Crossing Railroad Tracks (Type IV hazard)

Section 556 Section 556.150  Crossing Railroad Tracks (Type IV hazard) a)         Qualification.  A serious Type IV safety hazard exists if a situation qualifies for points from all of Tables 15 through 17 and the total of the points from the tables and any judgment points equals or exceeds 12.  School districts should add judgment points if found proper even though the points from the tables alone equal or exceed 12. b)         Determination of serious safety hazard. 1)         Factors to be considered.  The following factors are relevant in determining whether pupils crossing railroad tracks are endangered by a serious safety hazard:  grade of pupil, crossing protection and number of tracks, and speed and number of trains.  To determine whether a serious safety hazard exists in a particular situation, a school board shall assign points as appropriate for these factors, using the following tables (fractional points may be assigned only in accordance with the tables): A)        Grade of Pupil – Table 15 GRADE POINTS K-8 5 9-12 2 B)        Crossing Protection and Number of Tracks – Table 16 NUMBER OF TRACKS POINTS (In use during school crossing hours) Active Protection Crossbucks Only 3 or more 3 5 2 2 4 1 1 2 C)        Speed and Number of Trains – Table 17 DAILY NUMBER OF TRAINS POINTS (During School crossing periods) TRAIN SPEED (MPH) Less than 40 40 or Greater 4 or more 4 5 3 3 4 2 2 3 1 1 2 2)         Judgment points.  A school district may add one or two points for judgment factors peculiar to the hazards due to vehicular traffic in a specific situation.  These additions must be accompanied by adequate information to justify the special circumstances being considered. 3)         Examples: Pupils going to an elementary school with pupils through 9 th grade, crossing a 2-track crossing with flashing lights, that has 3 trains crossing daily during the periods pupils are going to and from school, at speeds up to 49 m.p.h., and where there are also switching operations that would justify 2 judgment points, would have the following points: 2(Table 15) + 2(Table 16) + 4(Table 17) + 2(judg.) = 10 Since the point total is less than 12, the pupils in 9th grade would not qualify but those in K through 8th grade would.  An application for pupils only through 8th grade should be submitted.