the operating voltage;\nd) the current consumption at operating voltage;\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 55\ne) the module’s serial number; and\nf) the date of manufacture.\n3.3.2 If the module or its components require orientation, they must be prominently and permanently\nmarked with an indexing arrow.\n4 ELECTRICAL REQUIREMENTS\n4.1 Transient Voltage Protection\nLED signal module circuitry must include voltage surge protection as specified in Part 11.3.3 of AREMA\nCommunications and Signals Manual (cited in Part A).\n4.2 LED Drive Circuitry\nLED signal module circuitry must operate as specified in Part 3.2.35 of the AREMA Communications and\nSignals Manual (cited in Part A).\n4.3 Dielectric and Electromagnetic Interference\nLED signal module circuitry must conform to dielectric and electromagnetic interference requirements for\nClass B equipment in Part 11.5.1 of AREMA Communications and Signals Manual (cited in Part A).\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 56\nAPPENDIX B - LIMITED USE WARNING SYSTEMS AND SIGNS\n1 Operating Requirements\n1.1 Battery backup for a minimum of 24 hours of normal railway operations must be provided.\n1.2 Power monitor lights must be provided.\n2 Warning System Requirements\n2.1 Limited Use Warning System must meet the specifications of articles 12 to 16 of the Grade\nCrossings Standards (GCS) except:\na) it does not require a gate;\nb) height of the light unit may be different than that stated in the AREMA Communications and\nSignals Manual (cited in Part A) or the GCS (cited in Part A) as to improve conspicuity;\nc) Signal mast may be located closer to the road approach than that stated in the AREMA\nCommunications and Signals Manual (cited in Part A) or the GCS (cited in Part A) to improve\nconspicuity.\nd) A bell is not required; and\ne) Front and back lights must be provided on each warning signal assembly.\n3 Signage Requirements\n3.1 An Emergency Notification sign must be installed at each location.\n3.2 A sign indicating that the road is private must be posted near the entrance to the private road.\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 57\nAPPENDIX C - LIMITED USE WARNING SYSTEM WITH WALK LIGHT\nOperating Requirements\n1.1 Battery backup of a minimum of 8 hours must be provided.\n1.2 Power monitor lights must be provided.\nSignal Requirements\n1.3 A Limited Use Warning System with Walk Light must meet the specifications below:\na) must be installed on each side of the grade crossing and face a crossing user approaching\nthe grade crossing;\nb) must include a signal head that displays a signal indicating to a crossing user that it is safe to\nproceed when railway equipment is not approaching. This signal head must be extinguished\nwhen railway equipment is approaching;\nc) The signal head must be as specified in sections 2 to 5, excluding the last paragraph of\nsection 4.1.1, of the ITE “Pedestrian Traffic Control Signal Indications - Part 2: Light Emitting\nDiode (LED) Pedestrian Traffic Signal Modules” prepared by the Joint Industry and Traffic\nEngineering Council Committee, published by the Institute of Transportation Engineers, dated\nMarch 19, 2004, except for the following aspects:\ni. 12VDC pedestrian module is to be used instead of a 120VAC input voltage;\nii. the operating voltage range must be 9 – 15VDC, and the light must shut off at 7.3VDC or\nless; and\niii. References to “LED Pedestrian Signal Module” or “Module” are to be read as “Walk\nLight”.\nd) The walk light indicating that it is safe to proceed must be extinguished a minimum of\n20 seconds plus the clearance time before the arrival of railway equipment at the crossing\nsurface.\ne) The clearance time must be based on design vehicle and must be calculated in accordance\nwith article 10 of the GCS (cited in Part A).\nSignage and Post Requirements\n1.4 Signage indicating how to use a Limited Use Warning Systems with Walk Light must be as\nshown in Figure C-2 and must:\na) be mounted on the mast under the walk light signal head as indicated in Figure C-1; and\nb) have a silver background that is reflective with silk screened black or vinyl lettering. Where\nrequired by law, the word “Arrêt” may replace the word “Stop”, or may be added to the Stop Sign.\n1.5 A Stop sign must be as shown in article A2.2.1 of the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control\nDevices for Canada (cited in Part A) and must meet the applicable specifications A1.6 of that\nManual. Where required by law, the word “Arrêt” will replace the word “Stop”, or may be added\nto the Stop sign. The Stop sign must be mounted on the mast as shown in Figure C-1.\n1.6 An Emergency Notification sign must be located at each Limited Use Warning System with\nWalk Light Assembly.\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 58\nFigure C-1 – Limited Use Warning System with Walk Light Assembly\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 59\nFigure C-2 – Instruction Sign\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 60\nAPPENDIX D – WHISTLING CESSATION\nTable D-1 – Requirements for Warning Systems at Public Grade Crossings within an Area\nwithout Whistling\nColumn A Column B\nRailway\nDesign Speed\nGrade Crossings for Vehicle Use Grade Crossings For Sidewalks,\nPaths, or Trails with the centreline\nno closer than 3.6 m (12 ft) to a\nwarning signal for vehicles\nNo. of Tracks No. of Tracks\n1 2 or more 1 2 or more\nColumn 1 Column 2 Column 3 Column 4 Column 5\n1 – 25 km/h (15 mph) FLB FLB No warning\nsystem\nrequirement\nNo warning\nsystem\nrequirements\n25 – 81 km/h\n(16 – 50 mph)\nFLB FLB & G FLB FLB & G\nOver 81 km/h (50 mph) FLB & G FLB & G FLB & G FLB & G\nLegend :\nFLB is a warning system consisting of flashing lights and a bell.\nFLB & G is a warning system consisting of flashing lights, a bell and gates\nFigure D-1 – prescribed area for whistling cessation as per article 23.1 of the RSA"], "ncluster": 13, "output": "", "ndim": "3D (press for 2D)", "dim_method": "PCA", "clustering_method": "KMeans"}
+{"tstamp": 1726527168.9473, "task_type": "clustering", "type": "chat", "model": "mixedbread-ai/mxbai-embed-large-v1", "gen_params": {}, "start": 1726527168.9006, "finish": 1726527168.9473, "ip": "", "conv_id": "0d83511f4e264ec4bdc189daea1a086b", "model_name": "mixedbread-ai/mxbai-embed-large-v1", "prompt": ["GRADE CROSSINGS STANDARDS\nJanuary 2019\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nTABLE OF CONTENTS\nPART A – INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................. 3\n1 CITATIONS .................................................................................................................................................... 3\n2 INTERPRETATION ......................................................................................................................................... 3\nPART B - EXISTING GRADE CROSSINGS .......................................................................................... 4\n3 CROSSING SURFACE ................................................................................................................................... 4\n4 RAILWAY CROSSING SIGN AND NUMBER OF TRACKS SIGN .................................................................... 5\nPART C - NEW STANDARDS ............................................................................................................. 10\n5 CROSSING SURFACE ................................................................................................................................. 10\n6 ROAD GEOMETRY (GRADE CROSSINGS AND ROAD APPROACHES) .................................................... 12\n7 SIGHTLINES................................................................................................................................................. 14\n8 SIGNS .................................................................................................................................................. 17\n9 WARNING SYSTEMS SPECIFICATION ....................................................................................................... 24\nPART D – DESIGN CALCULATIONS ................................................................................................. 26\n10 DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS ...................................................................................................................... 26\n11 LOCATION OF GRADE CROSSINGS......................................................................................................... 35\nPART E – WARNING SYSTEM DESIGN ............................................................................................ 36\n12 WARNING SYSTEM OPERATION - GENERAL .......................................................................................... 36\n13 NUMBER AND LOCATION OF LIGHT UNITS ............................................................................................. 41\n14 LIGHT UNITS - ALIGNMENT ...................................................................................................................... 45\n15 BELLS AND GATES ................................................................................................................................... 45\n16 CIRCUITRY ................................................................................................................................................ 46\n17 WARNING SYSTEMS AND TRAFFIC SIGNALS INSTALLED AT A GRADE CROSSING IN LIEU OF\nA WARNING SYSTEM - INSPECTION AND TESTING.............................................................. 48\nPART F – INTERCONNECTED DEVICES .......................................................................................... 