ABSTRACT

Existing railroad crossings impede the traffic flow during peak traveling times. Currently signalization is used to close crossings, and many of these crossings do not have an overpass route crossing for traffic to go over the tracks. With no warning system before the actual crossing, traffic will take a route toward a crossing in which a train is passing through and traffic backups will result. This not only creates time delays for the drivers, but also may create unwanted accidents. There have been many suggested warning systems to correct this issue. Radio frequency identification (RFID) is an emerging technology that has not really been considered. In comparison to other possible systems, RFID has the potential for more than just a warning system. It also can be used as a tool in supplying real-time information in a supply chain. In the study, we found that an RFID system is feasible and a definite possibility to solve the traffic backup problem as well as become a potential tracking system.