First Train With New Crossing Gates in Riverdale Park

[Hayeshacker0NE]

from 0:04 - 2:30 is pointless

[BBT609]

These signals start WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY to early. 2 minutes is long enough. The maximum distance is 1/2 of a mile from the crossing. NOT 3 to 4 miles away.

[bubba2781]

@BBT609

They fixed this a while back. Now only a really slow moving train will cause this to happen.

[alexandrucampina]

i like the sound of the birds....

[CHCFD13]

woah! When did the train arrive??? I fell asleep waiting

[rd1027]

Quite a while before you see the train, Usually anytime i see a quad gate set up its to make it a horn free zone so nice to here some horn there.

[bubba2781]

@rd1027

We were thinking at the time they would go silent here but there is a lot of pedestrian traffic here so I guess they decided not to.

[gregrocks66]

@rd1027 they are putting the quad gates on 45th Street Griffith IN, sadly its cuz it will be a QZ

[AndyJay15]

I think the guy in the silver car gets bored of waiting.. Lol.

[p42Amtrak83]

It takes 2 minutes before the train even comes!

[Bocca013]

Sadly, where I live these crossings are becoming a problem and they are causing traffic Jams and some have been removed

[ziggster59]

@bubba I was kinda joking about the cat,just reminded me of the old sleeping kitty logo.

[bubba2781]

@ziggster59

It is. You are one of the few who understood the significance. Thanks

[bubba2781]

@tim140ne

Riverdale Park, MD just outside Washington DC

[GEES44DC]

They need to install a smart crossing here. When the train is crawling, the gates won't go down until the last second.

[targqul]

Some comments. This is a 4 quadrant gate. As stated below, the entrance gates close first.. then the exit gates come down after a predetermined time. This allows any traffic in the crossing to safely exit (and not get stuck between gates).

As for the bells, they should stay sounding the whole time.. They are to alert pedestrians of an approaching train (think visually impared). At least that is what we do in Arizona

[ziggster59]

Lemme guess...the cats name is Chessie,right?

Those "electronic" bells are lame,wouldn't even here them in big truck with windows closed.

[bubba2781]

@ziggster59

Actually this one is name Abby, had two cats over the years names Chessie though.

You're right about the bells, just don't sound right and are not that loud.

[mulatto321]

@ziggster59 i agree, mechanical hybrids are so much better but unfortunately no railway supplier, save Ansaldo make them anymore!

[gregrocks66]

the las gate, took a long time for it to go down

[metroliner89]

Wow that CSX was slow coming to the crossing!

[metroliner89]

Wow that CSX is slow!

[InformationCenter]

I dont get it. Why does the bell ring when they are comming down. and not while they are down. the lights just flash. are the bells not needed to sound after the gates has been lowered?

[bubba2781]

@InformationCenter - My guess would be that the bell is to warn that the gates are coming down. Once the gates are fully down the bell is no longer needed. I have seen that when the gates are down for one train and then a second train approaches the bell will sound again.

[jbjbigfan]

well mainly cuz the bell is only there to warn both the gates and for the train but the reason they dont signal while theyre completely down is because the train useally blows the horn as soon as the bell finishes our does the same except our rings when it goes back up also the reason it took a minute for the train to come was because the gates always give a headstart warning because most idiots want to cross the railroad after the gates are already down or coming down

just to warn them bell

[elirosen1391]

What kind of gates were there before?

[bubba2781]

@elirosen1391 single gates on each side of the tracks. The overhead lights were not there before either.

[elirosen1391]

@bubba2781 I'm guessing that had mechanical bells too?

[bubba2781]

@elirosen1391 yes they did. They new electronic ones suck.

[elirosen1391]

@bubba2781 It's always sad to see a fine mechanical bell come down. Did it have any problems?

[bubba2781]

@elirosen1391 No, the whole reason for the new gates was to fully block the road because of so many idiots weaving through the gates when a train was coming. See me video Almost Accident at Crossing between Train and SUV - CLOSE! and you will see what I mean.

[elirosen1391]

@bubba2781 Do the sidewalk gates still struggle to go down?

[bubba2781]

@elirosen1391 There aren't any side walk gates. The second set that comes down does cover the sidewalk but it fully covers the road. They come down later to give a car on the crossing time to clear before the crossing is fully blocked.

[bwitz72]

Ah the traffic is stopped.. the lights are flashing beautifully.. the birds are chirping in the trees.. a nice gentle wind can be heard whistling thru the leaves.. a family unfurls a blanket for a picnic at the park.....a beautiful quite day... wait... what's that I hear?