51\n18 PREPARE TO STOP AT RAILWAY CROSSING SIGN................................................................................ 51\n19 INTERCONNECTION OF TRAFFIC SIGNALS WITH A WARNING SYSTEMS ............................................ 51\n20 INTERCONNECTED DEVICES - INSPECTION AND TESTING .................................................................. 52\nAPPENDIX A – LIGHT EMITTING DIODE (LED) SIGNAL MODULES ............................................... 53\nAPPENDIX B - LIMITED USE WARNING SYSTEMS AND SIGNS ..................................................... 56\nAPPENDIX C - LIMITED USE WARNING SYSTEMS WITH WALK LIGHT ........................................ 57\nAPPENDIX D – WHISTLING CESSATION .......................................................................................... 60\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 3\nPART A – INTRODUCTION\n1 CITATIONS\nThe following are the citations for documents referred to in the Standards:\n“62-GP-11M is the standard for Marking Material, Retroreflective Elements, Adhesive Backing,\n62-GP-11M, published by the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB), dated May 1978 - as\namended in July 1987 (Amendment No 1);\n“AREMA Communications and Signals Manual” is the 2014 edition of the Communications and\nSignals Manual of Recommended Practice, published by the Communications and Signals Group\nof the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance of Way Association, in effect on\nDecember 31, 2013;\n“ASTM D4956” is the 11th edition of the Standard Specification for Retroreflective Sheeting for\nTraffic Control, published by the American Society for Testing and Materials, dated\nMarch 30, 2011;\n“GCS” means the Grade Crossings Standards;\n“Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Canada” refers to the 4th ed. of the Manual of\nUniform Traffic Control Devices for Canada, prepared by the Traffic Operations and Management\nStanding Committee, published by the Transportation Association of Canada, dated\nSeptember 1998.\n2 INTERPRETATION\nThe following definitions apply in this Standard:\n“crossing user” means drivers of vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists and persons using assistive\ndevices;\n“cross-product” means the product of the average annual daily railway movements and the\naverage annual daily traffic of vehicles on the road that pass across the grade crossing;\n“travelled way” means that part of a road intended for vehicular use, excluding shoulders.\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 4\nPART B - EXISTING GRADE CROSSINGS\n3 CROSSING SURFACE\n3.1 The crossing surface must be of a width that is equal to the width of the travelled way and\nshoulders of the road, plus 0.5 m on each side, measured at right angles to the centreline of\nthe road, as shown in Figure 3-1(a) or (b), as the case may be.\n3.2 A flangeway must be provided between the gauge side of the rail and the road surface and\nmust be between 65 mm and 120 mm wide, and between 50 mm and 75 mm deep.\nFigure 3-1 – Crossing Surface\na)\nb)\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 5\n4 RAILWAY CROSSING SIGN AND NUMBER OF TRACKS SIGN\n4.1 A sign providing warning of a grade crossing (Railway Crossing sign) must have a 50 mm\nborder of transparent red ink that is silk-screen processed over silver-white sheeting material,\nas shown in Figure 4-1(a). A sign indicating the number of tracks (Number of Tracks sign)\nmust have a digit and symbol that is transparent red or black ink that is silk-screened\nprocessed over silver-white sheeting material, as shown in Figure 4-1(b).\n4.1.1 Without Warning Systems\nA grade crossing without a warning system must have the following:\n(a) A railway crossing sign;\n(b) The railway crossing signs must be located as shown in Figure 4-2(a) and (b) and must\nbe clearly visible to persons approaching the grade crossing on the road approach;\n(c) The railway crossing signs must be located between 0.3 m and 2.0 m from the face of\ncurb, or outer edge of road approach shoulder; or, where there is no curb or shoulder,\n2.0 m to 4.5 m from the edge of the travelled way;\n(d) The railway crossing signs must be located no closer than 3.0 m from the nearest rail;\n(e) Where there is more than one track at a grade crossing, an additional sign indicating the\nnumber of tracks to be crossed, must be installed on the supporting post of each railway\ncrossing sign as shown in Figure 4-2(c).\n(f) A sidewalk, path or trail with its centreline more than 3.6 m (12 ft.) from a railway crossing\nsign supporting post beside a road approach for vehicle traffic must have separate\nrailway crossing signs.\n4.1.2 With Warning Systems\nA grade crossing with a warning system must have the following:\n(a) A railway crossing sign must be installed as shown in Figures 4-3 and 4-4.\n(b) Where there is more than one track at a grade crossing, a sign indicating the number of\ntracks to be crossed, as shown in Figure 4-1(b), must be installed on the supporting post\nof each railway crossing sign.\n4.1.3 Reflective Marking Material Specifications\n(a) The reflective material of the signs, referred to in 4.1, must cover the entire front surface of the\nsigns.\n(b) The reflective material must meet the Level 2 reflective intensity values in Table 2 of the 62-\nGP-11M standard (cited in Part A).\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 6\nFigure 4-1 – Railway Crossing Sign and Number of Tracks Sign\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 7\nFigure 4-2 – Location of Railway Crossing Signs and Number of Tracks Signs (public\ngrade crossings without warning systems)\na)\nb)\nc)\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 8\nFigure 4-3 – Railway Crossing Sign and Number of Tracks Sign on a Grade Crossing\nWarning Signal of Flashing Light Type\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 9\nFigure 4-4 – Railway Crossing Sign and Number of Tracks Sign where Gates at a Grade\nCrossing\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 10\nPART C - NEW STANDARDS\n5 CROSSING SURFACE\n5.1 Crossing surface of a grade crossing, and a crossing surface of a sidewalk, path or trail must\nbe as shown in Figure 5-1 and in accordance with Table 5-1, and must be smooth and\ncontinuous.\nFigure 5-1 – Grade Crossing Surface Dimensions\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 11\nTable 5-1 – Grade Crossing Surface – Cross Section\na) Flangeway:\nWidth Minimum 65 mm\nMaximum for:\nPublic sidewalks, paths or trails designated by the road\nauthority for use by persons using assistive devices 75 mm\nAll other grade crossings 120 mm\nDepth: Minimum 50 mm\nMaximum for:\nPublic sidewalks, paths and trails designated by the road\nauthority for use by persons using assistive devices 75 mm\nAll other grade crossings No limit\n(b) Field side gap\nA space is permitted on the outer side of the rail at rural locations, except for public\nsidewalks, paths or trails designated by the road authority for use by persons using\nassistive devices\nMaximum width 120 mm\nMaximum depth No limit\n(c) Elevation of the top of the rail with respect to the crossing surface\nThe top of the crossing surface must be installed as close as possible to the top of the\nrail within the wear limits below:\nWear limits:\nPublic sidewalk, path or trail designated by the road authority for use by persons using\nassistive devices\nMaximum distance of the top of the rail above crossing\nsurface\n13 mm\nMaximum distance of the top of the rail below crossing\nsurface\n7 mm\nAll other public grade crossings; the maximum distance of the top of the\nrail above or below the crossing surface 25 mm\nPrivate grade crossings; the maximum distance of the top of the rail\nabove or below the crossing surface 50 mm\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 12\n6 ROAD GEOMETRY (GRADE CROSSINGS AND ROAD APPROACHES)\n6.1 The horizontal and vertical alignment of the road approach and the crossing surface must be\nsmooth and continuous.\n6.2 The allowable difference between the road approach gradient and railway cross-slope, or the\nrailway gradient and the road approach cross-slope, must be in accordance with Table 6-1\nDifference in Gradient.\n6.3 The maximum gradients for road approaches must not exceed the following:\n(a) ratio of 1:50 (2 per cent) within 8 m of the nearest rail and 1:20 (5 per cent) for 10 m\nbeyond, at public grade crossings for vehicular use;\n(b) ratio of 1:50 (2 per cent) within 8 m of the nearest rail and 1:10 (10 per cent) for 10 m\nbeyond, at private grade crossings for vehicular use;\n(c) ratio of 1:50 (2 per cent) within 5 m of the nearest rail at a sidewalk, path or trail; and\n(d) ratio of 1:100 (1 per cent) within 5 m of the nearest rail at a sidewalk, path or trail\ndesignated by the road authority for use by persons using assistive devices.\n6.4 The width of the travelled way and shoulders at the crossing surface must not be less than the\nwidth of the travelled way and shoulders on the road approaches.\n6.5 A grade crossing angle, measured from the tangent of the centreline of the road approach at\nthe crossing surface, to the tangent of the centreline of the line of railway, shall, where the\nrailway design speed is more than 25 km/h (15 mph) be:\n(a) not less than 70 and not greater than 110 degrees for grade crossings without a warning\nsystem; or\n(b) not less than 30 and not greater than 150 degrees for grade crossings with a warning\nsystem.\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 13\nTable 6-1 – Difference in Gradient\nClassification Difference in Gradient (%)\nRLU 2\nRCU 1\nRCD 1\nRAU 0\nRAD 0\nRFD -\nULU 3\nUCU 2\nUCD 2\nUAU 0\n*Legend\nUrban (U) Rural (R) Local (L) Collector (C) Arterial(A) Expressway (E) Freeway(F)\nDivided (D) Undivided (U)\nSource: Geometric Design Guide for Canadian Roads, published by the Transportation\nAssociation of Canada and dated September 1999\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 14\n7 SIGHTLINES\n7.1 General\n7.1.1 Sightlines are measured from a point 1.05 m above the road surface to a point 1.2 m above\ntop of lowest rail.