FRA Issues Grade-Crossing Safety Advisory

SMART-TD Urges Members to Review Requirements

The Federal Railroad Administration has issued Safety Advisory 2025-02, highlighting serious safety concerns involving shoving and pushing movements over highway-rail grade crossings equipped only with flashing lights or passive warning devices. Recent fatal accidents involving point protection failures prompted the FRA to call for renewed focus on job briefings, visibility assessments, and rule compliance. The FRA is also calling for railroads to begin additional operational testing of these scenarios.

Between 2020 and 2025, four rail workers were killed in Illinois, Texas, Ohio, and California while riding the point during shove moves over passively protected crossings. The FRA cites these tragedies as evidence that existing procedures are not always sufficient in real-world conditions and that additional training, rule revisions, and testing may be necessary.

Under 49 CFR 218.99 and 218.93, employees providing point protection must make a visual determination that the track is clear before occupying a crossing. This includes verifying the absence of approaching or stopped roadway traffic and ensuring nothing obstructs the view of the crossing or its approaches.

As railroaders know too well, just because a road is clear of vehicle traffic when we start our shove, that doesn’t mean it will stay that way long enough for us to cover the crossing. When the crossing doesn’t have gates and or bells, this makes it even more dangerous for us.

If weather, lighting, vegetation, roadway layout, or other factors prevent a complete visual assessment, the movement must not enter the crossing until a qualified employee is positioned to provide protection or until alternative procedures (such as stop-and-flag) are in place.

FRA is also reminding railroads that shove moves are less conspicuous than locomotives leading with headlights and horns. Because motorists may not see a shove movement in time, crews must not rely on crossing signals alone when only passive or flashing-light protection is present.

The advisory recommends several actions that will directly affect operating employees:

1. Enhanced Job Briefings
   Briefings must clearly identify all passive or flashing-light crossings in the route of the shove movement, the method of communication to be used, visibility challenges, and the requirement that a crossing not be entered unless the track is confirmed clear.
2. Review and Update of Operating Rules
   Railroads should ensure their rules thoroughly define “track is clear,” outline proper visual-assessment procedures, and address unique crossing configurations or environmental limitations.
3. Increased Operational Testing
   FRA urges railroads to prioritize crossings where visibility is limited and conduct operational testing to evaluate rule compliance. Employees should anticipate increased testing activity in these areas.
4. Evaluation of Crossings for Feasibility of Riding Protection
   Railroads must assess whether employees riding the point can realistically determine if the track is clear. Where they cannot, FRA expects railroads to implement additional protection, including stop-and-flag requirements.

SMART-TD encourages all members to review these expectations, report visibility hazards, and never allow a movement to enter a crossing without a complete “track is clear” determination. Your safety is the most important thing in this line of work. This FRA advisory reinforces your authority (and the obligation) to stop a movement whenever conditions prevent a safe assessment.