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Crossing Light Placement

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  • Member since
    May 2008
  • From: Miles City, Montana
  • 2,287 posts
Crossing Light Placement
Posted by FRRYKid on Saturday, August 18, 2018 12:06 PM

OK, Forum friends. I've got yet another one for you. This one is regarding crossing light placement. I have a road that crosses three tracks of my railyard. The three parallel tracks are the mainline and the eastbound and westbound ready tracks for building the trains and parking. (The way the layout is setup, the tracks actually run north/south but it's railroad east/west.) There are short sections of road between the tracks. My question is this: Am I correct in thinking that the crossing lights would go on the east side of the road (lights facing south) and the on west side of the road just north of the northern most yard track (lights facing north)? All directions are railroad directions looking north.

As usual. thank you for any assistance that can be provided.

"The only stupid question is the unasked question."
Brain waves can power an electric train. RealFact #832 from Snapple.
  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: Canada, eh?
  • 13,375 posts
Posted by doctorwayne on Saturday, August 18, 2018 1:59 PM

If there's limited space between the three tracks, the crossing signals would be on the outside of both of the outermost tracks, with  signs on the signal support posts noting that there are three tracks.

I currently have only one signalled crossing on my layout (much of it rural or small towns), and it's for multiple tracks...



I chose to not add the signs (is it 3 tracks or 5?), but will likely install crossing gates, too.  The crossing is currently manned, and the attendant flags the crossing for through trains, while switch crews do their own flagging when working the area.

Most of my other crossings are protected only by crossbucks, as shown here...

...and these include the signs indicating multiple tracks.

There is a third track serving several industries, just beyond those two, but it's far enough removed from the other two that it gets its own crossbucks....

Here's an aerial view of the area,which now includes a shanty for the crossing tender...

....this town also has several crossings, including this manned one, with two tracks, as indicated on the crossbuck's post...

Wayne

  • Member since
    August 2011
  • From: A Comfy Cave, New Zealand
  • 6,247 posts
Posted by "JaBear" on Sunday, August 19, 2018 12:54 AM
If you Google search, US Railroad Crossing Light Placement you should see near the top, a PDF titled, Rail Grade Crossing-Federal Railroad Administration-US… It should more than adequately fill your queries.
Cheers, the Bear.Smile

"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."

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