\n7.1.2 For the purposes of section 28(b) of the GCR, refer to the Class of Track in the Table below:\nColumn 1 Column 2 Column 3\nClass of Track The maximum\nallowable operating\nspeed for freight trains\nis -\nThe maximum\nallowable operating\nspeed for passenger\ntrains is -\nClass 1 track 17 km/h (10 mph) 25 km/h (15 mph)\nClass 2 track 41 km/h (25 mph) 49 km/h (30 mph)\nClass 3 track 65 km/h (40 mph) 97 km/h (60 mph)\nClass 4 track 97 km/h (60 mph) 129 km/h (80 mph)\nClass 5 track 129 km/h (80 mph) 153 km/h (95 mph)\n7.2 Determination of sightlines\nIn Figure 7-1,\n(a) SSD is the stopping sight distance and is calculated using the following formula:\nSSD = 0.278 x 2.5 x V + d\nd = braking distance (m)\nV = initial speed (km/h)\n(b) DSSD is the minimum distance along the line of railway that a crossing user must see\napproaching railway equipment from the stopping sight distance, and does not apply if the\ngrade crossing is equipped with a Stop sign or warning system.\nDSSD is equal to the distance required for the design vehicle at its road crossing design speed to\ngo from the stopping sight distance completely past the clearance point on the other side of the\ngrade crossing.\nDSSD = 0.278 VT x TSSD (m)\nDSSD = 1.47VT x TSSD (ft.)\nWhere,\nVT = railway design speed in km/h or mph, and\nTSSD = [(SSD + cd + L)/0.278V] (s)\nWhere,\nV = road crossing design speed (km/h)\ncd = grade crossing clearance distance (m)\nL = length of the grade crossing design vehicle (m)\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 15\n(c) DStopped is the minimum distance along the line of railway that a crossing user must be\nable to see approaching railway equipment from the stopped position at a grade crossing.\nDStopped is equal to the greater of the distances that railway equipment at the railway\ndesign speed will travel during\n(i) the Departure Time for the grade crossing design vehicle calculated in accordance\nwith article 10.3.2, or\n(ii) the Departure Time for pedestrians, cyclists, and persons using assistive devices\ncalculated in accordance with article 10.3.3.\nDstopped must be calculated by the following formula:\nDstopped = 0.278 VT x Tstopped (m)\nDstopped = 1.47 VT x Tstopped (ft.)\nWhere,\nVT = railway design speed in km/h or mph\nTstopped = the Departure Times, calculated in accordance with article 10.3\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 16\nFigure 7-1 – Minimum Sightlines – Grade Crossings\n(a) Sightlines for Users Stopped at a Grade Crossing (applicable to all quadrants).\n(b) Sightlines for Users Approaching a Grade Crossing (applicable to all quadrants).\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 17\n8 SIGNS\n8.1 Railway Crossing Sign and Number of Tracks Sign\nAll grade crossings:\n8.1.1 A sign providing warning of a grade crossing (Railway Crossing sign) must be as shown in\nFigure 8-1(a) and must:\na. have a retroreflective coating that covers the entire front surface of the sign;\nb. have a 50 mm border on the front of each blade, with transparent red ink silk-screen\nprocessed over sheeting material;\n8.1.2 A sign indicating the number of tracks at a grade crossing (Number of Tracks sign) must be as\nshown in Figure 8-1(b) and must:\na. have a retroreflective coating that covers the entire front surface of the sign;\nb. have a digit and symbol that is transparent red inked silk-screened processed; and\nc. be installed on the supporting post of each railway crossing sign as shown\nin Figure 8-3(c)\nAdditional requirements for grade crossings without Warning Systems\n8.1.3 A 100 mm retroreflective strip must be applied on the back of each blade of the Railway\nCrossing Sign, for the full length of each blade;\n8.1.4 A 50 mm strip of silver white sheeting must be applied on the front and back of the supporting\npost, extending from no higher than 300 mm above the crown of the adjacent road surface to\n70 mm above the centre of the Railway Crossing sign and must be as shown in Figure 8-2.\n8.1.5 The railway crossing sign must be located:\na. between 0.3 m and 2.0 m from the face of the curb, or the outer edge of the road\nshoulder or, where there is no curb or shoulder, 2.0 m to 4.5 m from the edge of the\ntravelled way; and\nb. must not be located closer than 3 m measured to the nearest rail, as shown in Figure 8-\n3(a) and 8-3(b).\n8.1.6 A sidewalk, path or trail with a centreline that is more than 3.6 m (12 ft.) from a Railway\nCrossing sign supporting post beside a road approach for vehicle traffic must have separate\nRailway Crossing signs, as shown in Figure 8-3(a).\n8.1.7 The supporting post, on which is installed the Railway Crossing sign and the Number of\nTracks sign, must:\na. Unless the Railway Crossing sign is installed on the mast of a warning system, the\nsupporting posts must be of such construction that a 820 kg vehicle striking it at speeds\n32 km/h or more, will not have a change in velocity greater than 4.57 m per second.\nRetroreflective Material\n8.1.8 Retroreflective material referred to in 8.1.1 to 8.1.4 must meet the specifications for Type IV\nmaterial, white sheeting, as specified in sections 4.2.4 and 6.1.4 of ASTM D4956 (cited in\nPart A) when tested in accordance with the Test Methods for Type IV material specified in\nsections 7 and 9 of that Standard.\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 18\n8.1.9 The retroreflection coefficient of the retroreflective material referred to in 8.1.8 is to be\nmaintained above 50 per cent of the value specified for Type IV material specified in article\n6.1.4 of ASTM D4956 (cited in Part A).\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 19\nFigure 8-1 – Railway Crossing Sign and Number of Tracks Sign\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 20\nFigure 8-2 – Retroreflective Stripes on the Back of the Railway Crossing Sign and on the\nSign Supporting Post (public grade crossings without a grade crossing\nwarning system)\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 21\nFigure 8-3 – Location of Railway Crossing Signs and Number of Tracks Signs (public\ngrade crossings without warning systems)\na)\nb)\nc)\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 22\n8.2 Railway Crossing Ahead Sign and Advisory Speed Tab Sign\n8.2.1 A sign providing advanced warning of a grade crossing (Railway Crossing Ahead sign) and a\nsign specifying a recommended speed (Advisory Speed Tab sign) must be as shown in\narticles A3.4.2 and A3.2.5 in the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Canada (cited\nin Part A) and must meet the applicable standards set out in article A1.6 of that Manual, as the\ncase may be.\n8.3 Stop Ahead Sign\n8.3.1 A Stop Ahead sign must be as shown in article A3.6.1 of the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control\nDevices for Canada (cited in Part A) and must meet the applicable standards set out in article\nA1.6 of that Manual.\n8.4 Stop Sign\n8.4.1 A Stop sign must be as shown in article A2.2.1 of the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control\nDevices for Canada (cited in Part A) and must meet the applicable standards set out in article\nA1.6 of that Manual. Where required by law, the word “Arrêt” will replace the word “Stop”, or\nmay be added to the Stop sign.\n8.4.2 When a Stop sign is installed on the same post as a Railway Crossing sign, it must be\ninstalled as shown in Figure 8-4.\nFigure 8-4 – Stop Signs\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 23\n8.5 Emergency Notification Sign\n8.5.1 An Emergency Notification sign that provides information on the location of the grade crossing\nand the railway company’s emergency telephone number, must be installed\na) parallel to the road, or\nb) on each side of the grade crossing, facing traffic approaching the grade crossing.\n8.5.2 the emergency notification sign must be clearly legible\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 24\n9 WARNING SYSTEMS SPECIFICATION\n9.1 The specifications for a public grade crossing at which a warning system without gates is required are\nas follows:\na) where the forecast cross-product is 2,000 or more;\nb) Where there is no sidewalk, path or trail and the railway design speed is more than 129 km/hr\n(80 mph);\nc) Where there is a sidewalk, path or trail and the railway design speed is more than 81 km/hr\n(50 mph); or\nd) where the railway design speed is more than 25 km/hr (15 mph) but less than the railway\ndesign speed referred to in b) or c), as the case may be, and\ni. where there are two or more lines of railway where railway equipment may pass each\nother; or\nii. the distance as shown in Figure 9-1(a) between a Stop sign at an intersection and\nthe nearest rail in the crossing surface is less than 30 m; or\niii. in the case of an intersection with a traffic signal, the distance between the stop line\nof the intersection and the nearest rail in the crossing surface, as shown\nin Figure 9-1(b), is less than 60 m, or where there is no stop line, the distance\nbetween the travelled way and the nearest rail in the crossing surface is less\nthan 60 m.\n9.2 The specifications for a public grade crossing at which a warning system with gates is required are as\nfollows:\n9.2.1 a warning system is required under article 9.1 and;\n(a) the forecast cross-product is 50,000 or more;\n(b) there are two or more lines of railway where railway equipment may pass each other;\n(c) the railway design speed is more than 81 km/hr (50 mph);\n(d) the distance as shown in Figure 9-1(a) between a Stop sign at an intersection and the\nnearest rail in the crossing surface is less than 30 m; or\n(e) in the case of an intersection with a traffic signal, the distance between the stop line of the\nintersection and the nearest rail in the crossing surface, as shown in Figure 9-1(b), is less\nthan 60 m, or where there is no stop line, the distance between the travelled way and the\nnearest rail in the crossing surface is less than 60 m.