Do street-running trains have to follow special regulations?

Question

Do street-running trains have to follow stoplights, stop signs, and other things while it travels down the street?

Answer 1

Each situation is different and governed by local byelaws, rules, regulations and laws.

In the UK, trains operating on streets had to operate at low speed. Street running in the UK was not uncommon with examples in Weymouth, Glasgow, Govan, Kilmarnock, Middlesborough coming to mind. In some locations, other traffic was halted to allow the passage of trains. At one time in Weymouth, the train had to be preceded by a flagman carrying a red flag! I think a similar situation existed in Kilmarnock.

Answer 2

Railroads running in the street (or adjacent to the street, or in a median) is quite common.  

The rules generally worked out between the railroad and the municipalities involved, based on the situation.  It can be pretty much anything that makes sense based on what automobile drivers can understand, what is possible for trains, and the traffic density (road and rail).

Industrial spur lines frequently wind through streets, and some simply send a brakeman running ahead of the train and standing in the middle of the road with a flag.

The railroad can pre-empt a traffic light, using the same technology they use to activate gates and flashers.  In Tecumseh, Michigan USA, there was a rare case where the train simply obeyed a traffic light. (high road traffic, low rail traffic).

In Oakland, California, a double-track main line runs right down the median of Embarcadero Street.  The trains move quite brazenly at 15-30 mph. (medium road traffic, very high rail traffic.)

In western Michigan, a 110 mph Amtrak line runs on the edge of 4-lane US-12.  Traffic lights are set to keep traffic off of the railroad when a train approaches.

Civil engineers have discovered an amazing thing:  Many people do crazy things when they see railroad crossing gates and flashers, but just about everyone will obediently wait at a traffic light. Some railroads have tried putting traffic lights where road meets rail, either to replace flashers or to supplement them.

Answer 3

In the town of Locano in Switzerland the narrow gauge trains used to run on the streets in the town centre, this is no longer the case as a tunnel and new underground station was built next to the SBB station. But other parts of Switzerland see on street running (especially on the RhB)

In the UK there was a tramway used by mainline trains to access the quay at Weymouth - this was subject to a speed limit of 4mph with frequent pauses while parked cars were moved out of the way

Answer 4

In some industrial areas trains do operate along the middle of a roadway.

Some times there are special instructions governing operation of the train in these areas, but not as a rule.  In most instances the traffic lights are tied to track occupancy to control cross-traffic.

Soooooooo, stay out of the way.

Answer 5

No,I believe they have the right of way@all times

Answer 6

do you know you could get the right answer to this question in about half as many keystrokes if you just went somewhere else for that answer.

Answer 7

The train has the right of way.