BaltACDSad that signs even have to be made stating "Do Not Stop on Tracks'.
Overmod Paul Milenkovic I think what was meant was "don't let yourself get caught in traffic where you are stuck on the tracks when the gates come down -- the high speed trains will be unable to stop in time." As I recall, there were signs with that wording in the Hiawatha steam days. They were two lines of text. It was very clear to me that it was two separate sentences. Warning: high speed trains. Do not stop on tracks!!!
Paul Milenkovic I think what was meant was "don't let yourself get caught in traffic where you are stuck on the tracks when the gates come down -- the high speed trains will be unable to stop in time."
As I recall, there were signs with that wording in the Hiawatha steam days. They were two lines of text. It was very clear to me that it was two separate sentences.
Warning: high speed trains.
Do not stop on tracks!!!
Sad that signs even have to be made stating "Do Not Stop on Tracks'.
Any train moving at track speed for its class of service CAN NOT get stopped within visual sight of a blocked crossing.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Paul MilenkovicI think what was meant was "don't let yourself get caught in traffic where you are stuck on the tracks when the gates come down -- the high speed trains will be unable to stop in time."
Sunnyland I have noticed on the high speed rail tracks in IL for Amtrak, the gates go all the way across the road, so no going around them, Have to knock them down if you do not want to wait. I am sure some stupid people will. They even have gates at crosswalks by the roads. Used to make Dad so mad when people would do that, he knew what could happen. One time he was first at gate waiting and guy behind him kept honking. Dad got out and told him, if you want to go around gates and get killed, go ahead but I am not moving. He pointed to Frisco tracks in the background and said he worked there and knew of co-workers who were killed. The guy shut up and never honked again. It was a MoPac industrial track and probably switching somewhere as no train passed, gates finally went up. Later they put an overpass at that street, UP and Amtrak now uses it near Maplewood, MO .
I have noticed on the high speed rail tracks in IL for Amtrak, the gates go all the way across the road, so no going around them, Have to knock them down if you do not want to wait. I am sure some stupid people will. They even have gates at crosswalks by the roads. Used to make Dad so mad when people would do that, he knew what could happen. One time he was first at gate waiting and guy behind him kept honking. Dad got out and told him, if you want to go around gates and get killed, go ahead but I am not moving. He pointed to Frisco tracks in the background and said he worked there and knew of co-workers who were killed. The guy shut up and never honked again. It was a MoPac industrial track and probably switching somewhere as no train passed, gates finally went up. Later they put an overpass at that street, UP and Amtrak now uses it near Maplewood, MO .
There was a sign, I think it may have been at a crossing in Skokie along what was the Milwaukee Road line that hosted express commuter trains? It said
WARNING HIGH SPEED TRAINS DO NOT STOP ON TRACKS
I think there was a comma missing in there, somewhere? I read it that the high speed trains did not stop on the tracks -- what did they do, tip over if they got below a minimum speed? I think what was meant was "don't let yourself get caught in traffic where you are stuck on the tracks when the gates come down -- the high speed trains will be unable to stop in time."
If GM "killed the electric car", what am I doing standing next to an EV-1, a half a block from the WSOR tracks?
Brightline is installing a fouled crossing dector along their new line.
Look at the 7:17 mark in this video.
https://youtu.be/BnQY3EG9QnA
Direct link to 7:17
https://youtu.be/BnQY3EG9QnA?t=437
Any ideas on how this works? Does it set off an alarm in the cab and does that trigger a speed reduction?
No fall protection? - Don't do it. Wait until you have the equipment available to do it correctly. Probable that the signal supervisor (maintainer's boss) has it on his list and the FRA inspector probably sees what is in play. It will be there a while, but the system still works.
Don't make a major safety problem out of a minor one.
Nut could also add that there are fewer bucket trucks, etc. around for that work and it might require help from another department and a little in-house teamwork (getting the moon and stars to line up just so....
Get one of the financial buttonpushers to fix the problem would be oh so amusing .... Might have to get hot, sweaty and get their boots dirty (perish the thought)
rrnut282The bean counters make sure they are scheduled at 110% of their 40-hour work week without anything "extra." So, taking the time to fix a mostly cosmetic issue will have to wait until overtime is authorized.
I don't know the UP Signal Maintainer on YouTube seems to have plenty of time on his hands, maybe it is just an illusion with YouTube editing. He seems real happy with his job as well and when he is on you tube he does not look rush. Gets to take that company truck home with him....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7i6x1nUQ_o
I'll bet you inability to easily reach the guard has more to do with it's lack of maintence. You have to crawl pretty high up on a ladder to reach it and looking at the UP Signal Maintainer truck there is not an arm and bucket device. So I am guessing not many want to take the risk with the ladder unless it is something more important.
Until the "windguard" interferes with the operation and prevents the gates from coming down within the time limits specified, there is no incentive to fix the situation.
[mostly opinion] Signal maintainers are another job catagory thinned out in the last several decades. They legally are required to check the operation of every gate/flasher unit at every road crossing every month. The bean counters make sure they are scheduled at 110% of their 40-hour work week without anything "extra." So, taking the time to fix a mostly cosmetic issue will have to wait until overtime is authorized.
I have observed that most crossing gates have a wind guard on the verticle poles that engage the arm when up. However the wind guards vary greatly in design. Noticing tonight Harrison's video the wind guard has a very wide opening. CSX around here has very small openings that cause many gates to miss the wind guard and a few over the years have had the gates blown over after large wind events. Also many out of alignment just over time. Any comments ?
CSX never seems to fix this as a local one has been out of alignment for several years.
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