\n9.3 The specifications for a private grade crossing at which a warning system without gates is required\nare as follows:\n9.3.1 where the forecast cross-product is 2,000 or more, or\n9.3.2 where the railway design speed is more than 25 km/hr (15 mph), and;\n(a) the forecast cross-product is 100 or more and there are two or more lines of railway where\nrailway equipment may pass each other;\n(b) the forecast cross-product is 100 or more and grade crossing does not includes a\nsidewalk, path or trail and the railway design speed is more than 129 km/hr (80 mph); or\n(c) the grade crossing includes a sidewalk, path or trail and the railway design speed is more\nthan 81 km/hr (50 mph).\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 25\n9.4 The specifications for a private grade crossing at which a warning system with gates is required are\nas follows:\n9.4.1 a warning system is required under article 9.3 and;\n(a) the forecast cross-product is 50,000 or more;\n(b) there are two or more lines of railway where railway equipment may pass each other; or\n(c) the railway design speed is more than 81 km/hr (50 mph).\n9.5 The specifications for a grade crossing for a sidewalk, path or trail where a warning system without\ngates is required are as follows:\n(a) the sidewalk, path or trail is outside the island circuit of an adjacent warning system, and\n(b) the railway design speed is more than 81 km/hr (50 mph).\n9.6 The specifications for a grade crossing for a sidewalk, path or trail where a warning system with gates\nis required are as follows:\n(a) the sidewalk, path or trail is outside the island circuit of an adjacent warning system,\n(b) the railway design speed is more than 25 km/hr (15 mph), and\n(c) there are two or more lines of railway.\nFigure 9-1 – Proximity of Warning Systems to Stop Signs and Traffic Signals\n(a) Intersection with Stop Sign\n(b) Intersection with Traffic Signal\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 26\nPART D – DESIGN CALCULATIONS\n10 DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS\n10.1 Clearance Distance (cd)\n10.1.1 Clearance Distance (cd) is defined as the distance, in metres, between the departure point in\nadvance of the grade crossing, to the clearance point beyond the farthest rail, as shown in\nFigure 10-1.\n10.1.2 The clearance point is the point 2.4 m beyond the outside edge of the farthest rail from the\ndeparture point measured perpendicular to the rail.\n10.2 Vehicle Travel Distance (s)\n10.2.1 The total distance, in metres, the design vehicle must travel during acceleration to pass\ncompletely through the Clearance Distance (cd) is calculated using the following formula:\nwhere,\ncd = the Clearance Distance, in metres; and\nL = the total length, in metres, of the design vehicle.\ns = cd + L equation 10.2\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 27\nFigure 10-1 – Clearance Distance (cd) for Grade Crossings\n(a) For Grade Crossings with a Warning System or Railway Crossing Sign\n(b) For Grade Crossings without a Warning System or Railway Crossing Sign\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 28\n10.3 Departure Time - General\n10.3.1 The Departure Time is the greater of the time required for the design vehicle to pass\ncompletely through the Clearance Distance (cd) from a stopped position (TD) or the time\nrequired for pedestrians, cyclists and persons using assistive devices to pass completely\nthrough the Clearance Distance (cd) (TP).\nTable 10-1 Ratios of Acceleration Times on Grades must be used to account for the effects of\nroad gradient on the design vehicle for the grade crossing. The established ratio of\nacceleration time (G) must be incorporated into the Acceleration Time (T) by multiplying the\nacceleration time on level ground (t) by the ratio of acceleration time (G).\n10.3.2 Departure Time - Design Vehicle (TD)\nThe total time, in seconds, the design vehicle must travel to pass completely through the\nClearance Distance (cd) is calculated using the following formula:\nwhere,\nJ = the perception-reaction time, in seconds, of the crossing user to look in both\ndirections, shift gears, if necessary, and prepare to start (must use 2 seconds at\nminimum); and\nT = the time, in seconds, for the grade crossing design vehicle to travel through the\nVehicle Travel Distance (s) taking into account the actual road gradient at the grade\ncrossing.\nT may be obtained through direct measurement or calculated using the following\nformula:\nwhere,\nt = the time, in seconds, required for the design vehicle to accelerate\nthrough the Vehicle Travel Distance (s) on level ground established\nfrom Figure 10-2 Assumed Acceleration Curves; and\nG = the ratio of acceleration time established from Table 10-1Ratios of\nAcceleration Times on Grade or may be obtained through direct\nmeasurement.\n10.3.3 Departure Time – Pedestrians, Cyclists and Persons Using Assistive Devices (TP)\nThe total time, in seconds, that pedestrians, cyclists and persons using assistive devices\nmust travel to pass completely through the Clearance Distance (cd) is calculated using the\nfollowing formula:\nwhere,\ncd = the Clearance Distance, in metres (Article 10.1); and\nVp = the average travel speed, in metres per second (m/s), for pedestrians, cyclists, and\npersons using assistive devices (to a maximum value of 1.22 m/s).\nTD = J + T\nT = (t x G)\nTp = cd\nVp\nequation 10.3a\nequation 10.3b\nequation 10.3c\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 29\n10.4 Gate Arm Clearance Time\n10.4.1 Gate Arm Clearance Time is the greater of TG ssd or TG stop and represents the time, in seconds, it\ntakes the design vehicle to travel from either the Stopping Sight Distance (SSD) position or the\nStop position to the point past the gate arm.\nGate Arm Clearance Time from the SSD position (TG ssd) is calculated as follows:\nwhere,\nVroad = the road crossing design speed over the crossing in kilometres per hour (km/h);\nand\ncdG ssd = SSD + 2 m + L\nwhere,\nSSD is the stopping sight distance, in metres, and is calculated using the\nfollowing formula:\nSSD = 0.278 x 2.5 x V + d\nd = braking distance (m)\nV = initial speed (km/h)\nL = the total length, in metres, of the design vehicle.\nGate Arm Clearance Time from the Stop position (TG stop) is calculated as follows:\nwhere,\nJ = 2 seconds, and is the perception-reaction time, in seconds, of the crossing user to\nlook in both directions, shift gears, if necessary, and prepare to start; and\nG = the ratio of acceleration time established from Table 10-1Ratios of Acceleration\nTimes on Grade or may be obtained through direct measurement; and\ntcdG stop = the time, in seconds, required for the design vehicle to accelerate through the\nGate Arm Clearance Distance (cdG stop) on level ground established from Figure 10-2\nAssumed Acceleration Curves; (Note; (cdG stop) is used in place of (s) and (tcdG stop) is\nused in place of (t) from Figure 10-2)\nwhere,\ncdG stop = 2 m + L\nwhere,\nL = the total length, in metres, of the design vehicle.\nTG ssd = cdG ssd\n(0.27 x Vroad) equation 10.4a\nTG stop = J + (tcdG stop x G) equation 10.4b\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 30\nFigure 10-2 Assumed Acceleration Curves\nSource: Geometric Design Guide for Canadian Roads, published by the Transportation\nAssociation of Canada and dated September 1999\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 31\nTable 10-1 Ratios of Acceleration Times on Grades\nDesign Vehicle Road Grade (%)\n-4 -2 0 +2 +4\nPassenger Car 0.7 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.3\nSingle Unit Truck & Buses 0.8 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.3\nTractor-Semitrailer 0.8 0.9 1.0 1.2 1.7\nSource: Geometric Design Guide for Canadian Roads, published by the Transportation\nAssociation of Canada and dated September 1999\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 32\nTable 10-2 Road Design Specification for Road Approach\nSPECIFICATIONS\nColumn A Column B Column C\nRural Local Divided\nCollector\nUrban Arterial Not Divided\nExpressway\nFreeway\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 33\nTable 10-3 Characteristics of Rural Roads\nRural Locals Rural Collectors Rural Arterials Rural Freeways\nService function Traffic movement\nsecondary\nconsideration\nTraffic and land\naccess of equal\nimportance\nTraffic movement\nprimary\nconsideration\nOptimum mobility\nLand service Land access\nprimary\nconsideration\nTraffic movement\nand land access of\nequal importance\nLand access\nsecondary\nconsideration\nNo access\nTraffic volume\nvehicles per day\n(typically)\n<1000 AADT <5000 AADT <1 2000 AADT >8000AADT\nFlow\ncharacteristics\nInterrupted flow Interrupted flow Uninterrupted\nflow except at\nfree flow (grade\nseparated) major\nintersections\nDesign speed\n(km/h)\n50 – 110 60 - 110 80 – 130 100 – 300\nAverage running\nspeed (km/h)\n(free flow\nconditions)\n50 – 90 50 – 90 60 – 100 70 -110\nVehicle type Predominantly\npassenger cars,\nlight to medium\ntrucks and\noccasional heavy\ntrucks\nAll types, up to\n30% trucks in the\n3 t to 5 t range\nAll types, up to\n20% trucks\nAll types, up to\n20% heavy trucks\nNormal\nconnections\nLocals\ncollectors\nLocals\ncollectors\narterials\nCollectors\narterials\nfreeways\nArterials\nfreeways\nSource: Geometric Design Guide for Canadian Roads, published by the Transportation\nAssociation of Canada and dated September 1999\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 34\nTable 10-4 Characteristics of Urban Roads\nPublic Lanes Locals Collectors Arterials Expressways Freeways\nResidential