Pennsylvania Rd. Malfunction 2, Wyandotte, MI 1/28/08

I went back to the Pennsylvania crossing this morning (1/28/08), and the other track was still malfunctioning. It was due to a broken rail right in the middle of the roadway, or on the island part of the crossing. It kept going up and down for about a day.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Railroad
• Crossing
• Malfunction
• Pennsylvania
• Road
• Rd.
• CN
• Wyandotte
• Michigan

[TWCFanChris]

Does that mechanical bell on the gated signal on the side you were on ring?

[owensri2]

No, it doesn't work. There's a hidden General Signals Type 1 electronic bell on the gate mechanism right behind the cantilever.

[TWCFanChris]

Yeah.

I saw that on Google Street View.

What type of bell was ringing on the first mast to your left

[owensri2]

That would be a General Signals Type 1, but it didn't work at the time.  Just the bell on the gate mechanism was ringing.

[TheMommabeardee]

What is wrong with this railroad crossing

[freebrickproductions]

I hear a mechanical bell. Maybe the one shown DOES work and it is just ringing quietly?

[chuckufarly5]

lol that truck was probly liek "wtf stupid crossing wasted 10 seconds of my time" =P

[chris40539]

does the sign that says the amount of track say 3 or 4 tracks?

[elirosen1391]

@owensri2 I hear a mechanical bell ringing in the background.

[robertgift]

Good catch!

Interesting.

What is the cause?

Did you look at the track to see if something was shunting the rails?

At a crossing of a siding no longer in use, a 20 foot long pile of dirt on the track apparently was creating a conductive path almost to the threshold of activating the crossing signals. I was able to get the signals to operate with ease.

The track crossed a 4-lane road and rails abruptly cut and removed at the sidewalk. I was surprised thathe signals were still active.

[Trainking922]

Thats weird how the other mechanical bell on the other cantelever dose ring but the one close to you dosen't.

[owensri2]

Yes, you are right about the signals. They will turn red if a rail breaks, but this break was just beginning, and wasn't enough to cut off all types of current through it. The crossing system is very sensitive to faults, and it kept sensing it every time a car went over the track. (The broken rail was in the island section of the crossing, right where the cars cross over). The break wasn't that large either, but it was enough to keep the wayside signals functioning properly.

[wamaweur]

I dont understand, if a rail breaks, a circuit breaks, the train signals for that track goes/stays red, a train can't come on that track.

And a short between the 2 rails on that track activates the crossing.

(Or is the american system so very different from the europe system?)