Railroad Forums 

  • Protected rail crossings

  • General discussion about railroad operations, related facilities, maps, and other resources.
General discussion about railroad operations, related facilities, maps, and other resources.

Moderator: Robert Paniagua

 #1513726  by SST
 
Over the years, we've had random discussions about protecting rail crossing to prevent crashes. Last week, I was watching a Trans Siberian Railway video [Trans-Siberian Railway Winter Journey - part 4: Ulan-Ude - Lake Baikal - Irkutsk on Train № 001M -doc7austin’s DreamlinerCentral]

Pretty good video to view places that I'm not likely to visit. Somewhere along the way, I noticed that as the train went through the crossing, I noticed that the protection was a raised road blocking auto traffic. First time I've ever seen that. Looks like it will work except for those well determined individuals who must get across! haha

I replayed this section and snapped a picture of it. Could it work here? Is it here?
Image
 #1513727  by BR&P
 
Do you even have to ask? Picture a texting college girl, or a drunk Bubba at 2AM, or some loser so wasted on drugs he can't see, or little old Mabel who should have stopped driving 10 years ago. That little thing won't do more than slow them down a little so they skid to a stop right on the tracks.

I'm thinking raise up a section of wall like they are building on the southern border! Now THAT would do the job! :-D
 #1513806  by edbear
 
There were two similar crossings in the Boston area. When a train entered the circuit, the warning bell would sound and lights would begin to work. The barrier, maybe a foot high would rise out of the pavement and stay there until the train left the crossing circuit. Trouble was that sometimes vehicles stopped right where the barrier was supposed to rise and there were problems with snow, ice and debris on the road surface. (And probably with snow plowing operations too.) The two locations were on the Boston and Maine, Russell's crossing in Wayland and the other was in Newton, NH (I think) on the Boston-Portland Western Route. If you can find a copy of the B&MRRHS Central Mass. book there's a photo of the Wayland installation in action. This photo also appeared in a late 1940s or so issue of TRAINS Magazine.
 #1513853  by BR&P
 
In front of the barrier they could modify a gate arm and mount a squeegie. When an impact is detected, the arm swipes back and forth to remove the remains from the wall! :P
 #1513998  by DGC-24711
 
DutchRailnut wrote: Sat Jul 13, 2019 3:32 pm there is a video on youtube of the russian crossing and huge amount of dummies wrecking their cars.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e19T2ded7VQ
This is perfect. Cameras will show that yes, the lights started and you ignored them.
 #1514000  by SST
 
They need to install a gate that crosses both lanes. That will cut down on stupidity. Obviously, it will never eliminate all of them.
 #1514013  by Benjamin Maggi
 
Are the Russian crossings manned with employees in vests? It seems after every crash someone ran out wearing an orange safety vest to investigate.

At the same time, I didn't see a single train impacted by these crossings so I guess they work.
 #1514087  by daybeers
 
Interesting! I don't know what the economic feasibility of this solution is over quad gates and concrete medians, though, and how much it really changes things.