stop signs at crossings

[Anonymous]

how come there are not Stop signs at railroad crossings Would not people stop then and wait for the train to go by like at an enter-section?

[David_Telesha]

I'm not sure where you are writing from.

In the US, a RR Cross-buck is the same thing as a yield sign, which means the auto MUST stop if necessary.

Some crossings (private mostly) have stop signs.

Most others have a crossbuck, and ones with red flashers, gates and the like - you MUST stop on signal.

In other words, just a crossbuck, slow down and look, stop and proceed if necessary.

Automatic warning, slow down, stop on signal.

Unless you can't see and there is no automatic warning there is no real need to stop and wait like an intersection.

[Anonymous]

because the flow of traffic would be at a stand still, how many trains go by as compared to motor vehicle traffic,that's why most roads have crossing signals of some sort.

[Anonymous]

We've got at least two unguarded crossings in Covington, GA that I'm aware of, with only stop signs. One is at the CSX interchange with the Great Walton RR, the other is a GWRR crossing on the other side of town. Neither are used very often by trains, but because there is a stop sign there, legally, auto's must stop. The interchange in particular is a great hangout for cops trying to raise their traffic ticket count. There are three restaurants within 1/10th of a mile of the crossing, all of which are great places for cops to sit and watch to see if people stop or not. Even though the interchange only sees about one train crossing it every couple weeks, if that. Strangely though, Hwy 278, a 5 lane state road through Covington, crosses the same interchange about 100 yards away, and is completely unguarded. No signals, no stop signs, no nothing. The locomotive has to creep out into the crossing wailing on the horn. Very rarely do I see the conductor walk out into the street and stop traffic and use road-flares.

[Anonymous]

In a ajoining suburb (Mundelein) they have crossings that have train horn system attached to poles by the gates. Craziest thing, you hear the horn from speakers and when the train arrives, it doesn't blow it's horn.

[WSOR 3801]

http://www.wsorrailroad.com/crossing1/

Laws vary by state.

In Wisconsin, crossbucks are only a caution sign, like before a curve in the road. My boss has a program to put up stop signs at every passive crossing (without lights/bells/gates) that he can. Other crossing get a "Yield" sign. It seems to help. The motorist can be ticketed for failing to stop. We still lay on the horn when needed.

[Anonymous]

BC Hydro in lower mainland British Columbia (Now Southern BC) had stop signs affixed to crossbuck where there were no automatic signals. I understand it was cooperation between the Dept of Highways, who have the authority for stop signs and the railway.

[WSOR4492]

To add to WSOR 3801's comments, the state of Wisconsin now has it that all non-signaled crossing is to have a yield sign below the cross bucks. This just went into effect recently.

[Anonymous]

In Wisconsin, WSOR has been campaigning for years to have stop signs mounted on RR grade crossing signs where there are no flashing lights or gates. It used to be that the state regulators were opposed to stop signs at RR crossings, on the theory that motorists would ignore the stop signs at RR crossings, and by extension, would generally ignore stop signs. Go figure.

[Anonymous]

it may not be relavant, but australia has lots of rr crossings with only stop signs. that is in the country.

[rolleiman]

QUOTE: Originally posted by David_Telesha



Most others have a crossbuck, and ones with red flashers, gates and the like - you MUST stop on signal.

We all know that not everybody stops, looks, and listens.. How many times per year does some moron get plastered onto the front of a locomotive because he was in some big dumb hurry?

[IRONROOSTER]

Sounds like a good idea to me. I always slow way down at crossings. Of course I'm hoping a train is coming. But I think a yield sign where there is good visibility and a stop where there is not should be the norm.
Enjoy
Paul

[wjstix]

This reminds me...one item I'd love to see available in HO is the old Griswold flashing crossbuck. They were made in Minneapolis MN and were very common in the midwest, I'm sure a few are still around.

When a train approached, the flashers lit per usual, but is also had a mechanical "STOP" sign that was below the flashers and crossbuck. The "STOP" sign was normally turned 90 degrees away from the road so you wouldn't see it, but when the train approached, the sign rotated 90 degrees to face oncoming traffic.

