For towns or counties unable to fund a new overpass or underpass, BTI has an alternative solution. BTI’s PROSCAN Video Protection System leaves the rail crossing as is but makes it much safer. The system, by videotaping drivers who violate railroad crossing laws, and then automatically sending them a $250 ticket, discourages violations at crossings. Reducing violations increases safety.

The PROSCAN Video Protection System, costs a fraction of what is required for a new bridge or overpass -- $275,000-$325,000 versus $10 to $40 million (not counting rail downtime). Nevertheless, the system is proven to greatly enhance safety: according to the Federal Railroad Administration, video enforcement leads to a 92% reduction in accidents at crossings. Furthermore, PROSCAN Video Protection System units pay for themselves (violations are $250 per ticket in Illinois) and could serve as a source of revenue for municipalities.

BTI is the exclusive distributor of the PROSCAN Video Protection System units, which are developed and manufactured by Rail Crossing Solutions, Inc (RCS). PROSCAN Video Protection System units are completely wireless, less expensive than the competition, are more effective and are easier to install. Competing systems also require a great deal of infrastructure improvements and have other inferior operational characteristics.

BTI’s PROSCAN Video Protection System recently completed a highly successful pilot project in Downers Grove, IL. BTI’s sales network has begun to contact municipalities around the country to communicate the gadvantages of BTI’s system.

Bridge Technology Incorporated (BTI) designs and constructs bridges and/or replacements for safer railroad crossings. The company mission is to fully understand a community’s specific railroad bridge construction or replacement needs and goals in order to design and supply the most durable and economical bridges.

In order to offer a complete and attainable rail crossing safety solution for all communities, BTI is also the exclusive distributor of video enforcement arces systems by RCS.

The RCS ARCES System

Rail Crossing Solutions, Inc. (RCS) is an Illinois based company that provides research, development, and technical engineering of railway safety monitoring and enforcement products.

RCS initially became involved in the railroad industry through its strategic relationship with the DuPage Railroad Safety Council (of DuPage County, Illinois). After reviewing traditional “Cop-in-the-Box” technology used to prevent gate-crossing violations, we found an opportunity to develop proprietary solutions from our existing technologies and offer highly superior ways to enforce crossing safety and reduce hazardous incidents.

Automated rail crossing enforcement system (arces) technology is an FRA approved method of video recording highway-rail grade crossings safety violations. In detail, the system is operated by a local law enforcement agency that records a driver’s response to automatic, electrical, or mechanical signal devices and crossing gates. The system obtains recorded images of the vehicle, the vehicle driver, and vehicle registration plate of any vehicles that violate laws regarding highway-rail grade crossings.

The Rail Crossing Solutions, Inc. rail crossing safety enforcement product, RCS ARCES System, expands on the existing arces technology with groundbreaking designs and several patent-pending technological innovations, to deliver a safety enforcement solution that ranks far above any market competitors. The RCS ARCES System monitors all highway-rail grade crossing activity around the clock, acts as a deterrent to keep motorists from traversing around lowered crossing gates, and records violations for safety law enforcement processes.

Each RCS ARCES System highway-rail crossing installation is equipped with five separate wireless high-resolution digital cameras to provide complete coverage of the intended highway-rail grade crossing area. The RCS ARCES System uses Extreme CCTV’s award winning camera, the EX82-REG model. This spectacular camera is the first of its kind to offer successful video surveillance in the most hazardous lighting and atmospheric conditions, such as active volcanoes in the Antarctic. The RCS ARCES System cameras automatically adjust to efficiently produce video surveillance in any lighting conditions, such as extreme bright light, to standard daylight, to pitch black evenings close to zero-LUX light conditions. The EX82-REG camera integrates leading-edge miniature electronics in a housing small enough to hold in the palm of a hand, yet offers powerful, high-resolution images that are clearly defined and will hold up for any due diligence. The camera provides color video by day and switches to excellent monochrome pictures in total darkness at distances from 5 feet to 150 feet using surprisingly low voltage and minimal power to operate.

