Archives of Personal Papers ex libris Ludwig Benner, Jr.
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SYMPTOMS OF RAIL-HIGHWAY GRADE CROSSING SAFETY ANALYSIS AND ASSESSMENT PROBLEMS . . .

  • Differences Among Jurisdictions

  • Controversy About Which Is Best

  • Duration Of Controversy

  • Assumptions Now Required To Evaluate

  • No Agreed Proofs To Resolve Differences

 

A DIFFERENT VIEW OF THE ASSESSMENT PROBLEM . . .

  • No Regulatory Safety Objectives

  • Unacknowledged Nature Of Accidents

  • Improper Use of Investigators

  • Unacknowledged Consequences Of Methodology Selection Decisions
PROBLEM = APPROACH

 

RAIL-HIGHWAY GRADE CROSSING ACCIDENT ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY CHOICES AND FOCUS

ATTRIBUTE-BASEDEVENT-BASED

  • Accident Factors

  • Data abstraction

  • Statistical Tests

  • Long-term Validation

  • Accident Process

  • Accident Descriptions

  • Logic Tests

  • Real-time Validation

 

CONSEQUENCES OF METHODOLOGY SELECTION
ATTRIBUTE-BASED EVENT-BASED
  • Regulate A Factor

  • Investigate To Test Hypotheses

  • Use Investigators to Gatherer Data

  • Analyze Data To Test For Significance

  • Monitor Trends Over Time

  • Control Processes

  • Investigate To Understand Processes

  • Use Investigators To Develop Hypothesis

  • Analyze Event Flows For Behaviors

  • Monitor Process Operations