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:
- Locomotives and freight cars,
visual and audible warning devices, event
recorders, etc.
- Passenger trains vs. freight
trains
- 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:
- Locomotive ride through local
area
- Stationary locomotive
- Boxcar coupled to flatcar
- Hazardous materials tank car
- 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.