I saw this on the cover of an MR issue some years ago (not sure which issue) but I haven't seen it since. The cover depicted a scene on a layout with a cement trucjk about to cross the tracks. I was intrigued to see a different style of "stuff" between the tracks in the form of a few pieces of rail between the main rails (think cattle guard style only for a gravel road). I've seen and researched asphalt and wood and so on. Has anyone seen the cattle guard style crossing on the prototype? It would be interesting to model and I have a place to do it.
MOO...
There is a prototype for everything. Go ahead and build it, let the nit pickers prove that it was never done like that.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
I have seen a crossing where between the rails it consisted entirely of lengths of rail, presumably retired rail. It was in an industrial area where heavy trucks crossed constantly and I assume the idea was to not have crossings of timbers, or asphalt, or gravel, or rubber mats, or cast metal, or even poured concrete within steel frames -- in other words, the more usual crossing materials -- take a beating and need frequent replacement. I cannot imagine it was a very smooth crossing but again, for the most part only very heavy trucks would have used it.
I just checked my 1939 Railway Engineering and Maintenance Cyclopedia (one of the most interesting books in my collection and a trove of useful information for a prototype modeler) and it has an entire section on highway crossings. It shows the all-rail crossing, which it says some railroads refer to as the armored crossing: scrap rail set parallel to and between the running rails, with the intervening spaces filled with bituminous compounds, concrete, cinders, crushed stone, or gravel. I think the one I saw had asphalt.
It also mentions that the all rail crossing presented a skidding hazard for motor vehicles when used at acute angles. I suspect that was not a problem for the slow moving heavy trucks I saw. The book makes no mention of bicycles but I have to imagine it is bone-jarring!
Dave Nelson
I've seen such crossings, too, and while I don't recall their specific location, I suspect that many were within the steel plant where I worked for almost 40 years.Many vehicles used there would have been prohibited from public roads, due to their excess weight and/or size. In a car or light truck, such crossings were surprisingly smooth, although on public roads, I usually take railroad crossings (those with which I'm familiar) at speed...hit the first bump, and fly over the rest.
Wayne
The crossing in the old Florida Rock quarry in Fort Myers, Florida were made like that. Some of the trucks that used this crossing were HUGE! Much bigger than you would ever see on a highway.
.
I crossed these crossings many times in a full size service truck, and they were not as rough as you might imagine. Being in a working quarry they gaps were all filled with crushed limestone. The railroad equipment kept the flangeways clear.
Several years ago Florida Rock moved their quarry operations to a new location further down Alico Road, and is no longer served by rail.
I have never seen this style of crossing on a public roadway.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
I know rail was used like this at a number of locations on the Akron Canton & Youngstown, and I'm certain it was commonly done elsewhere.
Tom
Tom provided this photo to support his reply above:
DeGolyer Library, SMU, Dallas, TX.
AC&Y 0-8-0 number 37 switching cars near North Main St. in Akron in 1937. [Correction: 1947] Crossings in foreground are probably N. Broadway. Note coarse brick paving stones, and several parallel lengths of rail at the crossings. Ohio Edison building in the distant haze used to be the Northern Ohio Traction & Light Interurban Terminal. AC&Y used rail for crossings at a lot of locations. Detail of a Bob Richardson photo.
c/o Ed
Thanks, Ed. One correction: The photo was dated 1947, shortly after the photographer returned from Army duty overseas. I guess I wasn't paying attention when I told you 1937.
..
TONY
"If we never take the time, how can we ever have the time." - Merovingian (Matrix Reloaded)
There is also, still, (as of two weeks ago today) a crossing this type, across a public road, on the WNYP tracks in NW PA.
It is located on a siding that sits south of the main that crosses Mead Ave. in Corry, just north of a manufacturing business.
This crossing, surprisingly, is smoother than the actual roadway it crosses!
Ricky W.
HO scale Proto-freelancer.
My Railroad rules:
1: It's my railroad, my rules.
2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.
3: Any objections, consult above rules.
Missabe and other local lines in NE Minnesota used this style crossing where mining equipment crossed the tracks.