[ekoslosky]

no bells

[UltraJoosh]

- Bells go off.

-Gates go down.

-Silence for 2 minutes.

-Horn blares

-Train crosses.

-Bells ring again.

-Gates go up.

[EastCoastTrainVideos]

where are the gates located

[bubba2781]

@EastCoastTrainVideos

Queensbury Rd in Riverdale Park MD

[Bus7777]

Anyone want to wake me up when the train gets close? :-P The warning time needs to be adjusted.

[maddennis55]

I was thinking that train was in the next town when the gates came down. I had dinner and a short nap before the train came along! (sarcastic kidding) It's this kind of delay that makes people want to go around the gates.

[Glennishking]

Why does the signal activate when the train is so far away? I don't understand the need for that.

[bubba2781]

They have adjusted it some but when a slow freight comes through it can still be up to 2 minutes. Guess the main reason is for the MARC commuter trains a couple of them are express and don't stop here. They are going about 60MPH.

[trainz675]

they can add more circits like the BNSF DOSE... csx csx CSX

[Larsky1010]

Two and a half minutes is a long time for a non-railfan to sit awaiting a train. I can see why four gates are necessary here!

[Flipzsd2]

nice vid! the gates went down waayyyy early tho

[UltraJoosh]

I couldn't agree more.

[Barricade360]

wow nice video, in my town there is only 2 railroad crossings that actually have gates, lights and bells, and they have been here for how long, i dont know who to contact about my opinnion, the railroad that runs through this town is PCC Palouse River and Coulee City railroad

[ER801]

Wow, about a 4 second drop on the exit gates. Do they know how to adjust snubbing resistors and counterweights? They could also use a predictor there, warning time is very excessive.

[UltraJoosh]

Wonder why the gates went down so early. Good video, man! ;)

[Sniper12890]

The Safetran Bells are supposed to shut off when the gates are down. This crossing has 2 bells on it. 1 bell shuts off when the right gates are down. The other bell shuts off when the left gates are down.

[109herrera]

the bell sounds wierd on 5:07

[ER801]

Sounds like a backup alarm on a nearby truck, not for the grade crossing.

[robertgift]

2.5+ minutes from signal activation until train arrives.

Far too long.

Unacceptable.

Why?

[bubba2781]

Two reasons: first these were brand new and some adjustments were made so that in general this is no longer the case. However the gates do activate from further away for westbounds than they uses to. The other thing is this train was not moving very fast.

[robertgift]

Thanks, bub.

Do not such grade crossings have speed detection to predict when to activate?

So if a train is moving 5 mph, the system will activate when the train is quite close - if 60 mph it will activate while the train is still distant?

I think they want 25 seconds from activation until train arrival.

They may add more time to allow the second set of gate to close.

Why did they do this?

Collision with someone going around the gates?

Thanks.

[bubba2781]

I'm not the expert on the crossing gates but what you say makes sense. The reason they did this is because it is a high traffic area and many would run the gates. They have been some incidents here most recently involving two Metro buses. No fatalities that I am aware of and I guess they want to keep it that way.

[robertgift]

Thanks.

Wow! You'd think the bus drivers would be professional and know how to handle railroad grade crossings.

[ECDT1089]

The 83 metrobus stops there.

[6V92TA]

i miss the high speed "school bell" ding ding ding bells. Dam electronic ones sound so......electronic lol!

[prorobo]

Electronic bell, BOO!

[bubba2781]

Agree

[Baltimora1957]

Nice double gates on each side. Every crossing needs those so the stupid people of the world can't drive around them when they're there to protect them.

[idiotman76]

slow train much?

[Alizara75]

Apparently someone really needs their OJ. Does that make this the 'Orange' Blossom Special?

[Porow501]

Nice. I like those Tropicana cars.

[robertgift]

2:45 before train arrives?!

If I didn't love trains and signals, I'd be really angry.

Should be 25 seconds.

No horn needed at that crossing.

Hopefully soon designated a quite zone.

What was the strange sound beginning at 5:09?

Thank you.

[bubba2781]

They had a lot of adjusting to do after they got these setup. The strange sound is actually my cell phone. You wouldn't believe how often someone calls me when a train is passing! We though they would make this a quiet zone but I guess with the amount of pedestrian traffic in this area the decided not to.

[robertgift]

Oh. Thanks.