Commercial Residential Indust./Comm. Residential Indust./Comm Minor Major\nTraffic service\nfunction\nTraffic movement not a\nconsideration\nTraffic movement secondary\nconsideration\nTraffic movement and land access\nof equal importance\nTraffic\nmovement\nmajor\nconsideration\nTraffic\nmovement\nprimary\nconsideration\nTraffic\nmovement\nprimary\nconsideration\nOptimum\nmobility\nLand service/\naccess Land access only function Land access primary function Traffic movement and access of\nequal importance\nSome access\ncontrol\nRigid access\ncontrol No access no access\nTraffic volume\n(veh/day) (typical) <500 <1000 <1000 <3000 <8000 1000-12 000 5000 – 20 000 10 000 – 30 000 >10000 <20 000\nFlow\ncharacteristics Interrupted flow Interrupted flow Interrupted flow Uninterrupted flow except at signals\nand crosswalks\nUninterrupted\nflow except at\nsignals\nFree-flow\n(grade\nseparation)\nDesign speed\n(km/h) 30-40 30 – 50 50 - 80 40-60 50-90 80 – 110 80- 120\nAverage Running\nspeeds (km/h) (off-\npeak) 20 - 30 20 - 40 30 - 70 40 - 60 50 -90 60 - 90 70 – 110\nVehicle type\nPassenger and\nservice\nvehicles\nAll types\nPassenger\nand service\nvehicles\nAll types\nPassenger and\nservice\nvehicles\nAll types All types All types up to\n20% trucks\nAll types up to\n20% trucks\nAll types up to\n20% trucks\nDesirable\nconnections\nPublic lanes, locals Public lanes, locals, collectors Locals, collectors, arterials Collectors, arterials, expressways,\nfreeway\nArterials,\nexpressway,\nfreeways\nArterials,\nexpressways,\nfreeways\nTransit service Public lanes, locals Public lanes, locals, collectors Locals, collectors, arterials Express and local busses permitted Express buses\nonly\nExpress buses\nonly\nAccommodation of\ncyclists\nNo restriction or special\nfacilities\nNo restriction or special\nfacilities No restriction or special facilities Lanes widening or separate facilities\ndesirable prohibited prohibited\nAccommodation of\npedestrians\nPedestrian permitted, no\nspecial facilities\nSidewalks\nnormally on\none or both\nsides\nSidewalks\nprovided\nwhere\nrequired\nSidewalks\nprovided both\nsides\nSidewalks\nprovided where\nrequired\nSidewalks may be provided,\nseparation for traffic lanes preferred\nPedestrian\nProhibited\nPedestrian\nProhibited\nParking (typically) Some restrictions No restrictions or restrictions\none side only\nFew restrictions other than peak\nhour\nPeak hour\nrestriction\nProhibited or\npeak hour\nrestriction\nprohibited prohibited\nMin. Intersection\nspacing1 (m) As needed 60 60 200 400 800 1600 (between\ninterchanges)\nRight-of-way width\n(m) (typically) 6 - 10 15 - 22 20 - 24 202 - 453 >453 >603\nSource: Geometric Design Guide for Canadian Roads, published by the Transportation Association of Canada and dated September 1999\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 35\n11 LOCATION OF GRADE CROSSINGS\n11.1 A public grade crossing where the railway design speed is more than 25 km/h (15 mph) must\nbe constructed so that no part of the travelled way of an intersecting road or entranceway\n(other than a railway service road), is closer than 30 m (D) to the nearest rail of the grade\ncrossing (see Figure 11-1).\nFigure 11-1 – Restrictions on the Proximity of Intersections and Entranceways to Public\nGrade Crossings\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 36\nPART E – WARNING SYSTEM DESIGN\n12 WARNING SYSTEM OPERATION - GENERAL\n12.0 Except as otherwise specified in articles 12 to 16 and Appendix B of these Standards or in the\nGrade Crossings Regulations, warning systems must be in accordance with the requirements\nand recommended practices of Part 3 of the AREMA Communications and Signals Manual\n(cited in Part A).\n12.01 For the purposes of these Standards, the following interpretations and adjustments apply with\nrespect to AREMA:\n(a) Any guidelines, recommendations, and similar matters are to be considered mandatory;\n(b) Any references to “should” are to be read as “must”;\n(c) The term “highway-rail grade crossing warning system” is to be read as “warning system”;\n(d) The term “railroad” and the phrase “operators of the passenger or commuter rail system”\nis to be read as “railway company”;\n(e) The term “lights” is to be read as “light units”;\n(f) The term “train” is to be read as “railway equipment”;\n(g) The term “roadway” and “roadway approach” is to be read as “road approach”;\n(h) All references to the “MUTCD” are to be disregarded;\n(i) All “Purpose” articles, paragraph 2 of article 3.1.16 G.1.(b)(ii) and article 3.2.35 K.5. are\nto be disregarded;\n(j) The following are to be disregarded:\n(i) all references to and requirements related to the “Diagnostic Team”;\n(ii) all references to and requirements related to the “highway agency” or “highway\nagency or authority with jurisdiction”;\n(iii) all references to and requirements related to the “agency” or “public agency”;\n(iv) all references to and requirements related to “manufacturers” except where the\nrequirement is to do something in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions;\n(v) all references to “unless otherwise specified” or “other considerations”, all\nreferences to approvals or orders, and any other reference to the exercise of\ndiscretion;\n(vi) all purchase order requirements;\n(vii) all requirements to create or keep records;\n(viii) all requirements for a diagnostic review, an engineering study, a study of train\noperations, a risk analysis, a safety analysis, and all requirements to provide special\ninstructions, operating rules, orders, or operational procedures.\n12.1 Signal assemblies must be as shown in Figure 12-1, and gate assemblies must be as shown\nin Figure 12-2 and the cantilever assembly’s clearance must be as shown in Figure 12-3, and\nmust meet the following specifications:\n(a) The minimum clearance distance from the face of a curb to the clearance line must be\n625 mm (2 ft);\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 37\n(b) Where there is no curb, the minimum clearance distance must be 1.875 m (6ft) from the\nedge of the travelled way to the clearance line and a minimum of 625 mm (2 ft) from the\nouter edge of the road approach shoulder to the clearance line, if there is a shoulder;\n(c) The top of the warning signal foundation must be at a maximum of 100 mm (4 inches)\nabove the surrounding ground. The slope of the surrounding ground away from the\nfoundation toward the travelled way must not exceed the ratio of 4:1;\n(d) The gate arm reflective materials shall have:\n(i) stripes of 406 mm (16 inches), and must be affixed with white and red alternately\nand be aligned vertically;\n(ii) Retroreflective material must meet the specifications for Type XI, white sheeting,\nin sections 4 and 6 of ASTM D4956 (cited in Part A), when tested in accordance with the Test\nMethods for Type XI specified in sections 7 and 9 of that Standard; and\n(iii) The retroreflection coefficient of the retroreflective material referred to in (ii) is to\nbe maintained above 50 per cent of the value specified for Type XI, white sheeting, in sections\n4 and 6 of ASTM D4956 (cited in Part A).\n(e) For grade crossings used by vehicles, gate arms must extend to no more than 1 m (3 ft)\nfrom the longitudinal axis of the road approach. Where gates are installed on each side of\nthe same road approach, gate ends must extend to within 1 m (3 ft) of each other.\n(f) Where gates are installed at sidewalks, paths or trails:\n(i) Each gate arm must extend across the full width of the sidewalk, path or trail; and\n(ii) in the case of a sidewalk, path or trail that is less than 3.5 m (11.5 ft.) wide, two\nlights are required on each gate arm located so that the lights are over the two points dividing\nthe sidewalk, path or trail into thirds. The two gate arm lights must flash alternately.\n(g) the height of the cantilever assembly clearance must be between 5.2 m (17 ft) and 6.0 m\n(20ft) above the crown of the road as shown in Figure 12-3.\n12.2 In addition, warning systems must have monitoring devices that gather and retain the date and\ntime of the following information for a minimum of 30 days;\n(a) Activation and deactivation of Interconnected devices;\n(b) Gates have returned to or left the vertical position (Gate up Position);\n(c) Gates have descended to a point 10 degrees from horizontal (Gate down Position);\n(d) Activation of the warning system test switch\n(e) Activation and deactivation of all track circuits used in the control of the warning system,\nincluding electronic track circuits;\n(f) Activation of the warning system;\n(g) Activation and deactivation of all devices used to control the warning systems at adjacent\ncrossings; and\n(h) Activation and deactivation of all devices used to activate the warning system from a\nlocation other than the crossing.\n12.3 All control circuits that affect the safe operation of a warning system must operate in a manner\nthat activates the warning system if there is a failure of a safety-critical component of that\nsystem.\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 38\n12.4 The electromagnetic, electronic, or electrical apparatus of a warning system must be operated\nand maintained in accordance with the limits to which the system is designed to operate.\n12.5 Railway track circuits must:\n(a) detect railway equipment in any part of the track circuit;\n(b) detect a shunt of 0.06 ohm resistance when the shunt is connected across the track rails\nof any part of the circuit;\n(c) provide a set of fouling wires that consist of at least two discrete conductors and must\nensure proper operation of the track circuit when the circuit is shunted. Single duplex wire\nwith single plug is not permitted;\n(d) in the case of a non-insulated rail joint within the limits of a track circuit, be bonded by\nmeans other than joint bars and the bonds must ensure electrical conductivity; and\n(e) in the case of an insulated rail joint used to separate track circuits, prevent current from\nflowing between rails separated by the insulation.