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include track immediately adjacent to the plant or installation if the plant railroad leases
the track from the general system railroad and the lease provides for (and actual
practice entails) the exclusive use of that trackage by the plant railroad and the general
system railroad for purposes of moving only cars shipped to or from the plant. A plant
or installation that operates a locomotive to switch or move cars for other entities, even
if solely within the confines of the plant or installation, rather than for its own purposes
or industrial practices, will not be considered a plant railroad because the performance
of such activity makes the operation part of the general railroad system of
transportation.
Primary Operating Railroad – the operating railroad that either owns or maintains the
track through the highway-rail or pathway crossing, unless the crossing is located within
a private company, port, or dock area. If more than one operating railroad either owns
or maintains the track through the highway-rail or pathway crossing, or if no operating
railroad owns or maintains the track through the highway-rail or pathway crossing, then
the operating railroad that operates the highest number of trains through the crossing is
the primary operating railroad. In the event that there is only one operating railroad that
operates one or more trains through a highway-rail or pathway crossing, that operating
railroad is the primary operating railroad.
For highway-rail and pathway crossings that are located within a private company, port,
or dock area, each railroad that owns track leading to the private company, port, or dock
area will be considered a primary operating railroad as applied to crossings within the
private company, port, or dock area.
Private Crossing – a highway-rail or pathway crossing that is not a public crossing.
Typical types of private crossings include farm crossings, industrial plant crossings, and
residential access crossings.
Public Authority – the public entity responsible for traffic control or law enforcement at
a highway-rail crossing or the public entity that authorized a pathway crossing.
Public Crossing – a highway-rail or pathway crossing where the approaches are under
the jurisdiction of and maintained by a public authority and open to public travel. All
approaches must be under the jurisdiction of the public authority and no approach may
be on private property, unless state law or regulation provides otherwise.
Appendix D-5
For purposes of this definition “open to public travel” means that the road or pathway
section is available (except during scheduled periods, extreme weather or emergency
conditions) and open to the general public for use without restrictive gates, prohibitive
signs, or regulation. Restrictions for highway-rail crossings that are based on size,
weight, or class of registration do not apply.
In situations where a State has empowered a public agency (such as a State
Department of Transportation, State Highway Department, Public Utility Commission,
State Commerce Commission, etc.) to make a determination as to whether crossings
are public or private, such determinations will govern for Inventory purposes.
Quiet Zone – a segment of a rail line, within which is situated one or a number of
consecutive public highway-rail crossings at which locomotive horns are not routinely
sounded.
Remote Health Monitoring – an electronic system designed to remotely notify the
railroad (typically the railroad signal maintainer or a trouble desk) that components of
the automatic warning system are not functioning as intended.
Side Lights – a flashing light pair, typically mounted on the signal mast or cantilever
structure, used to warn vehicular traffic and/or pedestrians approaching from side
streets, parking lots, driveways or pathways.
Sidewalk – that portion of a street between the curb line, or lateral line of a roadway,
and the adjacent property line. Sidewalks also include easements on private property
that are paved or improved and intended for use by pedestrians.
Temporary Crossing – a highway-rail or pathway crossing created to serve a specific
activity for a temporary time period not to exceed six months. Temporary crossings do
not need an inventory number and do not need to be reported to the Crossing Inventory.
Through (Thru) Trains – trains whose primary responsibility is to operate over a route
with defined beginning and end points.
Appendix E-1
APPENDIX E – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q 1. Which types of crossings must be reported to the Crossing Inventory?
All crossings, Highway-Rail, Pathway (formerly known as Pedestrian) and
Pedestrian Station, either at-grade and grade-separated, must be reported to the
Crossing Inventory, with the exception of temporary crossings. Temporary
crossings are crossings that are created to serve a specific activity for a
temporary time period not to exceed six months.
An Inventory Number must be assigned to each crossing that is reported to the
Crossing Inventory, except for certain crossings that are discussed in more detail
in the Inventory Guide.
Q 2. If multiple operating railroads operate through a highway-rail or pathway
crossing, which operating railroad is responsible for getting the Inventory
number and filing the Inventory Forms?
With the exception of highway-rail and pathway crossings where multiple
railroads or urban rapid transit operators operate trains on separate tracks
through the same crossing, the primary operating railroad will be responsible for
requesting the Inventory Number and submitting crossing data (including periodic
updates) to the Crossing Inventory for a particular highway-rail or pathway
crossing.
The primary operating railroad either owns or maintains the track through the
highway-rail or pathway crossing, unless the crossing is located within a private
company, port, or dock area. If more than one operating railroad either owns or
maintains the track through the highway-rail or pathway crossing, or if no
operating railroad owns or maintains the track through the highway-rail or
pathway crossing, then the operating railroad that operates the highest number
of trains through the crossing is the primary operating railroad. In the event that
there is only one operating railroad that operates one or more trains through a
highway-rail or pathway crossing, that operating railroad is the primary operating
railroad. For highway-rail and pathway crossings that are located within a private
company, port, or dock area, each railroad that owns track leading to the private
company, port, or dock area will be considered a primary operating railroad as
applied to crossings within the private company, port, or dock area.
Please refer to Appendix C for detailed guidance on reporting to the Crossing
Inventory when multiple railroads or urban rapid transit operators operate trains
on separate tracks through the same highway-rail or pathway crossing.
Appendix E-2
Q 3. Do I need to get an Inventory Number for a private crossing?
Yes. Railroads must obtain Inventory numbers for private crossings.
This includes crossings that are in a plant area owned by a private corporation, in