The camera is housed in a waterproof, tough metal, all-weather, protective enclosure for operation in ambient temperatures of –40 C° to +122 F°. The enclosure’s ¼ inch thick windows are comparably as tough as the outside metal walls. The enclosure contains a heater and fan cooler to provide ideal operational conditions regardless of the outdoor elements. Each enclosure is mounted on poles near the railway track(s) at heights that will prevent any possible tampering with the units.

INFRARED ILLUMINATORS (IR ILLUMINATORS)

The RCS ARCES System uses IR Illuminators in order to record night and low light events. The IR illuminators operate on wavelengths that are tuned to exactly match that camera’s light sensitivity. The IR illuminators do not project any bright white light typically used by competitors’ systems, which can potentially blind a motorist or locomotive engineer creating a hazardous condition. The IR Illuminator obtains clear license plate images, unlike white light that reflects off the license plates creating a glare on images that is illegible and difficult to prosecute in court.

RCS ARCES SYSTEM MOTION SENSORS

The RCS ARCES System monitors each highway-rail grade crossing 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Wireless motion sensors, using microwave technology not bound by most atmospheric conditions, activate the enforcement recording device. The motion sensors can be customized to detect and activate the recording of any movement within a predetermined area on and around the railway tracks from 3 feet to 200 feet. The motion sensors can also be calibrated to begin the actual recording of events based on the object size it detects, such as pedestrians, automobiles, or semi-trucks. Each grade crossing configuration will determine the exact characteristics the sensor must be tuned to read. Parameters such as object size, number of tracks, roadway lanes, easement locations, and gate arm locations will all determine the specific requirements the senor must be tuned to respond to the exact wave-form guides that the intended target presents. External and remote adjustments and diagnostics can accommodate the changing needs and conditions of each crossing. The motion sensors are securely positioned atop installed poles and are housed in tamperproof, weather-resistant enclosures that are equipped with cooling fans and heaters that guarantee uninterrupted and safe operation. The motion sensors will trigger the recording process when its processor establishes that detection parameters are met. The sensors can be powered by the same integrated sources used for the entire RCS ARCES System or can stand-alone and operate on an isolated solar circuit.

RCS ARCES SYSTEM WIRELESS TRANSMITTER

Rail Crossing Solutions, Inc. has chosen the smallest wireless FM-based transmitter commercially available, the VideoComm 2.4 Ghz transmission system for our RCS ARCES System. This video transmission system is available for directional as well as omni-directional antennas, depending on need. The transmitters are weather and vandal resistant units that are intended for outdoor use and will be integrated into the EX82-REG housing unit. The VideoComm 2.4 Ghz product is manufactured from the highest quality materials to ensure superior electronic performance, mechanical durability, and longevity even under harsh weather conditions. Each transmitter requires only 12vDC power for optimal operation. A significant feature of the VideoComm product used in our RCS ARCES System is that the receiving antennas can process two separate wireless signals on one receiver antenna whip. This saves space and offers ease of maintenance.

Rail Crossing Solutions, Inc. complete safety enforcement solution includes ARCES “Simi” Systems, which are camera-less hardware crossing set-ups, used purely as a deterrent against highway-rail grade crossing gate safety violators. According to the Department of Transportation every public highway-rail grade crossing does not need to be equipped with cameras for continuous monitoring. The goal of deterrence can be successfully accomplished by moving the surveillance equipment among several crossing locations, as long as the motorists and pedestrians perceive the strong possibility that a violation of law will lead to sanctions. Therefore the ARCES “Simi” Systems appear identical to the actual safety enforcing RCS ARCES Systems, even though the video surveillance equipment is not actually within the housing enclosure.

Cost Effective The ARCES “Simi” Systems are the most inexpensive safety violation deterrent currently available. The cost of the system includes the hollow hardware enclosure and set-up fees. No maintenance is necessary and the system will continue to satisfy the deterrence requirements as long as the external appearance of the actual safety enforcing RCS ARCES System units are not significantly altered.

FRA Approved The proposed FRA lift of the whistle ban has many communities concerned about the negative effects on quality of residential life, the disruption of daily business and educational activities, and the potentially significant drop of property values. The installation of costly methods to keep the whistle ban active are unfortunately infeasible investments for many communities who have multiple highway-rail grade crossings throughout their areas. The ARCES “Simi” System is now accepted by the FRA to satisfy the quiet zone rule and will keep the train whistles from blowing, finally offering communities a cost effective solution for their crossings.