\n12.6 Warning system battery back-up of 8 hours of continuous activation and 24 hours of normal\nrailway operations must be provided.\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 39\nFigure 12-1 – Warning Signal Assemblies\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 40\nFigure 12-2 – Gates\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 41\nFigure 12-3 – Cantilevers\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 42\n13 NUMBER AND LOCATION OF LIGHT UNITS\n13.0 Where incandescent lights are installed, the light unit voltage must be maintained between\n90 and 110 per cent of the rated voltage under standby power conditions.\n13.1 Light units must be installed in a warning system and located to ensure that the crossing user,\non a road approach, or accessing a road approach:\n(a) is within the effective distribution pattern of luminous intensity of a set of light units within\nthe distances specified for the front light units within SSD; and\n(b) is able to see at least one set of front light units clearly.\n13.2 Except for when the visibility of units is obstructed by railway equipment, light units must be\nprovided in a warning system and located to ensure that a crossing user in the stopped\nposition at the grade crossing;\n(a) is within the effective distribution pattern of luminous intensity of a set of back lights;\n(b) so that at least one set of back lights is clearly visible to crossing users in each lane.\n13.3 Cantilevered Light Units\n13.3.1 Except on a one-way road where a second warning signal is installed on the left side of the\nlane, a cantilevered light unit must be provided in a warning system if:\n(a) the distance between the centre of a warning signal mast and the edge of the lane of the\nroad that is the farthest from the mast, measured perpendicular to the road, exceeds\n7.7 m for DR, and 8.7 m for DL as shown in Figure 13-1;\n(b) the front light units of the warning signal (i.e. those on the same side of the track as\napproaching traffic) are not clearly visible within the distance for the set of light units as\nspecified in article 14.4.\n13.3.2 Cantilevered light units must be installed for a warning system on a road that meets the\nspecifications for an expressway as specified in Table 10-4.\n13.4 Light Units for a Sidewalk, Path or Trail\n13.4.1 A sidewalk, path or trail with a centre line more than 3.6 m (12 feet) from the centre of a\nwarning signal mast must have separate light units for each direction of travel, as shown in\nFigure 13-2(a).\n13.4.2 Lights must be installed for persons travelling in the direction opposite to vehicle traffic where\nthere is a sidewalk, path or trail along a one-way road as shown in Figure 13-2(b).\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 43\nFigure 13-1 – Warning Signal Offsets Requiring Cantilevered Light Units\n(a) Two-Way Road\n(b) One-Way or Divided Road\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 44\nFigure 13-2 – Sidewalks, Paths and Trails\n(a) Two Way\n(b) One-Way\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 45\n14 LIGHT UNITS - ALIGNMENT\n14.1 General – Light Units\n14.1.1 Light units must be 200 mm or 300 mm Light Emitting Diode (LED) signal module type and as\nspecified in Appendix A.\n14.1.2 Sets of light units of warning systems must flash alternately and uniformly at a rate of 45 to 65\nflashes per minute.\n14.2 Alignment Height – Front and Back Lights for Vehicles\n14.2.1 Light units must be aligned so that the axis of the light units pass through a point 1.6 m above\nthe road surface at stopping sight distance.\n14.3 Alignment Distance –Front Light Units for Vehicles\n14.3.1 Front light units must be aligned through the centre of the approaching traffic lane for which\nthey are intended as follows:\n(a) at a minimum, to the stopping sight distance; or\n(b) at the point at which the light units are first visible, if this point is less than the distance\nspecified in (a).\n14.4 Alignment – Intermediate Front Light Units for Vehicles\n14.4.1 Additional sets of light units must be aligned to cover any intermediate areas of the road\napproaches between the coverage provided by the front light units aligned as required in\narticle 14.3 and the back lights aligned as required in article 14.5.\n14.4.2 Additional sets of light units provided for a crossing user must be aligned through the point that\nis 1.6 m above the surface of the road, at the point at which the crossing user enters the road\napproach.\n14.5 Alignment – Back Light Units for Vehicles\n14.5.1 Back light units intended for motor vehicles approaching the grade crossing from a lane on the\nopposite side of the line of railway from the warning signal on which they are installed, must be\naligned through the centre of that lane, 15 m in advance of the warning signal for that side of\nthe line of railway.\n14.6 Alignment – Light Units installed exclusively for sidewalks, paths, or trails\n14.6.1 Light units installed exclusively for sidewalks, paths, or trails, must be aligned to be visible\nthrough a point 1.6 m above the centre of the sidewalk, path or trail and 30 m (100 ft) in\nadvance of the nearest rail on both sides of the line of railway or the point at which the set of\nlights units first become visible if less than 30 m (100 ft).\n15 BELLS AND GATES\n15.1 Bells\n15.1.1 A bell is required for all warning systems, except for limited use warning systems referred to in\nAppendix B and for limited use warning systems with walk lights referred to in Appendix C.\n15.1.2 Where there is only one sidewalk, path or trail along a road approach, the bell must be located\non the signal mast adjacent to the sidewalk, path or trail.\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 46\n15.1.3 A bell is required on a signal mast adjacent to a sidewalk, path or trail if separated from any\nother signal mast with a bell by more than 30 m (100 ft).\n15.1.4 All bells must continue to operate for the same duration as the light units.\n15.2 Gates\n15.2.1 The gate arm must be installed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the road approach.\n15.2.2 The descent of the gate arm must take 10 to 15 seconds and its ascent must take\n6 to 12 seconds.\n15.2.3 The gate arm must begin its descent once the gate arm clearance time has elapsed,\ncalculated in accordance with article 10.4.\n15.2.4 For a grade crossing where railway equipment enters the grade crossing at more than 25 km/h\n(15 mph), the gate arm must rest in the horizontal position not less than 5 seconds before the\narrival at the crossing surface of railway equipment.\n15.2.4.1 For a grade crossing where the railway equipment enters the grade crossing at 25 km/h\n(15 mph) or less, the gate arm must rest in the horizontal position when the railway equipment\narrives at the crossing surface.\n15.2.5 The gate arms must operate uniformly, smoothly, and complete all movements without\nrebound, and must be securely held when in the raised position.\n15.2.6 If the gate arm strikes or fouls any object during its ascent or descent, it must readily stop and,\non removal of an obstruction, assume the position corresponding with the control apparatus.\n16 CIRCUITRY\n16.1 Warning Time\n16.1.1 The time during which the warning system must operate, before the arrival of railway\nequipment at the crossing surface, must be the greatest of:\n(a) 20 seconds, unless the grade crossing clearance distance (Figure 10-1) is more than\n11 m (35 ft), in which case, the 20 seconds must be increased by one second for each\nadditional 3 m (10 ft), or fraction thereof;\n(b) the Departure Time for the design vehicle (article 10.3.2);\n(c) the Departure Time for pedestrians, cyclists, and persons using assistive devices\n(article 10.3.3);\n(d) the gate arm clearance time, plus the time to complete the gate arm descent, plus\n5 seconds;\n(e) the minimum warning time required for traffic signal interconnection as referred to in\narticle 19.3(a);\n(f) the time for the design vehicle to travel from the stopping sight distance, and pass\ncompletely through the clearance distance.\n16.2 Consistency of Warning Times\n16.2.1 Operating control circuits must provide consistent warning times for railway equipment\nregularly operating over the grade crossing.\n16.2.2 Where the maximum railway operating speed has been reduced, the approach warning times\nfor railway equipment, regularly operating over the grade crossing, must not be more than\n13 seconds longer than the warning time for the railway design speed.\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 47\n16.3 Cut-Outs\n16.3.1 Where railway equipment regularly stops, or railway equipment is left standing, within the\nactivating limits of a warning system, the warning system must be equipped with a control\nfeature to minimize the operation of the warning system.\n16.3.2 A switch, when equipped with a switch circuit controller connected to the point and\ninterconnected with the warning system circuitry, must cut out only when the switch point is\nwithin one-half inch of full reverse position.\n16.4 Directional Stick Circuits\n16.4.1 Where a warning system is equipped with directional stick circuits, the circuit must:\n(a) include a stick release timer to activate the warning system after a preset time if there is\nfailure of an approach circuit; or\n(b) cause a train control signal system to restrict railway equipment speed to 25 km/h\n(15 mph) or less.\n16.5 Identification\n16.5.1 Each wire in all housings, including switch circuit controllers and terminal or junction boxes,\nmust be identified at each terminal and the identification must not interfere with moving parts\nof the warning system. Material used for identification purposes must be made of insulating\nmaterial. This requirement does not apply to light units or wiring that is an integral part of solid\nstate equipment.