Trains block rail crossings over 2 million times per day in the United States. These blockages often span a mile or more and cut off important access routes in an area. Data indicates that, on average, 1-in-30 first responder trips that cross railway tracks are delayed by a train, with an average delay of 183 seconds. Until TRAINFO, these delays were unexpected and unavoidable.
When TRAINFO sensors and services are deployed at a railway crossing, Radius Mapping users can visualize TRAINFO’s live train position information to select units and routes that avoid delays caused by blocked rail crossings and enable faster response times.
What is TRAINFO?
TRAINFO is an information system that detects when trains will block rail crossings up to 10 minutes before the train arrives. TRAINFO delivers real-time and predictive train information to call-takers and dispatchers, enabling 9-1-1 agencies to avoid blocked rail crossings and reduce responder delays by more than 2 minutes.
TRAINFO’s information is accurate, reliable, and timely, ensuring that first responders will never be surprised by a train again. TRAINFO is supported by the US Federal Railroad Administration as an effective solution for emergency responders impacted by blocked rail crossings.
How TRAINFO Works
TRAINFO’s proprietary sensors detect trains with 99.9% accuracy with a patented process that predicts rail crossing blockage start and end times.
TRAINFO and Radius Mapping in Action
For cities impacted by railway crossings, the situational awareness of a blocked rail crossing that may impede first responders is crucial. When a caller dials 9-1-1, their location will be delivered as either the location of the landline they are calling from or by RapidDeploy’s integration with mobile supplemental data providers to ECCs and PSAPs via Radius Mapping.
TRAINFO sensors, when deployed, detect if a rail crossing is clear, active, or will soon be active. These statuses are displayed on the map in white, red, or yellow indicators. Radius Mapping as a single interface for advanced GIS and IoT sensors, such as TRAINFO, provide ECCs a unified view for true situational awareness.
How to Get TRAINFO for Your Community
TRAINFO requires the purchase of train sensors and SaaS to generate rail crossing impedance information. TRAINFO visualizes this information in RapidDeploy’s Radius Mapping tool as an additional feature for no additional fee. Since rail crossing information benefits both public safety and DOT operations, there are many collaborative opportunities and funding mechanisms to implement TRAINFO’s system.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has several programs worth over $15 billion to fund planning and implementation projects for communities of all sizes. Notable programs that can fund rail crossing information systems are the Rail Crossing Elimination (RCE) Program, the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Initiative (CRISI), and the Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) program. TRAINFO has already helped public agencies obtain millions of dollars in federal funding.
Rail Crossing Prioritization Studies
TRAINFO analyzes historical train and 9-1-1 call log data to understand which rail crossings delay first responders most frequently. This insight helps develop strategies to mitigate delays and apply for funding to implement these strategies. Federal funding is available to conduct these studies at no cost to the agency.
Getting Started
TRAINFO is currently working with public sector agencies, including 9-1-1 and DOT, to apply for and receive grant funding to provide rail crossing information into emergency response processes. If you have an interest in addressing rail crossing issues, please reach out to TRAINFO by emailing contact@TRAINFO.ca. We will respond immediately to schedule a call to provide more information, learn about your specific rail crossing issues, and determine if TRAINFO is the right option for you.
