Line-of-Sight Analysis Using Drones And Photogrammetry [Research Results]

Federal Railroad Administration;Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, Technical Reference Center2021PDFBriefJacobini, Francesco BediniBaron, WilliamUnited States. Department of Transportation. Federal Railroad Administration. Office of Research, Development and TechnologyJohn A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.). Systems Safety and Engineering DivisionUnited States. Department of Transportation. Federal Railroad AdministrationUnited StatesPhotogrammetryLine of sightRailroad grade crossingsRailroad safetyRR 21-23DTFR5317X00026Jacobini, Francesco Bedini; Baron, WilliamResearch ResultsThe U. S. Department of Transportation\u2019s (U.S. DOT) John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe), under the direction of the U.S. DOT Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Office of Research, Development and Technology (RD&T), evaluated the effectiveness of using drones and photogrammetry software to conduct line-of-sight analyses of selected grade crossings. Researchers selected crossings with no active warning equipment nor stop signs for this study because they assumed drivers would stop upon seeing a train approach. This study aimed to determine if conditions allowed for sufficient time to stop, given the visual obstructions that exist.122