\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 48\n17 WARNING SYSTEMS AND TRAFFIC SIGNALS INSTALLED AT A GRADE CROSSING IN\nLIEU OF A WARNING SYSTEM - INSPECTION AND TESTING\n17.1 Inspection and testing of warning systems must be done in accordance with article 3.3.1 and\n3.1.15 of AREMA Communications and Signals Manual (cited in Part A).\n17.2 Inspection and testing of traffic signals installed at a grade crossing in lieu of a warning system\nmust be done in accordance with the road authority’s procedures.\nTable 17-1 – Interpretation of Frequencies of Inspections and Tests for Warning Systems\nand Traffic Signals installed at a grade crossing in lieu of a warning system\nCOLUMN 1 COLUMN 2 COLUMN 3\nDESIGNATED\nFREQUENCY\nDEFINITION MAXIMUM INTERVAL\nBETWEEN EACH\nINSPECTION OR TEST\nWeekly Once every week\n(Sunday to Saturday)\n10 clear days\nMonthly Once every calendar month 40 clear days\nQuarterly Once every 3 months\n(January to March, April to June, July to\nSeptember, and October to December)\n100 clear days\nTwice annually Once every 6 months\n(January to June and July to December)\n200 clear days\nAnnually Once every calendar year 13 months\nEvery 2 years Once every 2 calendar years 26 months\nEvery 4 years Once every 4 calendar years 52 months\nEvery 10 years Once every 10 calendar years 130 months\nTable 17-2 – Required Frequencies of Inspections and Tests for Warning Systems and\nTraffic Signals installed at a grade crossing in lieu of a warning system\nCOLUMN 1 COLUMN 2 COLUMN 3 COLUMN 4 COLUMN 5\nITEM Elements: Inspection and Testing\nrequirements\nFrequency for\nWarning\nSystems and\nTraffic Signals\ninstalled at a\ngrade crossing\nin lieu of a\nwarning\nsystem\nFrequency for\nLimited Use\nWarning\nSystems\nFrequency for\nLimited Use\nWarning\nSystems with\nWalk Light\n1 Warning Systems: for operation of\nlights, bell, gates, and power-off light.\nWeekly or no\nmore than 7\ndays before the\noperation of\nrailway\nN/A N/A\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 49\nequipment\n2 Light units: for misalignment,\nphysical damage and conspicuity.\nMonthly Quarterly Quarterly\n3 Standby power: for operating bank\nvoltage\nMonthly Quarterly Quarterly\n4 Light units, and gates: for damage,\ncleanliness, and visibility\nMonthly Quarterly N/A\n5 Bell: for operation Monthly N/A N/A\n6 Gate arm: for operation Monthly N/A N/A\n7 Surge protection: for condition Monthly Quarterly Quarterly\n8 Circuits: for grounds Monthly Quarterly Quarterly\n9 Battery: for isolation faults Monthly Quarterly Quarterly\n10 Batteries: for voltage, current,\nelectrolyte level, and plate\ndeterioration where plates are visible\nMonthly Quarterly Quarterly\n11 Interconnection components: for\nenergization of circuits as intended.\nMonthly N/A N/A\n12 Switch circuit controller: for\nadjustment\nQuarterly Quarterly Quarterly\n13 Batteries: for degree of exhaustion,\nvoltage and current\nQuarterly Quarterly Quarterly\n14 Fouling circuits: for continuity Quarterly Quarterly Quarterly\n15 Direct Current relays: visual check of\ncondition\nTwice Annually Twice Annually Twice Annually\n16 Bond wires, track connections,\ninsulated joints, and other insulated\ntrack appliances: visual check of\ncondition\nTwice Annually Twice Annually Twice Annually\n17 Cut-out circuits (any circuit that\noverrides the operation of a warning\nsystem) : for operation\nTwice Annually Twice Annually Twice Annually\n18 Gate mechanism and circuit\ncontroller: visual inspection of\ncondition\nTwice Annually N/A N/A\n19 Control circuits operation of traffic\nsignals installed at a grade crossing\nin lieu of a warning system\nTwice Annually N/A N/A\n20 Light units: for proper alignment,\nfocus, and visibility.\nAnnually Annually Annually\n21 Light Unit: for voltage Annually Annually Annually\n22 Track circuits: for proper functioning Annually Annually Annually\n23 Flash controller: for flash rate Annually Annually Annually\n24 Battery: load test Annually Annually Annually\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 50\n25 Warning time: for required time Annually Annually Annually\n26 Electronic railway equipment\ndetection devices, including\nprocessor-based systems: for\nprogramming and function ability.\nAnnually Annually Annually\n27 Timing relays and timing devices: for\nrequired time\nAnnually Annually Annually\n28 Cable and wire entrances: for\ncondition\nAnnually Annually Annually\n29 Switch circuit controller centering\ndevice: for condition\nAnnually Annually Annually\n30 Interconnection operation between of\nwarning systems and traffic control\ndevices\nAnnually N/A N/A\n31 Pole line and attachments: for\ncondition\nEvery Two\nYears\nEvery Two\nYears\nEvery Two\nYears\n32 Gate mechanism: for electrical\nvalues, mechanical clearances and\ntorque\nEvery Four\nYears\nEvery Four\nYears\nEvery Four\nYears\n33 DC Polar, AC Vane, and Mechanical\nTimer relays: for electrical values\nand operating characteristics\nEvery Two\nYears\nEvery Two\nYears\nEvery Two\nYears\n34 Relays that affect proper functioning of\na warning system (except for DC polar,\nAC Vane and Mechanical Timer): for\nelectrical values and operation\nEvery Four\nYears\nEvery Four\nYears\nEvery Four\nYears\n35 Ground: for resistance value Every Ten Years Every Ten\nYears\nEvery Ten\nYears\n36 Wire and cable insulation: for\nresistance\nEvery Ten Years N/A N/A\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 51\nPART F – INTERCONNECTED DEVICES\n18 PREPARE TO STOP AT RAILWAY CROSSING SIGN\n18.1 The Prepare to Stop at Railway Crossing sign must be as shown in A3.6.6 of the Manual of\nUniform Traffic Control Devices for Canada (cited in Part A), must meet the applicable\nspecifications in article A1.6 of that Manual, and must operate:\n(a) in advance of the activation of the light units of the warning system; and\n(b) during the time of the operation of the light units of the warning system.\n18.2 The advance activation time must be the greater of the time it takes a vehicle travelling at the\nroad crossing design speed to pass a deactivated Prepare to Stop at Railway Crossing sign\nand the vehicle to:\n(a) clear the grade crossing before the arrival of railway equipment at the crossing surface\nwhere there is a warning system without gates; or\n(b) clear the grade crossing before the gate arms start to descend where there is a warning\nsystem with gates.\n18.3 Where a Prepare to Stop at Railway Crossing sign is installed, 4 hours continuous battery\nback-up power must be provided for the Prepare to Stop at Railway Crossing signs.\n19 INTERCONNECTION OF TRAFFIC SIGNALS WITH WARNING SYSTEMS\n19.1 Interconnection is to be provided at grade crossings where the railway design speed is\n25 km/h (15 mph) or more and where there is less than 30 m between the nearest rail of a\ngrade crossing and the travelled way of an intersection with traffic signals.\n19.2 Except as otherwise specified in these standards or in the Grade Crossings Regulations, the\ndesign and operation of the interconnection of traffic signals with a warning system, at a grade\ncrossing that corresponds to the specifications of 19.1, must be in accordance with Part 3.1.10\nof the AREMA Communications and Signals Manual (cited in Part A).\n19.3 The interconnection of traffic signals with a warning system must:\n(a) provide sufficient time for vehicles to clear the grade crossing before the arrival of railway\nequipment at the crossing surface.\n(b) prevent movement of road traffic from the intersection towards the grade crossing.\n19.4 Where traffic signals are interconnected by warning systems, 4 hours continuous battery back-\nup must be provided for the traffic signals.\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 52\n20 INTERCONNECTED DEVICES - INSPECTION AND TESTING\nTable 20-1 – Required Frequencies of Inspections and Tests for Prepare to Stop at\nRailway Crossing Signs or an Interconnected Traffic Signal\nCOLUMN 1 COLUMN 2 COLUMN 3\nITEM Elements and Inspection and\nTesting requirements\nFrequency\n1 Prepare to Stop at Railway Crossing\nsign: for visibility of light units\nAnnually\n2 Traffic Signals installed at a grade\ncrossing in lieu of a warning system:\nfor cleanliness, visibility of signal\nheads, and physical damage\nAnnually\n3 Traffic signal interconnection\nactivation and operation with warning\nsystems\nAnnually\n4 Prepare to Stop at Railway Crossing\nSign activation and operation\nAnnually\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 53\nAPPENDIX A – LIGHT EMITTING DIODE (LED) SIGNAL MODULES\nStandards for LED Signal Modules in Warning Systems\n1 DEFINITIONS\nCandela (cd) – SI unit of luminous intensity. The candela is the luminous intensity, in a given direction, of\na source that emits monochromatic radiation of frequency 540 nm and that has a radiant intensity in that\ndirection of 1/683 W per steradian (1 cd = 1 lm/sr).\nLumen (lm) – SI unit of luminous flux. Luminous flux emitted in unit solid angle [steradian (sr)] by a\nuniform point source having a luminous intensity of 1 candela (1 lm = 1 cd x 1 sr).\nLuminance Lv (in a given direction, at a given point on a real or imaginary surface) – quantity\ndefined by the formula:\nLv = dΦv\ndA • d\n • cosθ\nwhere dΦv is the luminous flux transmitted by an elementary beam passing through the given point and\npropagating in the solid angle dΩ containing the given direction; dA is the area of a section of that beam\ncontaining the given point; θ is the angle between the normal to that section and the direction of the beam\n(footlambert, cd/m2).\nLuminous Efficacy of Radiation (K) – the luminous flux Φv divided by the corresponding radiant flux Φe\n(K = Φv/Φe).