I saw a pickup truck with hi rail wheels on the tracks today. It got me thinking. It triggered the grade crossing lights (No gates at this crossing). How about an air horn? How do they or do they do the two longs a short and a long? What are the rules of the rails for the smaller vehicles? Flagging required?
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
The regular pickup trucks I've seen on the Union Pacific do not trigger the crossing signals, and yield to automobile traffic on sparsely traveled roads.
A large flatbed tie distribution truck with a crane had a coupler and air hose on each end, and could pull loaded hoppers of new ties. It had air horns, and the hoppers triggered the crossing signals.
Perhaps it depends on location and the amount of vehicular traffic. With only one person in the pickup truck, flagging would be impossible. I don't think any special air horns were on them.
rail vehicles self-propelled vehicles that can be legally used on both road and rail. They are normally converted rubber-tired road vehicles that have additional flanged steel-vehicles or running on rails.
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All the high rails I seen. They do not trigger gates or signals. They waited for a break in traffic to cross.
They had to radio for track clearance. The road tires supply the traction (friction) to move the vehicle alone the rails.
They had to be careful when crossing switch frogs and cross overs. They derailed easy.