An E/B BNSF train in Fort Madison stopped just short of the grade crossing when the bridge was swung around for a barge. When he got the green, he waited another minute or so then blew the horn. When he started moving, the gates did not come down until the lead unit was past the crossing. The conductor did not flag. Was the correct procedure followed in this case?
was the traffic stopped was there any traffic if not why get down, did the lights activate but the gates didnt come down right away? again if the lights was working traffic stopped why get down, right or wrong it worked, other than not being visible they may not have been compliant but im sure they was not neglecting the responsibility.
Depends on the rules, of course.
For us, if we’'re stopped near a x-ing and start up, we must wait until the gates are lowered before crossing.
Oh yes. He waited until cars were not present. The lights did not start flashing on the gates until lead unit was in the crossing. Maybe the motion detector has a delay.
Previously in this thread I said that the light on the outside of the control box blinked as the gate were being raised. I KNOW I saw it happen several times over the course of a couple of weeks a couple of months ago, just AFTER this particular control box was replaced when U.P. redid the east end of the Beverly Yards last summer. The rework was to install remote controlled crossovers and the south track (track 2, I think it is called) was moved just barely a trackwidth farther south to make room for a signal mast between the double-track mainline just west of the gradecrossing there. This required the control box to be moved and in the process they replaced it altogether.
Now, well…, last night, I was parked at that spot and noticed the light no longer blinks. I admit that I have never seen the light on any other control box blink, but I figured that maybe the others did it to, and maybe I just had not noticed.
Anyone have any idea as to why it did blink earlier, or why it no longer does?
Is this some “feature” of the electronics when a RR buys a control box and can be disabled if they decide they don’t it?
If there are any U.P. Signal Maintainers here, they can correct me. It is my understanding that the white light on the side of a “control box” indicates that the power supply system (Batteries and trickle charger) are working properly.
The blinking light probably denotes a marginal condition when the gates were being raised, which was corrected in the design when the new box was installed.
There is no such thing as a standard box with everything installed, and they use only those parts that they need. Almost every box you see is unique, serving only the functions needed at that location.
The boxes are physically identical, they have provision for mounting the various needed components, such as power supplies, termination for the wires in and out of the box, and the various components needed to accomplish the various detections needed to actuate the signaling equipment and crossing protection as needed. This combination of electronics varies according to the need, i.e. single track, multiple tracks, control of traffic lights, etc.
All the stuff they put in the box costs big bucks. If they don’t need it, it ain’t there!
I know that all the boxes are different as to what is installed in them, but I figured that maybe there was at least a ‘standard’ gate control and maybe a ‘standard’ outside light control. Of course there may be no standard from one mfg to the next as to what feature of one can be used with another.
I tried to make the point that it was the NEW box that was blinking, but no matter, it still could be a marginal condition in the box that it was warning about. I hadn’t thought of that. Maybe someone noticed it and it got corrected.
Thanks