In Friday's Metro, SEPTA had a brief paragraph outlining how trains are to sound their horns when approaching grade crossings per new FRA regs.
I'm just wondering how it will affect how the engineers currently use the horns (if at all).
The paragraph stated that horns must be sounded for 15-20 seconds but not more than a 1/4 mile before crossing the grade.
Does that mean that trains will be limited in speed when approaching crossings? It sounds like for the duration and distance, that the train would have to be going 35-40mph. Don't we have crossings where the trains travel at higher speeds?
I know from watching NS trains crossing County Ln Road on the Trenton Cutoff that they still use the traditional 2 long (5 sec), 1 short (2 sec) and 1 long pattern. But it seems as they sometimes start more than a 1/4 mile away.
I've also noticed alot of crossings dont have the old "W" sign anymore. Does that leave the engineer guessing when he is within range to start sounding the horn?
I take it this legislation is from NIMBY complaints? Look at the hassles the Riverline went through, those guys hardly sound the horn at all now.
I'm just wondering how it will affect how the engineers currently use the horns (if at all).
The paragraph stated that horns must be sounded for 15-20 seconds but not more than a 1/4 mile before crossing the grade.
Does that mean that trains will be limited in speed when approaching crossings? It sounds like for the duration and distance, that the train would have to be going 35-40mph. Don't we have crossings where the trains travel at higher speeds?
I know from watching NS trains crossing County Ln Road on the Trenton Cutoff that they still use the traditional 2 long (5 sec), 1 short (2 sec) and 1 long pattern. But it seems as they sometimes start more than a 1/4 mile away.
I've also noticed alot of crossings dont have the old "W" sign anymore. Does that leave the engineer guessing when he is within range to start sounding the horn?
I take it this legislation is from NIMBY complaints? Look at the hassles the Riverline went through, those guys hardly sound the horn at all now.