I drive over an old Rock Island industrial spur twice a day on the way to work. After The Rock’s fall UP took over much of the area RI trackage. I had noticed lately that the old, old, old (did I say OLD) crossbucks had become unreadable. Now most people probally recognize a railroad crossbuck by its shape but this one was in an extremely sad shape. Recently one night on the way home (I work second shift and get off at midnight or 2 am) something reached out and really caught my eye. UP had attached new and VERY reflective crossbucks over the old unreadable crossbucks, AND they had even attached a reflective cover over the old sign posts. These thing really are very noticeable. There are no lights or bells at this crossing but it is used mostly during daylight hours. I have to give UP credit for correcting this situation.
Sometime in the near future I hope to see if I can get a night photo of these two new reflective crossbucks and show you just how effective they really are. If I would have had my camera this morning (at 2 am) it would have been a golden opportunity to get that shot but I just didn’t have my camera with me.
You will also begin to see much more reflective stripes and marking on railcars, to make them more visible at night.
All of our locomotives here already have highly reflective sill stripes and barber pole stripes on the handrails to go with the side stripes and chevron on the nose, all done in white Scotchbright.
Hats off to the roadforman in your area Jim, he corrected a problem in a quick, easy manner.
UP and its contractors have placed many of these in SoCal too, along the former SP and PE routes. They sure do reflect headlights! In Santa Ana there is some street running, and these crossbucks were placed at the corners of intersecting streets and alleys.
You should also see a blue sign attached to the vertical post…this sign identifies the line as UP and gives a toll-free number to call if the crossing is blocked.
Here in cheeseland (a/k/a Kalmbachland [}:)]) the Wisconsin & Southern, which has a lot of signal-less crossing, started putting up stop signs along with the crossbucks. Since that time, I have noticed that UP has put up yield signs along with its crossbucks, usually on lightly-traveled industrial lines etc. I don’t recall what if anything CN and CP do, but I think they pretty much follow suit. I have a pic someplace of the yield sign UP installed on Bain Station Road where the Farm Sub wyes with the Milwaukee Sub, maybe I can dig it out and post it.
I did remember to stick the camera in the truck and took some shots Friday night after work. I have to snap a few more photos then will get the film developed. Hopefully by nextweek I will have a shot or two worth posting.
Well I have posted one photo of the newly installed reflective signposts and crossbucks. This shot, taken at night, shows just how reflective the signposts are, maybe a bit too reflective for a good night shot. Anyway you can see how much they stand out again the darkness. If you have ever traveled out in the country at night you know how dark it can be out there. Putting these things at unsignaled crossings would be a major safety improvement. My shot was taken on 6th Street, Little Rock, Arkansas, and not out in the country. (There was a Trains story years ago about a Rock Island Railroad worker killed near the 6th Street Shanty. This is a line just down the street from there.)
Ok, bad pun, but god idea…
a guess would say unless something obstructed your view, you should be able to see that from at least a 1/2 mile away, maybe more.
So anyone who claims they didnt see it must be driving with their eyes closed.
These reflective crossbucks were developed 3 or 4 years ago as a result of a cooperative effort of the U.P. and the Idaho Department of Transportation. In Idaho there is an additional reflective set of panels below the croosbucks. The panels are set at a 45 degree angle so as to pick up the locomotive headlight in case you do not have your headlights turned on.
Most non signaled crossings in Idaho have these crossbucks installed.
As an aside note, shortly after these reflective crossbucks were installed a stupid motorist drove in front of a train travewling about 5 miles per hour at a crossing in a rural area with a clear view of the tracks a mile in each direction, resulting in a fatality. As a result, the locals installed stop signs immediately in front of the crossbucks, blocking most of the highly visible nighttime display.
I have a miniature crossbuck made from the same reflective material that was handed out at the press conference announcing the first use of these crossbucks.
Seems like I’ve seen reflective material on the crossbucks for years. On the entire post is another story entirely. I’ll have to stop and take a closer look at the gates sometime. Seems like a lot of them have reflective material on them, too.
Jim
the ones here in ohio are white down the middle and havea red and white yield sign. the sides are folded to more directly to reflect your headlights and a trains headlights too.
stay safe
joe
Larry,
You are quite correct,I have a set of crossbucks (given to me by R.R.)
that are over 25 years old,and they have reflective material on them.
Plus,I have a very ‘old one’ with the glass reflectors on it.
Feels like it weighs a ton.(also given to me by an another R.R.)