BNSF and UP selectively practice this, but also keep tabs to go after the offender in court after he/she sues the railroad because he/she could not possibly be the cause of the incident. Backfired here in Denver/Castle Rock when UP beancounters sent out a bill that was supposed to be kept in house (but wasn’t) and only released with Law Dept. signature.
I sit in my town where we have two crossings a hundred yards apart. The gates come down. If there is no train seen or heard, the people will go ahead and go around.
If they ever build a barricade strong enough to literally keep cars OFF those two crossings you are going to have to man them 24/7 because you will have cars hitting it or crossing onto the track itself between the crossings.
You will also going to need to place signs that releases all parties (Railroad, local authorities etc) of liability of any kind resulting in one driver’s stupid gamble with life and property trying to get around the gates.
You can have all the technology, expertise, understanding of people and skilled engineering in the successful deployment of any gate system designed to stop willful drivers from trying to save a few seconds.
There will always be the one stupid driver that will lose his or her life on that crossing.
Just as well. If they are that dumb then they dont need to be on the road.
Look, Listen, Live
If we could only get the rest of the general public “into” trains like we are then they would slow down and wait for gates to lower so they could be closet to tracks to watch and document. Anyone else ever do this? Mama thinks I’m nuts when I slow down when there’s plenty of time to “make it” Willy
Chad, you still here?
ACME…[:p] Meep Meep!
Yea, at the moment.
Didn’t know if you’d been to Diner yet to hear about MOOK?
Yea. it sucks. I lost my rotweiler a while back. It was rather sudden. His intestines got tangled somehow. I dug a rather deep grave (but not quite 6’) built a 8’ tall cross for the marker. Then I got a jug of whiskey and proceded to get drunk.
Am toying with idea of getting 14 year old Harley (the wonder mutt) stuffed when she goes. Just sleeping in the train room. Kept her longer than the last two wives.