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    <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
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    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
    <docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs>
    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
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      <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
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      <link>https://rip.trb.org/</link>
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    <item>
      <title>Applying a Safe System Framework to Rail-Related Trespassing Deaths and Injuries in North Carolina</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2604727</link>
      <description><![CDATA[According to the Federal Railroad Administration, in 2023, there were 27 trespassing deaths and injuries on rail corridors in North Carolina, a 23% increase from the number of casualties in 2022. Although various research studies, both outside and within North Carolina, have examined the causes of rail trespassing casualties, preventing these deaths and injuries remains challenging due to the complexities of human behavior and the social and environmental conditions that bring pedestrians into contact with rail lines. Therefore, this research project proposes a new, Safe System-based approach to analyzing and addressing pedestrian rail trespassing incidents. 


The Safe System Approach is a public health paradigm of transportation safety management that holds human vulnerability and human fallibility as critical considerations for how to proactively prevent transportation deaths and injuries. The Safe System Approach has been formally adopted by the United States Department of Transportation and is central to the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s (NCDOT's) Strategic Highway Safety Plan. Applications of the Safe System Approach often entail an assessment of three parameters: road users’ exposure to conflicts, the likelihood for those conflicts to become crashes, and the severity of crashes when they occur. In the context of rail trespassing incidents, implementing the Safe System Approach involves understanding pedestrian exposure to rail crossings and the likelihood of trespassing because rail strikes tend to be severe. If the mechanisms behind exposure and likelihood can  be better understood, then countermeasures can be applied.

To accomplish this Safe System assessment, the research team proposes combining multiple data streams to build a  knowledge base of a model rail trespassing incident so that a systems science-based evaluation method, the AcciMap, can be applied to identify the critical risks that lead to fatal and severe trespassing incidents. The team proposes supplementing data collected for previous NCDOT projects with survey data, literature-derived risk factors, desk reviews, and field visits to establish a foundation upon which the team can apply the AcciMap method. Using the causal links identified through AcciMapping, the team can then identify countermeasures to the risks. The team will translate these methods into reproducible, locally relevant guidance for transportation agencies and local governments. 

The team of researchers from the UNC Highway Safety Research Center and North Carolina A&T University are uniquely poised to conduct this research project. They are national leaders in Safe System research and have completed rail safety research upon which this project will build. The team understands the need for novel thinking to address safety risks while also recognizing the hyper-local focus this analysis requires. They are well-equipped to produce useful resources for practitioners, such as a Safe System-based rail safety checklist and guidance for risk identification and countermeasure selection. A final report documenting the project’s findings will be accompanied by presentation materials for sharing results and a more detailed implementation plan to facilitate uptake by State and local transportation agencies.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 30 Sep 2025 15:38:16 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2604727</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Development of a Prototype Turnkey Artificial Intelligence Aided Automated Trespassing Detection Solution Based on Stationary Cameras



