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[quote user="jeffhergert"] <blockquote> <div><img src="/TRCCS/Themes/trc/images/icon-quote.gif" /> Bucyrus:</div> <div></div> It is easy to miss the point about the lack of a yellow light phase at grade crossings:   Practically speaking, you don’t need the yellow light because there is a warning time built into the period between start of activation and the train arriving at the crossing.  So there is no problem arising directly from the missing yellow light.   The problem is more of an indirect nature.  The problem is cultivating a belief on the part of drivers that it is okay to violate the red flashing signals.   The official approval for that violation comes from a crossing warning that presents a full stop command to drivers when it is impossible for them to comply because they need time to decelerate.   Authorities wag their fingers at drivers and lecture them about stopping for the red flashing lights, and then blithely set up a warning system that makes it impossible to stop in time.  To drivers, it is a mixed message.  It waters down the authority of the warning system.  It gives encouragement to gate running.      <div style="clear:both;"></div>   </blockquote> Since the crossbucks themselves are akin to a yield sign, couldn't it be argued that motorists should already be approaching a crossing prepared to stop and yield the right of way, no matter if the lights are flashing or not?   Many jurisdictions have added either yield or stop signs to crossbuck only crossings.  It seems most drivers that I've seen ignore them, too.  It's like they must think that since it's a crossing, the stop sign doesn't matter. I remember reading some place, years ago in Trains, installed traffic lights at a crossing to see if it cut down on accidents.  I don't know if there was ever a follow up on it, but I think I've seen it tried other places.  The only problem with a yellow light before a red, is that some drivers think the yellow means, "GO FASTER!" Jeff  <div style="clear:both;"></div> [/quote] Jeff, That is a good point.  The crossbuck is a yield sign, so drivers should be prepared to stop.  Traffic authorities have found that most drivers are not aware that a crossbuck is a yield sign, so they are adding yield signs to passive crossings, as you mentioned.   <o:p></o:p> I asked Operation Lifesaver and MNDOT why they are not going to add yield signs to signalized crossings, and they told me that yield signs are not needed at signalized crossings because the signals protect drivers.  I asked what if the signals fail, and they told me the signals cannot fail because they are fail-safe.    <o:p></o:p> I would say that if many drivers do not know that a crossbuck means yield at a passive crossing, many more will not know it means yield at a signalized crossing.  Just like MNDOT says, drivers will feel protected by the signals.   <o:p></o:p> Yielding requires slowing down from the posted limit if visibility is too short to yield at full speed.  There are signalized crossings with very limited sight distance.  I have seen some in northern Wisconsin on 55 mph highways that would require slowing down to 30 mph or less in order to yield with such a short sight distance.  Approaching the crossing, you can only see about 75 ft. of track on each side.  <o:p></o:p> I asked the MN Highway Patrol if a driver is supposed to slow down on a fast highway to yield to un-activated signalized crossings with short sight distance.  Three different contacts told me no.  They said that there was no requirement to yield at un-activated grade crossings.  They said that the signals would protect drivers, so there is no reason to slow down.  They were perplexed that I would even consider slowing down for an un-activated crossing signal.  They told me they don’t want drivers to slow down for un-activated crossing signals because it presents an unnecessary highway hazard.            <o:p></o:p>
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