The Images below demonstrate two communities in Illinois, Arlington Heights and Downers Grove, which have multiple rail crossings throughout their jurisdiction. The ARCES “SIMI” Systems would help these communities keep their whistle ban in effect, without an astronomical financial commitment.

Arlington Heights, Illinois

· Approximately 70 to 80 Trains per Day

· 12 Rail Crossings

Between 1996 & 2000, There Were 6 Collisions which Resulted in 3 Fatalities and 1 Injury.

source: Illinois Commerce Commission

Downers Grove, Illinois

· Approximately 150 Trains per Day

· 6 Public Grade Crossings

Between 1996 & 2000, There Were 5 Collisions which Resulted in 2 Fatalities and 1 Injury.

Currently the common related critical factor at the base of any railway development discussion is at grade crossing safety. According to the most current data offered by Operation Lifesaver, there were 3,420 highway-rail grade crossing collisions in the United States in 1999. This means that approximately every two hours, either a vehicle or a pedestrian is struck by a train in the United States. Although the actual number of gate violators is unknown, the best estimated of incidents is staggering.

Drivers going around lowered crossing gates risk injury or death to themselves, the other passengers in their vehicle, rail passengers, and rail employees. Thousands of other drivers do the same by crashing through lowered railway gates. According to Union Pacific, in the first eight months of 1999 more than 9,000 of the company’s crossing gates were broken by vehicular “gate-crasher” violators, a rate of approximately 40 a day. The Federal Railway Association (FRA) has targeted states and rail lines that are considered to be more dangerous than other crossings, and because of the nature of rail accidents and the recent public scrutiny and outcry, there is pressure to make crossings safe.

WHISTLE BAN LIFT

Whistle Bans restrict rail trains from blowing their whistles at rail crossings. Studies conducted by the FRA show a substantial increase in the number of collisions when the train horns were silenced. In Florida, for example, the collision rate increased by a staggering 195%. Due to the increasing dangers to rail crossing safety, the FRA has mandated a nationwide lift of whistle ban set to begin in 2001.

According to a September 26, 2000 article printed in the Chicago Tribune, critics of the FRA ruling over the cancellation of the whistle bans have contended that continuous whistle blowing would wreak havoc across the region, causing sleepless nights for residents and disruptions for businesses and schools along the many rail lines. The Chaddick Institute study predicted total losses up to a billion dollars for the six-county Chicago region if trains start blowing their horn at the 437 grade crossings currently exempt from the requirement. The study also predicted that homes within a half-mile of a crossing could drop $10,000 in value.

This situation is national in scope. Every village, town, and city, either urban or rural, is actively searching ways to keep quiet zones in effect. There are five supplementary safety measures (SSM) the FRA has approved as a means to keep whistle bans active. Photo (video) enforcement is one of those safety measures that, according to the FRA, fully compensates for the absence of the warning provided by locomotive horns.

The cancellation of the whistle bans offer RCS a lucrative opportunity to sell its RCS ARCES System in order to help communities continue their whistle bans, which will secure their property values and continue to provide comfortable living conditions and thriving business environments for their residents and business owners.

The 1999 FRA Statistics state that nearly 50% of vehicle/train collisions occur with active warning devices such as gates, lights, or bells. Therefore, the FRA is currently pursuing additional measures to deter motorists from violating railway crossing safety laws. The Chaddick Institute study for Metropolitan Development recently conducted at DePaul University recognizes that video enforcement is beneficial for troublesome crossings and recommends installing video monitors at 25 of the Chicago area’s most troublesome crossings.

In an effort to reduce rail track deaths, video enforcement was first tested and used in California. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) stated in a 1998 Press Release issued by Metrolink that after using video enforcement on its Blue Line tracks for several years, there was a dramatic 84% drop in railway crossing violations.

Currently, Illinois statewide officials are beginning to recognize the benefits of video safety law enforcement at highway-rail crossings. Pate Phillips, the President of the Illinois State Senate, is sponsoring legislation that will legalize video enforcement in the entire state. There have been may other states that have also taken the lead in effectively using video enforcement to obtain safer driver behavior goals such as Florida, California, and Maryland.

