the other day i drove on a 15 mile stretch of highway that parallels NS mainline going to Chas.,SC. I was looking at all the grade crossings. it was confusing. some were “flashing signals with gates”, some just “flashing signals”, some just “crossbucks” another just a yellow RR crossing sign. who dictates what kind of signal/sign is to be used at a certain crossing?
I would think the railway/ the deparment of highways because on a dirt road you wouldnt need a large system of gates and flashing lights, a simple crossbuck would work in that case, but when the railroad crosses a heavily traveled road a crossbuck would not be safe a large system of gates and lights would be needed so it most likely comes down to how heavily traveled and the speed limit of the road is.
You’re looking at three basic factors - Money, Traffic, and Risk.
CHPA summed up the vehicular traffic part pretty well.
Risk includes the vehicular traffic factor, and also includes the RR traffic factor. A crossing that gets one train a week, in the middle of the night, at 10 MPH, is not likely to get the full treatment. On the other hand, a bunch of freight, and several pax trains a day at 79 mph would be pretty risky, and would likely get 4 gates, flashers, maybe the nets, and a guy with a grenade launcher [swg].
Another risk factor is the mindset of the local drivers. If they tend to obey the crossing signals (thus there are few or no accidents), there may not be any gates, just flashers. On the other hand, if the guy with the grenade launcher proves necessary, they may install 4 gates and the nets.
Private crossings are also the responsibility of the crossing owner. Not likely they are going to spend the big bucks unless they have to. A few planks and a stop sign or other such warning sign may be all they put in. If that.
Which brings us to money. I’m sure someone can give current figures, but last I heard, a fairly simple crossing with gates ran to five figures. Whoever is responsible for the crossing (city, town, county, state) is going to go for the cheapest solution that meets the needs.
The ultimate solution is crossing separation, but that’s another story entirely.
Along the NS (Southern) between Manassas and Culpeper, VA, there are a few crossings with only a wooden crossbuck. This is a 79 mph Amtrak and 50 (?) mph freight area.
These crossings are on minor dirt roads that look like private drives, but the roads do seem to be well maintained. All public roads and numbered highways in the area have gates (or grade separations). No grenade launchers though!
In South Carolina it’s the South Carolina Public Service Commission…
In Virginia its theVirginia State Corporation Commission
The commissions are the final arbiter of where a public road crosses, what kind of protection it has and even how wide the crossing can be. The risk assesment for each crossing is done by the railroad, the commission and the government agency and then the commission hands out a ruling.
Private crossings are a different matter. They tend to be private contracts/ leases that can be revoked if the private party fails to pay rent or somehow violates the aggreement.
Crossing signal systems start at a $150,000.00 and go upwards from there as the complexity increases. Crossing surfaces go anywhere from $100 to $270 a lineal track foot before installation (rubber crossings usually cost the most)…
Crossings with bad geometry or vegetation/vision problems get additional protection as well.
Link to State of California PUC General Orders regarding grade crossings
http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/static/industry/transportation/crossings/genorders.htm
There is a highway here with a crossbuck and a gravel road with a whole lights and gate system, along with several private crossings which just had signs installed for the first time.
Curious, but sometimes strange appearing things are done. On a non railroad note: In Martinez CA, there is a single family house with gated driveway (T intersection with the street) that has a left turn lane (on the street approach) and a traffic signal[:0]
That reminds me…
In the Denver, CO area there are some crossings of lightly-used branch lines and industrial spurs that are protected by a wooden or metal crossbuck + standard traffic signals. I also saw this set-up (again on lightly used lines) years ago on B&M routes north of Boston.