What is the main purpose for railroad-crossing barricade counter weight?

Question

What is the main purpose for railroad-crossing barricade counter weight?

Answer 1

sshazzam  nailed it..but while we are on the subject...never trust those crossing arms...especially in wet weather....look both ways before you cross any railroad track...you can expect a train in any direction at anytime....

Answer 2

BY PLACING A COUNTER WEIGHT ON THE OPPOSING END OF A CROSSING GATE YOU MINIMIZE THE LEVERAGE EFFECT THAT THE WEIGHT OF THE BARRICADE (GATE) HAS AGAINST THE MOTOR THAT MOVES THE BARRICADE UP AND DOWN.

EX. YOU WANT TO LIFT YOUR 100 POUND FRIEND OFF THE GROUND EITHER BY FULCRUM/ LEVER (TEETER TOOTER) OR ROPE AND PULLY (HOIST).

WHICH WOULD BE EASIER:

A. TRY TO DO ALL THE WORK YOURSELF.

B. HAVE ANOTHER 100 POUND FRIEND ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE LEVER OR ROPE AS YOU.

ANSWER- B -THE WEIGHT OF THE 100 POUND FRIEND ON THE SAME SIDE AS YOU, COUNTERS (OFFSETS) THE WEIGHT (COUNTERWEIGHT) OF YOUR FRIEND THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO LIFT. THEY ZERO OR CANCEL EACH OTHER OUT. ALL YOU ( THE MOTOR) HAS TO DO IS TO SET THEM IN MOTION.

Answer 3

to make it easier for the device to operate with less energy

Answer 4

its just to balance the barricade so it takes less energy to raise and lower it.

Answer 5

So it can stay up without any other mechanisms such as springs or electric motors.

Answer 6

The name says it all "railroad-crossing barricade counter weight"

The term counter weight off sets the weight of the barricade.

Yes it does help so that smaller motors etc can be used

but

what most people do not know is that they are balanced to within 30 pounds so that if they are stuck down or up the engagement pin to the motor drive can be removed and the barricade operated manually by a railroad worker so traffic can pass.

Answer 7

It's used to smack deer in the head who can't comprehend that a train is coming(-;