Yes I’d rather have the gates go down with no train than vice-versa. However, out here in the Bay Area, with traffic like a plague, it soon caused a huge backup and a lot of traffic havoc.
Jumper cables! LOL…I got a good laugh out of that one.
Allan.
Today I was taking pictures of the coal train that comes past my house I was waiting to cross the road and I wish I could turn the lights and bell off. The train stoped blocking the road and I was sitting there for at least a half an hour or more. trust me that bell gets a tad bit tiring after the first 5 minutes. Perfect time for the Crossing units to happen to short surcut!![:D][:D][:D]
Dustin
Some new crossings have the bell automatically shut off when the gates lower all the way- saves maintenance on the bell. If another train is coming while the first train is still throwing the circuit, the bell turns on again, for the same amount of time it takes for the gate to lower all the way.
Actually, from about 25 years ago, a signal department crew was replacing grade crossing signals on the South Shore Line at the old Hegewisch station and they used a jumper cable to activate the circuit to test the new signals.
Paul
I was told a story one time about someone hooking up jumper cables near the Holly street crossing of the SP penninsula line during rush hour. Not only that but they burried it under the ballast. It took the signal maintainer a long time to find it. Needless to say traffic was gridlocked both on the streets and the southbound track. Pretty cold blooded thing to do.[}:)]
There’s a crossing near here that has an electronic ‘bell’.