A railroad-crossing barricade what is the main purpose of the counter weight?

Question

a. to prevent impatient motorists from beingable to lift the barricade bar easily when its down

b. to reduce the amont of work needed to loft the bar

c. to assist in lowering the bar back to its horizontal position

d. to keep the car from sliding off the fulcrum

Answer 1

It makes it easier to lift open if the motor fails.

Answer 2

To counter balance the weight of the arm so that little effort is required to lift the gate.

Answer 3

The counterweights once properly adjusted, acts to prevent damage to the motor and the gate, by allowing the gate to be lowered slowly and raised easily. The weights are adjusted horizontally, and vertically.Then gate torque is then callibrated with a torque wrench which is placed on the motor shaft to ensure correct weight position.

Answer 4

So they can use a smaller motor to save money.

Answer 5

Well.. Like everyone else is saying, it helps lift it. Becasue gravity is going to help on the way down. Going up, no gravity, well there is, but its working agisnt you. so with the weight on the other side it helps the motor move it. But... It also does somthing else.

    About two weeks ago, I was in a DD40x (if you dont know the name, its a frieght loco)  I was on the side track waiting for another train to go by, but after the first one went by (still another train few miles down) I noticed the arm did not go up. When that happens I am suppsoed to go and move it. I walked over to it and noticed it wasnot working anymore. So all I did was Jump up and put all my weight on that weight already there, and paaa the arm was pulled up, and I used the safty thing to hold it there, and I called it in to be repaired.

Answer 6

The weight does serve as a counter balance to make the gate easier to lift. However, not to lift if the motor fails, but to make the motor work less every time it has to lift the gate. This allows the motor to last much longer, thus costing less money in periodic repairs and replacements. Gates should never be lifted manually if the motor goes out. They are designed to "fail-safe". The safest position for the gates is down. This makes people look before going around them if nothing is coming. If someone lifts the gates and a motorist is struck by a train, the person that lifted the gate is personally liable. The best thing to do is call the phone number posted on the signal post and report the crossing being broken.