Western Railroad Discussion > H T U A ???

Can someone enlighten me please?  On a recent trip on the UP's Coast route, we continually sped up and then slowed down to a crawl, apparently over road crossings.  I saw several signs posted along the right of way reading "H T U A" near the crossings.  Aside from what my guests aboard TIOGA PASS were guessing ( some thing about head up ......), what is this and why?

Norm

Norman Orfall
Helendale, CA
TIOGA PASS, a private railcar

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HTUA stands for High Threat Urban Area. They shouldn't restrict a passenger train speed, unless you happen to be behind a freight train that is slowed by an HTUA.

TSA HTUA

The slowing down at all the road crossings sounds more like there were crossing orders out. They are covered under GCOR rule 6.32.2 (or crossing procedures XG, XH, XC, or XI on the UP). Depending on which crossing over was given, and a potential response by a signal maintainer that could be there in the field at the crossing, these crossing orders could require a train to completely stop and protect a crossing, slow and be prepared to stop for a crossing, or to slow to 15 mph over a crossing.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/22 03:04 by ble692.

I rode the Surfliner from LA Union Station to San Luis Obispo and back on the Coast Starlight this past week.

Amtrak had a passenger alert that there was an issue with some crossings between Camarillo and San Luis Obispo which could delay trains by up to 30 minutes.

They indicated they were working with UP to resolve the problem.

Certainly some crawls through some crossings. 

Yesterday while waiting on the UP 4014 I got this shot of a SB UP at Sand Creek Junction off th embankment of I270 on Denver Co's north side.. Just to the bottom right of the cab, can be seen the sign with H T U A. I myself was wondering exactly what it stood for, so thanks Norm for asking. Ben

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Does the "High Threat" term refer to potential air quality/inhalation hazards from nearby chemical plants, or some other danger?

"High Threat Urban Areas", which are designated by a beginning and ending milepost in the timetable, require special rules to be complied with on key trains. For example, on BNSF, the speed limit for key trains inside HTUA limits is 35 mph.

casco17 Wrote:
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> Does the "High Threat" term refer to potential air
> quality/inhalation hazards from nearby chemical
> plants, or some other danger?

The danger in HTUAs is the hazmat carried on trains, not nearby chemical plants.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/22 14:10 by Milw_E70.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-XII/subchapter-D/part-1580