The US Department of Transportation developed a resource allocation model to assist state highway agencies in setting pri. orities for rail-highway grade crossing improvement programs. Because of the size of the supporting data bases, use of the model has required a mainframe computer. Use of the microcomputer for the resource allocation model avoids the lengthy turnaround times and high costs associated with mainframes. The process of adapting the model and associated data bases to an Apple II+ microcomputer is desc. ribed. Data needed by the user are manipulated on a mainframe by using an appropriate data base management system. When the data for a given state are in an acceptable format, they are transferred to diskette using a commercial communications software package. The user can then implement the programs that make up the resource allocation model. Guidance on implementing the package is given. The adapted programs are written in Applesoft BASIC and are user friendly. The resource allocation procedure has been made interactive; users can change funding levels or equipment costs and determine in a matter of minutes the impact on the grade crossing program. Several conclusions have been drawn and recommendations made. Various methods for making the results of this effort available to interested parties are suggested.

The need to reduce accidents at rail-highway grade crossings has led to the development of various methods of warning drivers about the crossings or potential train-vehicle conflicts or both. Grade crossing warning devices include signs, pavement markings, flashing lights, and automatic gates. With these various driver-warning methods available, the problem becomes one of selecting the appropriate warning device for a given situation. Obviously, the ideal solution would be to install gates at all rail-highway grade crossings for which separation is not economically feasible. However, this is not practical because of budget constraints, so use of gates is usually reserved for the most dangerous crossings and less-effective devices are installed at the other locations.