RCS ARCES SYSTEM FEATURES AND ADVANTAGES

The RCS ARCES System has many significant features and advantages that provide communities with the most attainable and complete traffic safety video enforcement system currently on the market. Our proprietary design and technology offer a system that will provide a safer environment and keep quiet zones active ensuring a high quality living/working environment and protecting property values.

Promotes Responsible Motorist Behavior The RCS ARCES System promotes responsible and safe motorist behavior on highway-rail grade crossings that can drastically reduce the number of accidents caused by preventable railway collisions. According to the Los Angeles photo enforcement demonstration project, a carefully administered and well-publicized program of photo enforcement reduced motorist safety violation rates by an astonishing 92%, while collisions were reduced by 72%. Motorists and pedestrians that are made aware of the potential threat of costly fines, serving community time, or loosing a driver’s license are deterred from traversing around lowered gates and potentially causing a dangerous and costly incident to themselves, those traveling by rail, and the railway companies.

Time and Cost Effective Installation The micro wireless RCS ARCES System provides an expedient, easy to install, and cost effective video transmission solution for railway safety monitoring and enforcement. The RCS ARCES System requires few, if any, permits for installation and requires absolutely no under-ground digging and trenching, cabling, dedicated phone lines, or costly, traffic-disruptive labor. The system can be installed and fully operational within a month after the product order has been placed. The RCS ARCES System offers communities the most cost effective and efficient solution.

Internet Capabilities Our system offers Internet capabilities. The system will enable authorized personnel to monitor and analyze data from remote locations. The system can also feed information to the community Web site, which can be used to reinforce highway-rail intersection safety to residents and business owners. Our system does not require any high speed or DSL lines to operate efficiently.

Crossing System Integration Many communities have numerous highway-rail grade crossings throughout their jurisdictional area; they are confronted with the ever-present challenge of monitoring and enforcing the safety laws at each one of these potentially dangerous locations. The RCS ARCES System offers a superior video surveillance safety enforcement solution that can integrate the multiple crossings each community must protect into a centralized system framework that offers easy management and supervision.

Proven Technology Reliability Our competitors rely on software systems or pattern differentials for object detection, which often cannot withstand all outdoor circumstances, and can become sensitive to unpredictable interference. The Rail Crossing Solutions, Inc. systems use wireless microwave sensors for object detection that have been proven to be 100% reliable under the most hazardous atmospheric conditions

Illumination

Most competitors use white light to illuminate evening and nighttime recording, which can potentially blind motorists and/or locomotive engineers creating possible hazardous situations. Our system uses tuned infrared (IR) illumination to provide safe and effective recording conditions in even the most difficult lighting circumstances, such as extreme bright light or no light.

Text Box: Image of Competitor System’s Dangerous, Blinding, White Light Illumination

White light illumination used by our competitors tends to reflect off license plates and glass windows producing indistinguishable images that cannot be used for law enforcement. Our IR illumination is unaffected by any outdoor conditions and does not reflect off objects. The images are clear and comprehensible.

Immediate Safety Alerts Our system has the ability to notify local authorities and railway officials of any potentially dangerous situations. Some possibilities are: if vehicular accidents occur across the rail crossing when the gates are in the up position, or if a truck load is accidentally spilled across the highway-rail intersection, or if the warning devices are malfunctioning or not operating up to FRA requirements.

In order to meet the Federally mandated whistle ban requirements at each highway-rail grade crossing where our RCS ARCES System is installed, the FRA requires a baseline study be done to determine the before and after effects of the safety system, and to find a cause-and-effect relationship with the effectiveness of the arcs systems use. The RCS ARCES System can run its own real-time software for each location installed, to produce the before and after study results. In this way, the RCS ARCES System can demonstrate the current safety enforcement system set-up is effective and will compensate for the lack of train horns, as well as saves the community much time and expense from having to hire an outside contractor to provide the study results.

Area Coverage Unlike some of our competitors, Rail Crossing Solutions offers complete area coverage by installing five high-resolution digital cameras at each highway-rail grade crossing. The cameras are positioned and angled to encompass a wide area with clarity and distinction.