I’ve seen a couple of pics of “crash gates”… what are they, when/where are they used please? Who puts them in / maintains them? What Rules govern their use / how are they worked…PLEASE?
Thanks [:)]
I ASSume that you mean Smash Boards that are a swing gate across a track where two lines cross?
If so, much probably depends upon the railroads, but around here, the first train to the crossing would change the gate/board to swing across the other railroad thus changing a signal to red/stop for the other line.
It was a manual control of a crossing of two lines. No operator. No remote signal control. Generally, it was to be left in a specific position after use.
All the ones I have seen are like a semaphore. They are a piece of wood about 8" in width with a disc on the end about 12" in diameter with slots in it and about 6’ long. They are painted black. It is lowered down and locked in place by I believe the railroad to be crossed. Then if someone goes through it the wood arm gets broken off and there is a record of transgression. I would assume that someone like a signal maintainer is contacted to unlock it and allow the train to proceed.
Smash boards were typically installed where railroads crossed at grade and were manually operated.
A crew would come up to the crossing, wait a specified interval, like 5 or 10 minutes, move the smash board, travel over the crossing, and return the board to the original postiion.
The SECOND railroad to the crossing was responsible for installing and maintained the crossing’s protection.
Thre are several types of ‘smash boards or crossing gates’:
o - A swing ‘gate’ at an ‘on grade’ railroad crossing. This is normally seen when a low
traffic line crosses a busier line. The gate is electrically interlocked with the signals
on the busier line(or neither line has signalling). The gate has to be unlocked and
‘swung’ across the other line.
o - A ‘smash board’ that pivots from the signal mast. This ‘clears’ as a train
approaches. I have seen this where an unsignalled line(SOO) crosses a
signalled line(NP). The location was ‘Bald Eagle’(just north of White Bear Lake,
MN). At one time there was a tower there…it was converted to an ‘automactic’
interlocker.
Jim Bernier
Generally agree with the other posters. Whether in the form of gate or paddle, the fundamental purposes were to (1) establish right-of-way, and (2) create a record of violation. Gates might be used where a very low-traffic line crossed a high-traffic line, in which circumstance the gate pivot could be linked to a basic “call-on” signal for the high-traffic line ((“call on” – red over yellow – is the aspect which allows a train to proceed into the plant at dead crawl, prepared to stop at the first sign of obstruction). The paddles typically were mechanically interlocked into protecting signals, so that when red-over-red was displayed, the paddle provided “tripwire” protection against violators – the ultimate proof re who ran the red light.
the other place where they were – and are – used is to guard movable bridges
There are several articles in the magazine database about smashboards. I recall there being at least one about each of the two types discussed in Model Railroader. I hope that these two are the ones that I remember.
Using a smashboard to control traffic
Warren G. Reed
Model Railroader, March 1976, page 50
Smashboard Signals
Gordon Odegard
Model Railroader, August 1983, page 68
Hope that this helps.
-Ed
Jim,
When/where was that? Must have been before I got “into” trains- if I’m thinking of the right intersection, this is just off of Hwy 61, about a mile North of “downtown”? (For those not from the area, The NP, now BNSF, line parallels Hwy 61, going N/S, and the Soo crosses E/W).
http://maps.yahoo.com/maps_result?newFL=Use+Address+Below&addr=eagle+st+and+park+ave.&csz=white+bear+lake%2C+mn&.intl=us&name=&lat=&lon=&srchtype=a&qty=&new=1&trf=0&getmap=Get+Map
(I grew up just the other side of Bald Eagle Lake [:)] )
Brian Pickering
[8D]
As jchnhtfd indicated, smashboards are also used to protect movable bridges.
The PATH (Port Authority Trans Hudson) system uses the smashboard to protect the HACK (Hackensack River) bridge when it’s in the open (for river traffic) position. The smashboard is used as a secondary signal to the red over red automatic signal and is deployed in a down position at the same time as the red over red signal designation. Should the lead car ignore the automatic signal for “some” reason, the smashboard would be hit alerting the motorman that the bridge was open and the emergency brakes were tripped. No need to go into the consequences for hitting the smashboard.
Brian,
You have the location! Used to be a depot/tower there in the NW corner of the diamond. The North-South line was the NP ‘Skalley’ line from St Paul to Duluth. The original ‘SOO’ from Shoreham Yard to the ‘Soo’ crossed the NP there. At one time there also was an interchange/transfer track behind the depot/tower. I have not been there in years. Does the NP line still go as far as Hugo anymore? After the line was ‘broken’, there was a lumber yard still serviced in Hugo.
Jim Bernier
Well, I haven’t lived in the area since 1987, (although my parents are still there), so I’m not really sure. IIRC, the line up to Hugo isn’t there any more. I think that the line has been abandoned for lack of traffic.
Brian