Pedestrians? What a ridiculous reason NOT to designate a Quiet Zone.

Actually, I wonder if that is a reason?

The gates span both sidewalks.

I bet they will win quite zone designation if they apply for it.

Pretty kitty!

[pengapop12]

i hope they dont then it wouldnt be fun watching them am i rite

[JDM3550]

Well, I guess we all know now what the train is carrying. CSX must really love their Tropicana orange juice.

[bully73944]

Also the engineer waaited way to long to blow his horn and it was not even standard. What I know about CSX that's a repremand.

[bully73944]

I know in Quantico Va. Those gates come down way before the train gets there, but not this long. That is enough to get someone killed!

[w8inonmahburgerz]

i thought it was gonna b quiet zone =p

[bubba2781]

There had been talk about it don't know what happened except there are too many pedestrians crossing all over here.

[theup3985]

In Germany, the gates go down way in advance of the train like this. It's not normal in the U.S. for the gates to go down this early though; that was way too early. It took almost two minutes for that train to get there after the gates went down.

[blazian1011]

dont u think the train came a little too late, or the sensor too far?

[bubba2781]

They adjusted the sensor.

[UP1340]

The sensor is oversensitive.

[quickman55]

Is it normal 4 the bells not 2 ring when the arms r down?

[bubba2781]

Most of the ones in this area a like that. We do have one where the bell rings the whole time.

[quickman55]

Even if the arms go up?

[UP1340]

In my area, Only Spring School Rd and the crossings on the CBQ have bells ringing a lot

[ER801]

There is no need for a bell to ring after the gates are down, as the crossing is closed, and the trains horn is plenty loud. Bells ringing while gates rise is unsafe, as a bell means to clear the tracks.

[Lehnerd57]

Nice gates they should have them in Georgia also one not enough here people go around gate it ought be one other side to lower with other like a fence would....I wish CXS would do it

[ER801]

no thanks, we don't need all that "quad gate" mess here in Georgia to worry with.

[TWphoenix24]

what state is that?

[bubba2781]

Maryland

[travelplus1]

wow the gates went down where is the train was there a problem

[bubba2781]

The gates needed adjustment and the train was really slow.

[Caltrain927]

I think that CW44AC is actually a SD70ACe.

[bubba2781]

CSX #482 is in fact a CW44AC unit. You can tell by the radiator cover on the rear that it is not an EMD unit.

[Caltrain927]

No, I'm pretty sure that's a SD70ACe.

[bubba2781]

Your eyes are better than mine. I stand corrected. I reviewed the original and took a couple of stills and what looked like 482 is 4842 which is an SD70ACe. My bad, good pick up.

[GaithersburgRail]

He's Right. That was a SD70ACe.

[coolstuff118]

why did it take the train train so long to get at the crossing?

[bubba2781]

Two reasons. 1. It was not going very fast and secondly the trip mechanism for the gates was moved much further up the line the it should be. They have since adjusted that somewhat.

[coolstuff118]

thanks

[edscfa]

Good stuff. God bless the signal gang.

[tfoster09]

Why did it take so long for the gates on the opposite side of the traffic lanes to go down? Isn't the point of those gates to NOT let traffic have an opportunity to get around the gates. The delay in those gates made going around them a good opportunity.

[bubba2781]

Its so that idiots who get through the first gate don't get trapped on the tracks. I have already seen a couple almost get stuck that way. I think the delay may be too long though.

[tfoster09]

Idiots is a nice way of saying it ;) I know they are delayed a little, but this crossing is delayed WAY too long. It's pretty bad there is so many stupid drivers that we have to put in quad gates, or even gates in themselves. If people weren't so stupid, we could just have flashing lights at all the crossings!

[edscfa]

Are you with a signal gang?

[westernkyrail]

i love those quad gates. i think they're so cool.

[thetrainman407]

NICE!

[bubba2781]

Thanks

[thetrainman407]

your very welcome

[railfanalways]

Nice video.

[bubba2781]

Thanks, Been waiting for almost 2 months for these gates to go in service.

[redsoxfan423]

Nice gates! That 2nd engine is actually an SD70ACe. Wouldn't a 741 go west/south?

[bubba2781]

You are correct it is westbound. Thanks for noticing.

[GaithersburgRail]

Great video. The Railroad crossing signal went off to early. It was 2 minutes.

[bubba2781]

Thanks. You should have seen the next train. It pulled up and stopped and the gates stayed down for over 15 minutes! I think a little adjustment is needed.