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flashing lights and bells

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flashing lights and bells
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, August 15, 2003 7:53 PM
like to know how the flashing lights and bells come on when a train passes a rail road grade???
  • Member since
    April 2003
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flashing lights and bells
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, August 15, 2003 7:53 PM
like to know how the flashing lights and bells come on when a train passes a rail road grade???
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, August 16, 2003 3:56 PM
i don't really remember, but there is some info bout it on this site:
Go to Trains magazine homepage, and from the menu on your left- hand side select "ABC's of railroads" or something similar, go to page two and there shold be something about grade crossings.
Hope someone else has a better answer than mine.[:)]
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Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, August 16, 2003 3:56 PM
i don't really remember, but there is some info bout it on this site:
Go to Trains magazine homepage, and from the menu on your left- hand side select "ABC's of railroads" or something similar, go to page two and there shold be something about grade crossings.
Hope someone else has a better answer than mine.[:)]
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  • From: Defiance Ohio
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Posted by JoeKoh on Saturday, August 16, 2003 4:03 PM
there is a sensor that is tripped by the oncoming train.It sends a signal for the gates flashers and bell to activate.But please NEVER ASSUME that it is fullproof.Please Stop Look Listen and Live.
stay safe
joe

Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").

 

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Defiance Ohio
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Posted by JoeKoh on Saturday, August 16, 2003 4:03 PM
there is a sensor that is tripped by the oncoming train.It sends a signal for the gates flashers and bell to activate.But please NEVER ASSUME that it is fullproof.Please Stop Look Listen and Live.
stay safe
joe

Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").

 

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, August 16, 2003 8:02 PM
Usually, or the "back-in-the-day" system, there is a shunt located Far away from the corssing.. enought to give a RR grade 25 secondes. Now a Shunt is an insulated joint in the track, Insulated defined as an "impassible area for Electrical curent" When the train whels run over the shunts, it activates the lights. if you know of an abandonned road, chek it out. You may notice 2 wires running from each side of the insulated peice of the track. Now roughly about 2-10 yards Beofre and after the crossing are 2 other insulated joints in the track. these are called "Island circuits" the tell the silver logic box that the train is at the crossing and further out is another one here i'll try and draw it out

---------1--------------------------2 3-------------------------------4-----------
So 1 is the far out one, 2 and 3 are the island circuits and 4 is the opposing far out one. (between 2 and 3 are the road)

So a train, triggers the lights at #1, tells the logic box that the train is About to go through the corssing at #2, and when the last wheel runs over #3 the lights go off...

Now i bet your wondering, so when it hits #4, the lights retriger, No.. otherwise the system would suck.. Once the lights have been turned off by #3, the train must then COMPLETE the circuit by going over #4> In order for the lights to activate again, the Train would have to go through all 4 circuits, and then RE-enter the field. The system is programmed to activate using Sequential order, either 4,3,2,1 or 1,2,3,4.. (note that is only for one crossing, throw in a seond track, a siding, a switch.. and it gets more comlpicated)

that system above is roughly 50, 000 bucks.
help out at all?
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, August 16, 2003 8:02 PM
Usually, or the "back-in-the-day" system, there is a shunt located Far away from the corssing.. enought to give a RR grade 25 secondes. Now a Shunt is an insulated joint in the track, Insulated defined as an "impassible area for Electrical curent" When the train whels run over the shunts, it activates the lights. if you know of an abandonned road, chek it out. You may notice 2 wires running from each side of the insulated peice of the track. Now roughly about 2-10 yards Beofre and after the crossing are 2 other insulated joints in the track. these are called "Island circuits" the tell the silver logic box that the train is at the crossing and further out is another one here i'll try and draw it out

---------1--------------------------2 3-------------------------------4-----------
So 1 is the far out one, 2 and 3 are the island circuits and 4 is the opposing far out one. (between 2 and 3 are the road)

So a train, triggers the lights at #1, tells the logic box that the train is About to go through the corssing at #2, and when the last wheel runs over #3 the lights go off...

Now i bet your wondering, so when it hits #4, the lights retriger, No.. otherwise the system would suck.. Once the lights have been turned off by #3, the train must then COMPLETE the circuit by going over #4> In order for the lights to activate again, the Train would have to go through all 4 circuits, and then RE-enter the field. The system is programmed to activate using Sequential order, either 4,3,2,1 or 1,2,3,4.. (note that is only for one crossing, throw in a seond track, a siding, a switch.. and it gets more comlpicated)

that system above is roughly 50, 000 bucks.
help out at all?
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, August 16, 2003 9:50 PM
Thanx for the info. It really helped.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, August 16, 2003 9:50 PM
Thanx for the info. It really helped.

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