\nLuminous Intensity (Iv) (of a source in a given direction) – the luminous flux dΦv leaving the source\nand propagating in the element of solid angle dΩ containing the given direction, divided by the element of\nsolid angle (Iv = dΦv / dΩ candela).\nLuminous Flux (Φv) – quantity derived from radiant flux Φe by evaluating the radiation according to its\naction upon the CIE standard photometric observer (lumen).\nRated Voltage – the nominal or design operating voltage of the LED signal module; the voltage at which\nrated watts, candelas, and life are determined.\nRated Watts – the average initial power (watts) consumed when the lamp is operated at rated voltage.\n2 PHOTOMETRIC REQUIREMENTS\n2.1 Luminous Intensity\nWhen LED signal modules are in use at a warning system, they must meet the minimum luminous\nintensity values shown in Table A-1.\nTable A-1 – Minimum Luminous Intensity (Candela) over Temperature and Lifetime\n0˚\n5˚Left\n(L)/Right\n(R)\n10˚L/R 15˚L/R 20˚L/R 25˚L/R 30˚L/R\n0˚ 400 375 250 150 75 40 15\n5˚Down\n(D) 350 325 250 150 75 40 15\n10˚D 130 125 110 85 60 35 15\n15˚D 45 40 35 30 25 20 15\n20˚D 15 15 15 15 15 15 10\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 54\n2.2 Chromaticity\nA signal module must produce a uniform red light output as specified in article 4.2 of the Vehicle Traffic\nControl Signal Heads – Light Emitting Diode Circular Supplement, published by the Institute of\nTransportation Engineers, dated June 2005.\n2.3 Uniformity\nThe ratio of the greatest and least luminance on the signal module must not be more than 5:1, when\nmeasured over average areas of 500 mm2.\n2.4 Rise/Fall Time\nThe maximum rise time from zero intensity to full intensity, and the maximum fall time from full intensity to\nzero intensity, must be 75 ms.\n3 PHYSICAL AND MECHANICAL REQUIREMENTS\n3.1 LED Signal Module Design\n3.1.1 The LED signal module must be designed to fit the grade crossing light unit housings,\ndescribed in Part 3.2.35 of the AREMA Communications and Signals Manual (cited in Part A),\nwithout requiring modification of the mechanical, structural, or electrical components.\n3.1.2 The LED signal module must be either 200 mm or 300 mm in size.\n3.1.3 The LED signal module must have either a clear or a red lens.\n3.1.4 Any gasket or similar sealing provisions must be made of a material as specified in\nPart 15.2.10 of the AREMA Communications and Signals Manual (cited in Part A).\n3.2 Environmental Requirements\n3.2.1 The LED signal module must operate over an ambient temperature range of -40°C (-40°F)\nto 70°C (158°F) in accordance with sections 1 to 3 of the \"Method 1010.8 Temperature\nCycling\", dated June 18, 2004, of MIL-STD-883H, Test Method Standard, Microcircuits,\npublished by the United States Department of Defence, dated February 26, 2010 and must\nsatisfy the failure criteria set-out in article 3.3 of that standard, and any reference to end-point\nmeasurements and examinations are to be read as those provided by the supplier.\n3.2.2 The LED signal module must be protected against dust and moisture intrusion in a Type 4\nenclosure in a manner that meets the requirement of article 8.6.2 of the Canadian Standards\nAssociation standard CAN/CSA-C22.2 No. 94.2-07 entitled Enclosures for Electrical\nEquipment, Environmental Considerations, as amended from time to time, when tested in\naccordance with article 8.6.1 of that Standard.\n3.2.3 The LED signal module must meet mechanical vibration and shock requirements as specified\nin Part 11.5.1 of the AREMA Communications and Signals Manual (cited in Part A).\n3.2.4 The LED signal module lens must be UV stabilized.\n3.3 Identification\n3.3.1 The LED signal module must have a label containing the following information:\na) the LED colour;\nb) the beam deflection classification;\nc) the operating voltage;\nd) the current consumption at operating voltage;\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 55\ne) the module’s serial number; and\nf) the date of manufacture.\n3.3.2 If the module or its components require orientation, they must be prominently and permanently\nmarked with an indexing arrow.\n4 ELECTRICAL REQUIREMENTS\n4.1 Transient Voltage Protection\nLED signal module circuitry must include voltage surge protection as specified in Part 11.3.3 of AREMA\nCommunications and Signals Manual (cited in Part A).\n4.2 LED Drive Circuitry\nLED signal module circuitry must operate as specified in Part 3.2.35 of the AREMA Communications and\nSignals Manual (cited in Part A).\n4.3 Dielectric and Electromagnetic Interference\nLED signal module circuitry must conform to dielectric and electromagnetic interference requirements for\nClass B equipment in Part 11.5.1 of AREMA Communications and Signals Manual (cited in Part A).\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 56\nAPPENDIX B - LIMITED USE WARNING SYSTEMS AND SIGNS\n1 Operating Requirements\n1.1 Battery backup for a minimum of 24 hours of normal railway operations must be provided.\n1.2 Power monitor lights must be provided.\n2 Warning System Requirements\n2.1 Limited Use Warning System must meet the specifications of articles 12 to 16 of the Grade\nCrossings Standards (GCS) except:\na) it does not require a gate;\nb) height of the light unit may be different than that stated in the AREMA Communications and\nSignals Manual (cited in Part A) or the GCS (cited in Part A) as to improve conspicuity;\nc) Signal mast may be located closer to the road approach than that stated in the AREMA\nCommunications and Signals Manual (cited in Part A) or the GCS (cited in Part A) to improve\nconspicuity.\nd) A bell is not required; and\ne) Front and back lights must be provided on each warning signal assembly.\n3 Signage Requirements\n3.1 An Emergency Notification sign must be installed at each location.\n3.2 A sign indicating that the road is private must be posted near the entrance to the private road.\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 57\nAPPENDIX C - LIMITED USE WARNING SYSTEM WITH WALK LIGHT\nOperating Requirements\n1.1 Battery backup of a minimum of 8 hours must be provided.\n1.2 Power monitor lights must be provided.\nSignal Requirements\n1.3 A Limited Use Warning System with Walk Light must meet the specifications below:\na) must be installed on each side of the grade crossing and face a crossing user approaching\nthe grade crossing;\nb) must include a signal head that displays a signal indicating to a crossing user that it is safe to\nproceed when railway equipment is not approaching. This signal head must be extinguished\nwhen railway equipment is approaching;\nc) The signal head must be as specified in sections 2 to 5, excluding the last paragraph of\nsection 4.1.1, of the ITE “Pedestrian Traffic Control Signal Indications - Part 2: Light Emitting\nDiode (LED) Pedestrian Traffic Signal Modules” prepared by the Joint Industry and Traffic\nEngineering Council Committee, published by the Institute of Transportation Engineers, dated\nMarch 19, 2004, except for the following aspects:\ni. 12VDC pedestrian module is to be used instead of a 120VAC input voltage;\nii. the operating voltage range must be 9 – 15VDC, and the light must shut off at 7.3VDC or\nless; and\niii. References to “LED Pedestrian Signal Module” or “Module” are to be read as “Walk\nLight”.\nd) The walk light indicating that it is safe to proceed must be extinguished a minimum of\n20 seconds plus the clearance time before the arrival of railway equipment at the crossing\nsurface.\ne) The clearance time must be based on design vehicle and must be calculated in accordance\nwith article 10 of the GCS (cited in Part A).\nSignage and Post Requirements\n1.4 Signage indicating how to use a Limited Use Warning Systems with Walk Light must be as\nshown in Figure C-2 and must:\na) be mounted on the mast under the walk light signal head as indicated in Figure C-1; and\nb) have a silver background that is reflective with silk screened black or vinyl lettering. Where\nrequired by law, the word “Arrêt” may replace the word “Stop”, or may be added to the Stop Sign.\n1.5 A Stop sign must be as shown in article A2.2.1 of the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control\nDevices for Canada (cited in Part A) and must meet the applicable specifications A1.6 of that\nManual. Where required by law, the word “Arrêt” will replace the word “Stop”, or may be added\nto the Stop sign. The Stop sign must be mounted on the mast as shown in Figure C-1.\n1.6 An Emergency Notification sign must be located at each Limited Use Warning System with\nWalk Light Assembly.\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 58\nFigure C-1 – Limited Use Warning System with Walk Light Assembly\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 59\nFigure C-2 – Instruction Sign\nGrade Crossings Standards, January 2019\nPage | 60\nAPPENDIX D – WHISTLING CESSATION\nTable D-1 – Requirements for Warning Systems at Public Grade Crossings within an Area\nwithout Whistling\nColumn A Column B\nRailway\nDesign Speed\nGrade Crossings for Vehicle Use Grade Crossings For Sidewalks,\nPaths, or Trails with the centreline\nno closer than 3.6 m (12 ft) to a\nwarning signal for vehicles\nNo. of Tracks No. of Tracks\n1 2 or more 1 2 or more\nColumn 1 Column 2 Column 3 Column 4 Column 5\n1 – 25 km/h (15 mph) FLB FLB No warning\nsystem\nrequirement\nNo warning\nsystem\nrequirements\n25 – 81 km/h\n(16 – 50 mph)\nFLB FLB & G FLB FLB & G\nOver 81 km/h (50 mph) FLB & G FLB & G FLB & G FLB & G\nLegend :\nFLB is a warning system consisting of flashing lights and a bell.\nFLB & G is a warning system consisting of flashing lights, a bell and gates\nFigure D-1 – prescribed area for whistling cessation as per article 23.1 of the RSA"], "ncluster": 13, "output": "", "ndim": "3D (press for 2D)", "dim_method": "PCA", "clustering_method": "KMeans"}