Sept. 2015 Meeting Recap

Wednesday, September 16, marked the first formal meeting of the year under President Giancarlo Ganddini. Special thanks to Econolite for sponsoring this luncheon at Monterey Hill Restaurant, which drew over 50 attendees.

The topic was “Railroad Corridor Quiet Zones” presented by Juan Diaz, PE, MBA, President & CEO of JM Diaz, Inc. The objective of a “quiet zone” is to create a supplemental safety zone where locomotive horns are not regularly sounded through one or more consecutive rail crossings. The primary goal is to maximize safety and prevent fatalities. The secondary goal is to reduce noise.

Safety measures include:

• Temporary or permanent Closure Crossings

• Four-Quadrant Gates

• Gates with Median or Channelization Devices

• One-way streets

Alternative methods may include enforcement (via police or photo) or public education. The presence of school zones, driveways, on-street parking facilities, access limitations, geometric irregularities, stations, and pedestrian/bicycle traffic may pose special design considerations.