Continental Mapping was contracted to provide mapping services to support the reconfiguration of a dangerous railroad crossing in Minnesota. The crossing had issues with collisions between trains and motor vehicles, resulting in deaths, injuries, and delays. Continental Mapping used aerial photography to produce high-accuracy contour maps and planimetric maps of the area to identify options for rerouting the crossing to reduce safety risks from the blind curve and busy double track railroad. The maps were delivered in a 3D digital format to support redesigning the crossing configuration.

1. CONTINENTAL MAPPING
www.continentalmapping.com
888.815.3327
Canadian National Railway Photogrammetry
Mapping from Earth, Sky, and Space
Railroads are plagued by inattentive or risky behavior by
motorists. In 2015 alone, there were 2,059 collisions, 244
deaths, and 967 injuries at grade crossings. Beyond the
safety aspect, subsequent delays of rail traffic and legal
action have proven to significantly impact railroad efficien-
cies. In recent years, railroads have targeted high risk
crossings for major overhaul in order to mitigate the risk of
collisions. These capital improvements are typically com-
plex and involve the realignment of non-railroad assets.
Continental Mapping was contracted to support the recon-
figuration of a dangerous crossing northwest of Duluth,
Minnesota. The mainline route runs over 30 trains per day
between Duluth and International Falls, with many heavy
trains loaded with iron ore. The heavier the train, the longer
it takes to stop. Continental Mapping’s client was working
with Canadian National and identified multiple reroute
possibilities for the area of interest.
Mapping services provided:
•Produce photogrammetric mapping (1-foot contours) from
color aerial photography at +/- 0.50 accuracy
•1”=50’ planimetric mapping
Deliverables:
•3D digital mapping (DTM/contours/plan)
The existing crossing had a blind curve meeting a busy
double tracked railroad
A Canadian National train rolls through a similar crossing at
track speed.
A Canadian National train is visible in this raw ortho scan as
it approaches the Wood Road crossing