sensors req'd to give a certain amount of warning at railway crossings.

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by rank, Jan 11, 2013.

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  2. lexmark

    lexmark Medium Load Member

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    If true, 6 years to upgrade a crossing warning system to account for increased speed is ridicuously dangerous. And since the warning system was working as intended, then the driver either didn't stop and look(assuming he would have been able to see the train approaching) or he was already on the tracks when the crossing was activated. Either way, a tragedy.

    I work for a railroad in the exact department that would be responsible for the crossing system and everyday I see drivers that stop on the tracks when traffic is backed up or the go through the crossing after it is activated and the lights are going off and the barriers are starting to come down.
     
  3. Pedigreed Bulldog

    Pedigreed Bulldog Road Train Member

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    I live next to a rail crossing, and regularly see trucks stopped on the tracks. They don't seem to understand that they are not supposed to enter the crossing unless they can safely clear it without having to stop. One of these days, they'll do it in front of the right pair of eyes and they'll get a nice fat driving award and some time off to think about what they did....or they'll learn the hard way when they get clobbered by a train.

    Note: You don't have to actually get hit by a train. All you have to do is enter the crossing, and then stop on the tracks because you didn't have room to completely clear the tracks. 1st offense disqualifies you upon conviction.
     
  4. snowwy

    snowwy Road Train Member

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    your also not supposed to shift when crossing the tracks.

    but it really amazes me the dumb truckers that cross when they shouldn't. it's like they're totally clueless
     
  5. rank

    rank Road Train Member

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    For those of you that misse dthe original story, the poor SOB driver in the link was in a veterans day parade. He was pulling a float with veterans on it...some injured. He drove onto the tracks and the parade stopped. The the train came. The vets were scrambling to get off the float but I guess some couldn't due to their injuries. Man what a terrible thing.
     
  6. Ghost Ryder

    Ghost Ryder Road Train Member

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    Where the sensors are placed won't make a difference, because you're still gonna have idiots that'll want to play chicken. When that alarm sounds, it doesn't mean "Cross the tracks as fast as you can". It means "There's a train coming you idiot".
     
    lexmark Thanks this.
  7. lexmark

    lexmark Medium Load Member

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    The only time it's acceptable to cross the tracks with an activated crossing is when there is no actual barrier and you can clearly see that there is no train. BUT the key ingredient, which so many don't understand, is to "STOP, LOOK, LISTEN" then proceed.
     
  8. Ghost Ryder

    Ghost Ryder Road Train Member

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    Even then it isn't acceptable. If said train is moving along at 55mph, it can travel the length of a football field in under a second. It'll take you more than a second to clear the tracks.

    Gates and alarms can malfunction, I'll give you that. But I'm not about to take that risk by assuming every RR gate is malfunctioning. Knowing my luck I'd get creamed by the Amtrack moving at 80mph. Reminds me of the boy who cried wolf.
     
  9. lexmark

    lexmark Medium Load Member

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    Absolutely stop and give it a bit of time. Especially if there's a curve. Unless the trains are not allowed to whistle in the area, they must sound the horn when approaching a crossing.

    I'm not 100% but I would think that you would have gates on any crossing with multiple tracks. Never, ever go around a gate that's down unless you've been waiting for 20 mins or so. I think at that point it would be safe to assume there's no train.
     
  10. dibstr

    dibstr Road Train Member

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    May want to check the math on that. To travel 100 yds in one second would mean the train is traveling a tad over 204 mph.

    Best regards
     
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