01152690

Component

Current traffic signal preemption strategies at signalized intersections near highway-railroad grade crossings (HRGCs) are based on the minimum required warning time for train arrival at an HRGC of 20 seconds for highway users provided by first generation-train detection technologies. If train arrival times at HRGCs can be accurately estimated within approximately a traffic signal cycle length ahead of train arrivals, signal preemption strategies may be able to be improved and highway traffic can be managed in a safer manner. This research developed a method to improve the estimation of train arrival times at HRGCs by fusing speed data from two sensors located upstream of the studied HRGC: Doppler radar and video image detection (second generation technologies). A Kalman filter model is used to fuse the speed data to overcome the limitations of both sensors when detecting trains on a multiple track environment. Then, train arrival times at the HRGC are estimated based on the collected speeds by the sensors and on the Kalman filter speed estimates. Multiple-train and single train scenarios are considered. Results show that the Kalman filter provided better train arrival time estimations than either radar or video detection estimations alone in a multi-train, multi-track environment.

01147878

10-3353

English

15p

2010

Transportation Research Board 89th Annual Meeting

DVD

Figures; Maps; References (15) ; Tables (4)

Grade crossing protection systems; Highway operations; Kalman filtering; Railroad grade crossings; Remote sensing; Signalized intersections; Traffic signal preemption

Train arrival time at crossings

Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Railroads; I73: Traffic Control

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2010 Paper #10-3353

TRIS, TRB

Jan 25 2010 11:40AM