Watching them replace a crossing is a fascinating thing. At the youtube webcam of Deshler, OH, there is a prefab crossing, waiting for it’s day. 5 ties beyond the guard rails, the ties look rusty. Is this metal braces between the rails?
Yes, those are metal braces. They help keep everyting aligned for when the railroad goes to drop the crossing in place. The general idea is to make the work load as low as possible, for the work crew without having to spend a lot of time getting everything realigned.