How can you tell when a railroad signal is going to come down?

Question

will there be a mark beside it or a tag onit

Answer 1

The bells ring and the lights flash 10 seconds before the arms come down.

Answer 2

I am guesing you are asking when the signals are going to activate, and no, not any way to know.

A smart aleck would say when a train is near, and that is the real answer too.

They are activated by the approach of railroad equipment completing low voltage curcuits within the rails themselves, that way they know when a train stops before it gets to the crossing and the gates can come back up.

There is a very high level of protection and redundancy to try and avoid signals not coming down when required.

There will be no other advance warnings, it starts when the approaching equipment is a specified distance according to the maximum speed on that peice of track, I have been near tracks and been totally surprised by the gates, most of us have actually.

Answer 3

Like a highway crossing gate?   Don't worry about the gates coming down suddenly on your car.  There are several seconds of flashers and bell, then the gates come down slowly.  You'll see it coming in time, unless you drive an 18-wheeler, in which case the gate might clip your trailer as it comes down.  The gate is weak, it will break away.

However, don't stop under the crossing gates and hope to move before they fall.  You should never stop under the gates or on the track.  If traffic is backed up ahead of you, stop before the gates and wait til there's plenty of room to get clear of the tracks.  If somebody behind you gets impatient, let HIM win the Darwin award :b

Answer 4

Near the crossing are motion sensiors which the train accivates a signal which turns on the flashing lights and lowers the arm.  When the train passes the lights turn off and the arm raises.

Answer 5

the lights will start flashing first and shortly after the arms will start coming down

Answer 6

Derek,

Usually one can tell when the railroad will either lay the new signals at the current location of the old signals (and install them at a later date) or somewhere along the rail line that is to receive new signals.