</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2572329</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This Type II IDEA project will develop and test a prototype turnkey artificial intelligence aided trespassing detection system.  The system consists of integrated hardware (solar security trailer, networking equipment, etc.) and software that was proven in an earlier project funded by the Federal Transit Administration and Federal Railroad Administration. This system will be developed and tested in collaboration with the industry partner, SunRail, a commuter rail system in the greater Orlando, Florida area. The system hardware will be assembled and installed at selected locations. Data will be collected in those locations for 12 months, and the information will be analyzed to provide actionable safety data to SunRail, the industry collaborator. SunRail will install fencing along their right-of-way. This system could be used to gather trespassing data before and after the fencing installation to evaluate the effectiveness of the solution. At grade crossings, violation data could be used to justify upgrades like the installation of quad gates, gate skirts, or dynamic envelopes based on the types of violations observed. This data can improve trespassing mitigation decision making and support grant applications for further actions. Following this task, sample video data will be collected and analyzed to ensure system accuracy and data quality. The developed system will benefit railroad industry by enabling the collection of previously unavailable trespassing and grade crossing violation information.  It is rather unfeasible to have railroad staff manually annotate video feeds to acquire trespassing data.  This system, on the other hand,  will automatically watch and understand trespass behavior from video feeds at remote locations. Trespass and grade crossing violation information will be aggregated in a trespasser database, presenting users with a video clip of the trespassing event and corresponding metadata (time, weather, type: person, car, motorcycle etc.). Trends and common behaviors can be determined once enough of these events are aggregated.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 08 Jul 2025 16:55:33 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2572329</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>SPR-4816:  Pedestrian and Bicyclist Trespassing Impacts on Rail Grade Crossings Safety and Mobility</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2232851</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project will investigate pedestrian and bicyclist violations at highway-rail grade crossings. Data on pedestrian and bicyclist violations will be collected from existing INDOT and FRA records, and traffic video surveillance. A marginal analysis will be adopted to quantitatively explain the marginal effects of each independent variable on each injury level. Based on discussions with INDOT several grade crossings will be selected as a testbed to conduct this research. At the end of this project, our team will provide INDOT with some suggestions to improve the highway-rail grade crossing safety in Indiana.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 24 Aug 2023 15:15:17 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2232851</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Utah Transit Authority, Suicide Prevention Research and Demonstration Project</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2096559</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project proposes to demonstrate an innovative Radar/Camera Surveillance and Detection System that will give early warning so that an operational approach can be implemented to react to trespassers on its FrontRunner commuter and TRAX light rail systems. The system includes PTZ camera, radar, load speaker, and Red/Blue LED lights and connects to  the Rail Control Centers.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 13 Jan 2023 14:49:09 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2096559</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>An Artificial Intelligence-Aided System for Automated Detection of Trespassing at Grade Crossings</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2096553</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The project will research and analyze trespasser detection at New Jersey Transit highway rail crossings to reduce fatalities. New Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology will gather data and help transit agencies develop trespasser avoidance solutions.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 13 Jan 2023 14:49:05 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2096553</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>An Artificial Intelligence Aided Forward-Facing Camera Video Data Analytics System for Rail Safety</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2071680</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Trespassing along railroad rights-of-way continues to be the leading cause of rail-related fatalities in the US. Based on the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) database, the annual number of trespassing incidents increased from 834 in 2017 to 1,197 in 2023. The railroad industry needs effective solutions to reduce trespassing and save lives.  Currently, trespassers are identified by locomotive engineers, who record the incidents on paper records which are later transcribed into Excel files. This manual process has several shortcomings which limit the railroad industry’s ability to understand trespasser trends and to implement effective preventive measures. This project developed a technology solution to solve this challenge -- a Computer Vision AI based turnkey real-time trespasser detection system using railroad outward-facing video. The system was tested on recorded outward-facing video records and deployed on two locomotives for a combined fifteen days of live analysis. The project yielded three key innovations. First, a state-of-the-art semantic segmentation model was adapted to detect trespassers. Second, a comprehensive dataset was built for both training and testing the artificial intelligence using generative AI to create images of trespassers for model training. Third, a turnkey edge computing system was developed that can use existing or newly installed outward-facing camera systems. Through experimental results and real-world testing, the system analyzed 210 hours of live footage and 31 hours of recorded footage, successfully detecting 20 trespassers. All detected records were manually reviewed to validate the system’s results and to better understand trespassing characteristics. Based on the validation, the system achieved 99% weighted precision. The implementation of this product will enhance railroad safety by providing a plethora of actionable data and evidence to support data-driven decision making. The system automatically identifies trespassers and logs their GPS locations, positions in the right-of-way, and timestamps in a structured database. This removes the need for converting paper records into electronic datasets and collects trespassing records uninfluenced by human factors. When aggregated, these records will help identify trespassing hotspots to guide the prioritization of preventive engineering, enforcement, and education measures. The records automatically captured by the system provide easy access to video examples and additional context for understanding trespassing incidents.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 29 Nov 2022 09:05:43 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2071680</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Modeling the Effects of Rail Noise Propagation on Pedestrians in North Carolina Railroad Environments</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2003219</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The objective of this research project is to investigate the relationship between sound propagation and rail trespass strikes.  The research team will establish a baseline scenario on public beliefs and attitudes about the danger of railroad environments, the characteristics of rail noise propagation, and the awareness of railroad trespassing laws through literature review and online survey. The researchers will also identify a comprehensive list of factors that affect rail noise propagation and select a set to be evaluated in the modeling effort. Working with the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Rail Safety Staff and Project Steering and Implementation Committee (StIC), the NCAT team will collect field data, generate sound propagation models, test various scenarios based on factors identified earlier and visualize the sound propagation/decomposition processes. The research result will not only help engineers to improve their design but also educate the public on the dangers of rail trespassing behavior.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 04 Aug 2022 14:58:54 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2003219</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Impact of Rail Trespasser Fatalities &amp; Suicide on Mental Health and Safety Culture of Rail Transportation Workers</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1982054</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Trespasser fatalities and railroad suicide are significant concerns of the rail industry and the Federal Railroad Administration. Approximately 289 individuals commit suicide each year on the U.S. rail system accounting for almost one third of the fatalities related to railroad operations in the U.S. Railroad carriers alone cannot solve this tragic loss of life. The proposed project will assess the impact of exposure to trespasser fatalities and suicide on the mental health, safety and perceived safety culture of railroad workers and related first responders, law enforcement, and others. Several measures designed to assess compassion fatigue, secondary trauma, awareness of common myths associated with suicide and corporate safety culture will be administered to a sample of railroad workers and other key first line responders who will be attending railroad safety briefings and a rail suicide awareness program. The proposed research is expected to benefit railroad employees and related personnel by documenting the impact of railroad trespasser suicide and fatalities on perceived safety culture and lead to creating a checklist for identifying the effects associated with these events. The project will also promote awareness of effects and possible prevention techniques for responding to these events.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 15 Jun 2022 15:42:01 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1982054</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Synthesis of Information Related to Transit Practices. Topic SA-58. Analysis of Transit Exclusion Policies in Passenger Transportation Systems</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1957103</link>
      <description><![CDATA[
This Synthesis will document the practice of the use of transportation exclusion policies in North American transit systems. The final deliverable should assist transit agencies to understand the usefulness of such policies, as well as methods for creating, amending, or supplementing exclusion policies to maximize their effectiveness in reducing crime and disorder within their respective transit systems. 
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 24 May 2022 11:13:42 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1957103</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Strategies and Technologies for Warning, Detection, and Prevention of Trespassing in the Vicinity of Highway-Rail Grade Crossings: State of the Practice and Research Needs</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1953253</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Highway-rail grade crossings have always presented a significant safety challenge for highway agencies and railroads across the United States and historically have been the source of most railroad-related deaths. Although implementation of a dedicated federal funding program in the early 1970s has resulted in substantial reductions in highway-rail grade crossing fatalities, these crossings still represent the second highest source of railroad-related fatalities behind trespassing. Rail trespassing, including suicides, represents approximately 70% of all railroad-related deaths, much of which occur within 1,000 feet of a highway-rail grade crossing. These accidents are associated with a substantial societal cost in fatalities and injuries, delays in train travel time, and significant delays to motorists and other roadway users.

