Do trains have speed limits when they approach a city?

Question

Do trains have speed limits when they approach a city?

Answer 1

Yes -- in fact as stated above -- there's speed restrictions all over the railroad.  and not just because they're coming into town.

To give you an example -- [direct from the operating rules of the railroad that I live close to]

Freight trains may move at 60 miles an hour, until they reach the yard limits; then they MUST travel no faster than 10 mph until they reach the end of the yard limits, then it's 25 south bound, 60 northbound.  Going south, they are limited to 25 until they pass a certain street overpass; then it's back to 60.

And coming north, the train MUST ALREADY be at 25 when crossing the street.

Of course, it's a real hoot to see a rookie AMTRAK engineer coming north at 79 and realizing they're coming in "hot' and they won't make the speed restriction in time.  Such a racket of squealing wheels!

Answer 2

Your question seems to equate the operating of trains with autos, where you can go fast in the country, but must slow down in the city.

For trains, it's not like that.  First of all, trains have speed limits ALWAYS.  And these speed limits are for safety reasons, due to track conditions, or other physical or operational limitations, not necessarily because there is a city full of people along the way.

Just because a train approaches a city, that does not necessarily mean that the speeds will be lower.  There is an argument that goes that if a train gets through a crossing faster, then there is less overall disruption of traffic.  

Of course, not all cities agree, and some negotiate lower speed limits with railroads for their own reasons.  But it is in the railroads' best interest to keep speed limits high whenever possible, to move goods efficiently.

Answer 3

Yes, we do, and the city officials can set the speed limit they desire.  We begin slowing down well before the town limits because our dispatchers or the electronic signalling system mandates that we do, and then we have signs along the track that have the capital letter "W" on them which clearly tells us that we MUST begin blowing a specific set of whistle or horn sounds as we approach each and every crossing (two longs, a short and then another long whistle signal at each crossing), and then we cannot accelerate until we have had our locomotives cross an electronic signal, like a traffic signal for cars, that tells us that we can accelerate to "track speed", which is the speed allowed for unobstructed track.  Failure to adhere to these signals can cost a crew it's job, right then and there.  God Bless you.

Answer 4

I'll just add this:

Restricting speed is not always conducive to safer operations through towns and cities, in actuality and contrary to opinion.

The reason is simple ;  according to statistics, most collisions between trains and automobiles and fatalities to pedestrians occur when the train is moving at 30 mph or less.  It is very hard to gage the speed of a train by eyesight.  Just one more reason to stay outta the way...

P.S.  "KEY" trains?  You're dating yourself, Andy...  even if I didn't know you were a dinosaur I'd KNOW you were a dinosaur...

Answer 5

Yes and no

Every inch of a railroad track is governed by speed limits, set by the railroad and depending on operating conditions of the track.

If you mean speed limits set by the community not normally.  

A few communities have tried to pass speed limits that apply to trains but the railroads said that's not up to you to decide.

In fact I know of one town that took it to our State Supreme court and lost, communities cannot impose speed limits on railroad property.

Some communities working in the spirit of cooperation have asked railroads to slow down and they have complied but it has not improved crossing safety in the least.

On the railroad I work for, our most dangerous track for crossing fatalities is a 40 mile long branchline with a maximum speed of 25 MPH. All slower speeds do is make it easier to find the peices to give the coroner.

Speed limits dont improve safety, attentive vigilant drivers do.

Answer 6

Well, where I work they do, especially if we are carrying a special dangerous commodity.

But in general yes they do, because of the amount of crossings etc.

Answer 7

.Where i work no.The only things that limit our speed is entering yard limits and signal spacing.Also some of the track has speed restrictions.It used to be we were restricted to a lower speed if we were a "key"train which is one hauling certain dangerous loads but they did away with that rule.We go through city areas at 70mph or less depending on what we are hauling.Some areas do have lower speeds on trains but it's usually because of other rail congestion.