Crossing lights question

Does anyone know why sometimes trains can be far away and the gates and lights go on, when other times the train rolls right up slowly to within feet of the crossing before it activates? It's shocking to see such a massive wall of steel approaching the xing with no protection on, especially for drivers of automobiles going over the crossing.

Most of the new crossing installations use equipment that detects the speed of the train and activates accordingly.

Dick

A similar topic in conjunction to this one can be found at this link http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... sc&start=0
Should be able to give you some more information on how they work.

On the Plaistow-Portland mainline, all of the crossings are equipped with speed detection circuitry that activates the crossing protection 30 seconds before the train hits the crossing, regardless of how fast the train is going.

Minimum of gates operating 20 seconds before occupying crossing per NORAC Rules.

I know there is a crossing on the commuter rail at Canton Center station at Washington St that does not go down until the engineer activates is using the touchtone pad on the radio going outbound. That way while the train is making the station stop it is not tying up Canton Center. At Brandis going outbound the gates will go down, but if the train stops at the station they will then go back up. The engineer must then creep up and when it dectects movement the gates will go back down. There are probably a few other places it does this as well. I am sure other railroads use these types of crossings as well.

I'll also add that the cut-out time on the FML is 20 seconds. Once the train is stopped for 20 seconds the grade crossing will deactivate.

On another note, the crossings will activate for a train approaching at track speed at the point where there is an "XC" sign.

-Chad

The MBTA's Melrose Highlands Station is right next to a road and both north bound and south bound trains never stay clear of the road. If the train stops it blocks the road, I see it happen all the time when I'm in the area. I have also seen it happen for the West Medford Station as well.

The answer may depend on the individaul case. some crossings had their circuits set up when the line had a higher track speed. The Framingham,Fall River & New Bedford lines come to mind . These lines once were good for 25-35 miles per hour but over the years have had train speeds reduced to 10 mph. Also some crossings on low speed lines have been set up as "island circuits" where the lights don't start until a train is only a few feet away. High St. in Assonet on the Fall river line is one example, University Ave in Westwood is another.

b&m 1566 wrote:If the train stops it blocks the road, I see it happen all the time when I'm in the area. I have also seen it happen for the West Medford Station as well.

One difference about West Medford is that it has a crossing tender on-duty.

theinsider wrote:I know there is a crossing on the commuter rail at Canton Center station at Washington St that does not go down until the engineer activates is using the touchtone pad on the radio going outbound.

The use of the radio touch-tones only started about six months ago, and is not required to activate the gates. Stopping at the Stop board and creeping onto the circuit still works without using the touch-tones.

PharmerPhil54 wrote:University Ave in Westwood is another.

But then again, that is Restricted Speed not to exceed 10MPH, I'm sure you know where the circuits are, only about 1&1/2 cars away from the crosing on each side. But did you get permission by the "CC boards"?!? LOL

At Willows (Ayer), trains can all the time at the crossing. Soooo, what makes the gates not open then, but open when a through freight somes by?

A side note... it's neat to see both the Guilford and MBTA crossings open and close there... there is a slight delay...

JD

The gates only operate at Willows Rd. crossing if the signal is pulled in by the dispatcher. If a train or track car is given Rule 241 authority to pass the Stop signal the gates will operate once the wheels pass the insulated joints at the home signal. Of course the track car will operate the gates only if it shunts the track!

DAW

NellsChoo wrote:At Willows (Ayer), trains can all the time at the crossing. Soooo, what makes the gates not open then, but open when a through freight somes by?

A side note... it's neat to see both the Guilford and MBTA crossings open and close there... there is a slight delay...

JD

Rule 241? What rulebook do they use? I thought Rule 241 was the LIRR's Manual Block Rules, sounds similar to this.

Operations on the Springfield Terminal Railway are governed by NORAC operating rules. Rule 241 explains how a dispatcher may give permission to a train or trackcar past a stop signal. I'd type the rule out, but it's kinda long.