Enhancement of law enforcement, education, community, and roadway planning, and the application of warning systems to railroad and highway rights-of-way to detect and warn trespassers would help reduce and possibly prevent trespassing. There is a need to document current practices and technologies, and identify research needed to enhance these practices and technologies. This information will provide a basis for future research that will help identify or develop practices and technologies that will prevent trespassing and eliminate related injuries, fatalities, and service disruption. 

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this project are to (1) document current practices and technologies relevant to the warning, detection, and prevention of trespassing in the vicinity of highway-rail grade crossings and (2) identify the research needed to enhance these practices and technologies. This information will provide basis for future research to identify or develop practices and technologies that will prevent trespassing and eliminate related injuries, fatalities, and service disruption. 

]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 18 May 2022 09:34:37 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1953253</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Trespasser and Suicide Prevention Training for Rail Transportation Workers</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1881400</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The proposed project will address trespass and intentional death by suicide on railroads in select areas by evaluating the impact of conducting awareness and prevention training and outreach with key railroad staff, first responders, and community members proximate to the railroad right of way. Previous research has identified the need for more effective training and intervention for gatekeepers and other persons associated with or proximate to individuals considering intentional death by suicide using rail. The project will produce a checklist for railroad personnel and first responders for engaging trespassers at risk for intentional death by rail and increase public awareness and responsiveness in the community to intervene when trespassers and individuals are at risk for harming themselves using railroads. In addition, a checklist for railroad personnel that identifies steps in intervention with trespassers will also be developed. A pre-post measure of participants' and community members' attitudes and knowledge of suicide myths and intervention techniques will also be conducted. Evaluation of the project will also examine the number of trespassers, utilization of community resources, increases in knowledge skills, and self-efficacy among railroad staff, first responders, and members of the community.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 29 Sep 2021 20:40:18 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1881400</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Strategies for Deterring Trespassing on Rail Transit and Commuter Rail Rights-of-Way</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1577713</link>
      <description><![CDATA[In response to the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) and its successor, the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has established the Safety Management Systems (SMS) framework as the basis for its National Public Transportation Safety Program. A key aspect of the SMS approach is to bring management and labor together to detect and correct safety problems earlier and analyze safety data holistically to ensure that resources are applied effectively to mitigate risks.
 
One such risk facing the rail transit and commuter rail industries is related to a continuing problem with trespassing incidents occurring on many systems throughout the United States. Trespassers are at great risk for being struck and fatally injured or severely hurt while on the rights-of-way. The Federal Railway Administration (FRA) reports that “Trespassing along railroad rights-of-way is the leading cause of rail-related deaths in America. Nationally, more than 400 trespass fatalities and nearly as many injuries occur each year, the vast majority of which are preventable.” The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has long recognized the dangers associated with trespassers on the rights-of-way and recently held hearings to solicit input from the rail industry and other entities. (See Trains and Trespassing: Ending Tragic Encounters.)   
 
Rail transit and commuter rail agencies have deployed a variety of techniques and treatments to address the trespasser issue. These techniques and treatments have ranged from physical barriers to public outreach and education and had varying levels of success. The goal of this research is to catalog ways to deter trespassing on rail rights-of-way. The benefits are reduced fatalities or injuries due to trespassing, reduced emotional stress, reduced operational impacts, and reduced costs due to claims and lawsuits. This work will also provide proven trespasser prevention strategies to transportation agencies and regulatory bodies for consistent implementation.
 
 
The objectives of this research are to (1) review the breadth of current trespasser mitigation strategies research, (2) catalog the wide variety of current approaches to preventing trespassing on the rights-of-way, (3) analyze the different trespasser mitigation strategies to ascertain overall outcomes and effectiveness, and (4) document best practices and make recommendations.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 08 Jan 2019 06:45:55 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1577713</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>West Palm Beach Trespass Prevention Study
</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1367332</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Demonstrating trespassing countermeasures  on a 7-mile stretch of South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA) right-of-way in West Palm Beach, FL.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 28 Aug 2015 15:36:26 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1367332</guid>
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