Question about train crossings?

Question

How close do trains get before the train arms and lights are activated?

I crossed over tracks today in my car and the arms went down right behind me, I heard the train horn and the train was about 50 ft from crossing the road. The train was going very slow, but I am still wondering if they were cutting it too close.

Answer 1

it depends on the train's speed..it typically drops approximately 30 seconds before the train arrives...

Answer 2

Tough call, they are activated by the approach of a train or engine via sensors in the track that compute the time and distance.

It is possible they were adjusted wrong but it is very rigidly controlled.

If you think they are wrong there is an 800 number on all signal activation boxes with a signal location code, you are always welcome to call that number with comments or complaints.

This vividly illustrates a very good point, crossing devices are man made mechanical devices and will fail.

They are very very reliable with a high degree of redundance built in but they are NOT perfect.

Attentive vigilant drivers are the most reliable safety devices made, unfortunately there are not enough of them out there.

Thanks for watcing and noticing.

We in the locomotive cab truly appreciate drivers that are alert.

Answer 3

Predictor circuits can work out how fast a train is travelling and thus lower the barriers about the same amount of time no matter what speed the train is going.

What you saw may have been this: the train was approaching the crossing and triggered the lowering sequence. The train then came to a stand before reaching the barriers. Some barriers are designed with this in mind and will raise the barriers again after a decent interval to ensure the train really has stopped. When the train starts moving again, the lowering sequence starts again - and this is when you saw the train close to the crossing.

Answer 4

Geoff is right on point.

In the US, trains must not occupy the crossing until the gates are down.  What you probably saw was a train in switching operations, either running on a track secondary to the main, where the "bugs" that controll the signal are placed very close to the roadway.  This is done so that the gates will not stay lowered for extended periods of time while the train is doing its work.

This is always at slow speed and when the bug is too close, the train must be virtually on top of the crossing before the gates activate.  In this instance, the rules require that a crew member take a position at the crossing to afford flag protection to stop any vehicular traffic.

In these instances, sometimes the gates can be activated by either sounding the whistle (which they 'hear'), or by a crew member activating the crossing protection manually, usually with a key.

All of this allows the train to go back and forth while switching and lets you get to work on time because the gates weren't down the whole time it is working.  Even so, in California, the train can legally block the crossing for 10 minutes as provided by state law.

As always, things can and do go wrong, and the crossing protection may fail, so ALWAYS stop (when possible or practical), look and listen (windows down, music off) for an approaching train.  In your question you mention about noticing the train and its activity after you were on the crossing.  If a train had been "cutting it too close," you may not have made it across the crossing whithout being tagged.  Always check before occupying the crossing, and when in traffic, never occupy the crossing until you know you have room to pull all the way across it.  This sounds simple and it is, but, you'd be surprised at the number of people who get greased in this fashion each year.

A good safety question.  Here's your star.  Tell your friends and family, too.  It may save one of their lives...

Answer 5

As the above poster stated, the distance upon which a train activates a protected crossing (by completing the circuit) is dependent upon the track speed over that particular "block" (a railroading term to describe a section of track).  

I am not sure if 30 seconds is always the standard time in activating crossings before the train reaches it but I do know that plenty of time is to be given (and I believe more time is given as track speeds increase).  If the train was going quite slow, as you said, then it was probably traveling no faster than 5-10 mph, slow enough that the risk of an accident is quite slim in comparison to its distance from the crossing (I am also guessing that the locomotive was blowing its horn as well).

For instance, in my home town trains frequently travel down the busiest street in town and because it moves no faster than 5-10 mph the warning lights (no gates) do not activate until it is within 50-100 feet of the street (the locomotive is also blowing its horn well before the lights activate).