3/20/04 Leaving Riverton grade crossing incident.

NJT River Line.
Slow acting track circut leads to almost a collision with a car.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• train

[robertgift]

Motorist did nothing wrong.

Train operator starts his grade crossing horn sequence too late. Also the signal activation is too late. Train operator MUST compensate for that. (WARNING: Hit me, train operator, you and your "railroad" get sued off the face of thearth!)

I hope they stop the use of his horns for crossings.

With signals and gates, horns are not needed and an.noyance to nearby residents and businesses.

[robertgift]

@doodlejtr I agree. Thengine MUST not enter the crossing before it has been closed by gates.

If no gates, hopefully the (o)"|"(o) have been operating long enough to give adequate warning.

In this case, the opeartor was wrong to enter before the gates had fully closed.

He is blaming the car when it is his railroad's fault and his fault for accelerating to the pointhat he beat the gates..

[doodlejtr]

@robertgift: Again, Sir, I say again: What you are saying about the crossing protection device circuits is correct. Maybe the rule requirement is different on the trolley lines. And, maybe the little dogs should not play with the big dogs, but the fact of the matter is, on the Class I railroads, their rules provide that it is the ENGINEERS' responsibility NOT to enter the crossing, with his train or engine, if a movement delay has caused the gates to raise.

[robertgift]

@doodlejtr The old crossing circuits would stay on as long as the train was shunting the circuit.

It's the new systems with which one must be careful.

The can detect forward progress of the shunt and reactivate signals. Sometimes they were/are a little late in detecting forward progress so the engine can arrive before the crossing is fully closed. But the train is usually moving slowly at that point.

Here, the operator is wrong in taking the auto license number for HIS signal failure.

[doodlejtr]

@robertgift: You are correct about the 20-25 seconds warning. This interval is almost always afforded when a train first hits the activation circuit. If a train stops, for whatever reason, within the approach, activation circuit, motion sensors on the crossing warning equipment will sense that train movement has ceased and will deactivate the crossing protection devices. Engineers cannot occupy the crossing, when movement resumes, until devices can be seen to be in the fully lowered position.

[robertgift]

@doodlejtr NOT the motorist's fault at all.

The grade crossing signals are to have closed the crossing WELL BEFORE train arrival.

Here, the train would have crossed before the gates were even down.

Initial signal activation is to be 25 seconds before train arrrival.

Hope they repaired the problem.

[doodlejtr]

Maybe not all the motorist's fault. Most railroad rules require, of the Engineer, that if train movement has stopped and then started again from within the crossing signal activation approach circuit, the Engineer MUST NOT foul the crossing until the gates are in the fully lowered position.

[tweeber69]

You should have horns that say "Get the **** off the tracks!"

[robertgift]

I was OL presenter until they wanted everyone to take a TWO DAY refresher course.

I'll look. Thanks.

I've read train/fire apparatus collision reports. No excuse. Can't believe they happen.

[Namerifrats]

@robertgift

None were due to any signal problems. Mostly just people driving around the gates and stopping on the track where there is an intersection, and they are stuck . I also do Operation Lifesaver. If you are an emergency responder, you should find the OL video on here for Emergency Personnel and check it out. Just covers the basics. You'd be surprised how many times I'm shown the video and people sitting in class didn't realize the danger.