I wouldn't think it would be that hard to animate it with a slow-motion switch machine.[:)]

http://www.trainweb.org/dansrailpix/griswold_1.htm

[HoosierDaddy]

Unfortunately, there are many people who don't stop even when there is a stop sign. Here is an exerpt from a story from today's local paper. Sadly it involved a fatality.

According to Ashwell, James had been backing up the truck, a 1986 Ford F-150, in his driveway, which crosses the tracks.

Ashwell said the conductor of the westbound freight train saw James back up onto the tracks. When the conductor saw that the truck wouldn't be able to move in time, the conductor told the engineer to blow the train whistle.

"The engineer held down the whistle and held it down right until impact," Ashwell said.

Norfolk Southern Corp. owns the train and the tracks, but the crossing itself is part of the Noble property. There is a stop sign in front of the tracks and a sign marking the area as a railroad crossing.

The full story is here:
http://www.jconline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060207/NEWS/602070322/1152

HD

[jeffhergert]

QUOTE: Originally posted by fiverings

In Wisconsin, WSOR has been campaigning for years to have stop signs mounted on RR grade crossing signs where there are no flashing lights or gates. It used to be that the state regulators were opposed to stop signs at RR crossings, on the theory that motorists would ignore the stop signs at RR crossings, and by extension, would generally ignore stop signs. Go figure.

In Iowa, it's county by county. Some require stop signs at public crossings with no flashing lights/gates on county maintained roads. Some don't.
There is some truth to the theory. I was stopped at a crossing one time, outside of my pickup taking pictures for some modelling project. A small truck from a farm service company drove right over the crossing, ignoring the stop sign. There was no train coming, but you'ld think the driver would be more careful seeing how it appeared someone was waiting for a train. That driver never even looked down the tracks. Plus the truck was placarded for transporting hazardous materials.
Jeff

[Philcal]

Stop signs at RR crossings are not uncommon in the Southern U.S. In Alabama, there is no requirement that a stop sign be placed at an otherwise unprotected grade crossing, but quite a few local entities,(cities and counties) will place them. When they are placed, a full stop is required. Unfortunately, even at the best protected crossings, there is always the motorist who will try to beat the train. As a retired state police officer, I worked my fair share of these. I never did see a car or light truck emerge with less damage than the train.

[jblackwelljr]

Norfolk Southern has a double track that passes through my company’s property in western Berks county, PA. There are stop signs erected but I’m not sure if they were erected by NS or my company. This is a busy line (at least 10-12 trains per 8 hour day) and also a busy private road, as it’s the only access road to our plant production area.

As an added precaution, NS blows the LLSL signal with every passing – which we pay for because it’s a private crossing. Even with this, several years ago 2 employees were killed when they ignored all these warnings and failed to stop. I’ll never understand that thinking.

[emdgp92]

Here's one for you: http://toyotameister.tripod.com/albany/wreckf40.jpg

This F40 hit a truck somewhere in NY. Judging by the bashed-in nose and other damage, I'd hate to see what the truck looked like...

Check out this one: http://www.trainweb.org/brettrw/fec/carwreck.html. This idiot simply drove into the train.

The next two involve a tractor driver, who was wearing headphones and tried to cross the tracks...and died as a result.

http://www.trainweb.org/brettrw/derail/uprr/kansas/tractor03.html
http://www.trainweb.org/brettrw/derail/uprr/kansas/tractor07.html

As you can see, not much is left. I'd like to know why people do this. Is saving a few seconds *really* worth the risk of getting hurt or even killed? I really doubt it.

[tomikawaTT]

Decals on the rear of busses read, "This vehicle stops at all railroad crossings," or "This vehicle stops at all railway crossings." (Actually saw one of each on the same vehicle yesterday, a CAT bus in North Las Vegas.) How many busses have been rear-ended when they stopped and someone else didn't?

The best thing I ever saw on the back of a bus was on a U.S. Forces bus in Japan in the '60's - "Trains have both might and right! Stop at all rail crossings."

[espiller]

In East Wallingford, VT, there is a crossing where state Rt 140 crosses the Green Mountain RR. When I lived there in the early 70s, there was a stop sign for the railroad. The train would stop and the brakeman/conductor would stand in the road to stop traffic while the train went through. Don't know if they still do it this way.