Grade Crossing Crash Investigation Classes

New! GCCI is now open to Fire / EMS / Rescue Personnel!

North Carolina Operation Lifesaver, in association with the Norfolk Southern and CSX railroads, is proud to provide training to law enforcement officers in North Carolina. The Governor's Highway Safety Program provides grant money to help Operation Lifesaver to present this program. This training lasts three days, with two classroom days and one rail yard day.

GCCI class materials, lodging (up to 3 days - only for out of town officers), breakfast, and lunch will be provided at no charge to the officers in the class. Officers will be responsible for any transportaion to and from the class, and their evening meal.

Officers will receive a certificate of completion at the successful conclusion of their training. This training will also count towards the completion of the Traffic Enforcement and Investigation Certificate from the North Carolina Justice Academy.

Classroom Day 1

• Class orientation: Introductions and pretest
• Collision scenarios (Video presentation and class discussion)
• The scope of the grade crossing problem: statistics, causation, speed and weight factors, and stopping distances
• Information needed to properly investigate a grade crossing collision
• Railroad equipment the investigator encounters while working the grade crossing collision:
  
  1. Locomotives and freight cars, visual and audible warning devices, event recorders, etc.
  2. Passenger trains vs. freight trains
  3. Traffic control devices - active and passive
• Grade crossing signals: detailed explaination of signals, describing principles of operation
• Railroad personnel encountered at the grade crossing collision

Classroom Day 2

• Travel to local railyard. Class will begin with a thorough safety briefing and the issuance of mandatory safety equipment for use during training. The class is divided into five groups, one starting at each of five stations:
  
  1. Locomotive ride through local area
  2. Stationary locomotive
  3. Boxcar coupled to flatcar
  4. Hazardous materials tank car
  5. Grade crossing signal with gates
• Groups rotate every 50 minutes until each group has received instruction at each station. Officers return to classroom for debriefing regarding the field day

Classroom Day 3

• Three hours of hazardous materials training including recognition, assessment, and appropriate emergency response to railroad related incidents
• Case law pertaining to grade crossing collisions: Insight into cross-examination for the investigating officer as a witness
• State and Federal Motor Vehicle Codes pertaining to highway-rail grade crossings
• Grade crossing collision prevention and trespasser abatement efforts
• Discussion of Operation Lifesaver, Officer on the Train, and other activities designed to reduce grade crossing collisions and trespasser incidents
• Post test and review
• Course evaluation

To see the GCCI Class Schedule, click on Events on the menu bar to the left.

To enroll in a GCCI Class, either enroll online, or call 919-831-3006.