The Safety of Highway-Railroad Grade Crossings: Study of the Acoustic Characteristics of Railroad Horn Systems

Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, Technical Reference Center;Federal Railroad Administration1993PDFTech ReportKeller, Amanda S.Rickley, Edward J.John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.)United States. Federal Railroad Administration. Office of Research and DevelopmentAcousticsAt grade intersectionsHornsMeasurementNoiseRailroad grade crossingsSound levelTraffic crashesAcoustic variables measurementGrade crossing accidentsNoise measurementDOT-VNTSC-FRA-93-1DOT-FRA-ORD-93-25RR397/R3022Final report; Jan. 1992-Sep. 1992The U.S. Department of Transportation, Research and Special Programs Administration, Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, in support of the Federal Railroad Administration is conducting a research program with the goal of reducing the number of fatalities and injuries at highway-railroad grade crossings. As a part of the program, the Volpe Center's Noise Measurement and Assessment Facility is conducting a study to determine the effectiveness of railroad horn systems. The document is the first publication supporting the study. It presents the results of acoustic measurements performed in Council Bluffs, Iowa; Jacksonville, Florida; Cambridge, Massachusetts; and Omaha, Nebraska, to determine the acoustic characteristics of several types of railroad horn systems. Data obtained includes frequency spectrum, directivity, drop-off rate, maximum A-weighted sound level, and sound exposure level.136