Level crossing stupidity...

[beast66606]

Just seen this: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/communities/safety-in-the-community/level-crossing-safety/.

 

A rather nice map showing all the level crossings on Network Rail.

 

I don't think it was there last time I looked at their web site.

 

Now I can't find the explanation of the risk ratings though...

 

Very interesting - thanks.

 

A quick look at the places I frequent has unfortunately shown up several mistakes, including one crossing not even shown, and out of date photos (Eccles Road is still showing level crossing gates which have been gone for 5 years now). If the crossing has been assessed I can't understand why a photo wasn't taken at the time and used as the reference shot, after all these are safety critical places and up to date information is key.

[St. Simon]

Just seen this: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/communities/safety-in-the-community/level-crossing-safety/.

 

A rather nice map showing all the level crossings on Network Rail.

 

I don't think it was there last time I looked at their web site.

 

Now I can't find the explanation of the risk ratings though...

Thanks, that'll be very useful at work.

 

Simon

[Coryton]

Very interesting - thanks.

 

A quick look at the places I frequent has unfortunately shown up several mistakes, including one crossing not even shown, and out of date photos (Eccles Road is still showing level crossing gates which have been gone for 5 years now). If the crossing has been assessed I can't understand why a photo wasn't taken at the time and used as the reference shot, after all these are safety critical places and up to date information is key.

 

I think these are just links to Google Street View - almost certainly an automatic feature of the way they've used Google Maps to display the locations.

 

The real risk assessments will no doubt have involved copious photographs, but linking them to the Google Maps display might well be non-trivial.

[melmerby]

Anybody see the incident on the Ashland VA railcam the other day?

For those that don't know it, Ashland has a double track main line, unfenced, down the centre of the street. Or more precisely, with a street on either side. Some of it is a dual carriageway (one way streets), other stretches have two way streets either side. The webcam looks at a barriered LC with a main road crossing the tracks (which are both bi-directional). In the distance is another similar crossing, but with a lesser road. The camera when controlled can easily zoom in to the further LC, but sadly was in auto mode when the incident occurred, so didn't. Anyway, a woman came from the right, went over the 1st street onto the LC then turned left along the street the other side of the tracks. Or at least tried to - she turned too quickly and buried the barrier post in her front bumper. After a minute or two with the tail end blocking one of the tracks (track 3) she reversed then went forward again. She couldn't turn left (the barrier now blocked that street) so she went straight on, not to be seen again!.

About 15 mins later the Police were there, (you could see the lights), followed later by the CSX gang in their trucks. A major rebuild took place involving much road digging, latterly in an absolute downpour.

Throughout this, track 3 remained open in both directions, with trains halted & flagged across. at very low speed, which caused large tailbacks on the main road (US trains are long, especially at walking pace!). The other track (track 2) was closed because of a washout outside town due to the storms. In all a massive job, it was still going on 5-6 hours after the incident when I stopped watching.

 

Stewart

There are three cameras at Ashland. A North facing, a South facing (both fixed) and a 360^o  which as it suggests can view all.

 

 

 

Keith

Edited May 21, 2018 by melmerby

[melmerby]

OT

Another US town with a crossing cam is La Grange KY where the track runs down the street set in the tarmac.

Not so long ago someone had double parked on the right when a train was coming through.

The locos cleared the parked vehicle but one of the wagons behind caught it as it went past. Made a bit of a mess!

(see this cam, it shows the layout but not the incident)

 

 

Keith

Edited May 21, 2018 by melmerby

[The Stationmaster]

Very interesting - thanks.

 

A quick look at the places I frequent has unfortunately shown up several mistakes, including one crossing not even shown, and out of date photos (Eccles Road is still showing level crossing gates which have been gone for 5 years now). If the crossing has been assessed I can't understand why a photo wasn't taken at the time and used as the reference shot, after all these are safety critical places and up to date information is key.

 

I am fascinated to find that 'freight' trains run on our local branch line.   I wonder if that only happens when there is a blue moon and a K in the month as all the rail served freight facilities, and the associated trains, departed the scene over 50 years ago!  I also note that one crossing on the branch which can be used by horses (it happens to be right next to a large, and very obvious, stable yard and stables) is noted as being occasionally used  - by vehicles and pedestrians only.

[Coryton]

I am fascinated to find that 'freight' trains run on our local branch line.   I wonder if that only happens when there is a blue moon and a K in the month as all the rail served freight facilities, and the associated trains, departed the scene over 50 years ago!  I also note that one crossing on the branch which can be used by horses (it happens to be right next to a large, and very obvious, stable yard and stables) is noted as being occasionally used  - by vehicles and pedestrians only.

 

Yes I was equally intrigued to see this for my nearest level crossing.

 

Perhaps rail head treatment trains count?

[beast66606]

Thanks, that'll be very useful at work.

 

Simon

 

I would treat it with the utmost caution Simon - it's full of mistakes, which is somewhat worrying.

[beast66606]

Yes I was equally intrigued to see this for my nearest level crossing.

 

Perhaps rail head treatment trains count?

 

It's quite amusing that one crossing (in my general area) has a daily train count of 90 and another, only a few hundred yards away on plain line has a count of 86 - presumably 4 of them go through a flaw in the space/time continuum.

[St. Simon]

I would treat it with the utmost caution Simon - it's full of mistakes, which is somewhat worrying.

 

Thanks Dave, don't worry, we have much more up to date information than the public database, what I find useful is the map display, something which is hard to get with other information.

 

It's quite amusing that one crossing (in my general area) has a daily train count of 90 and another, only a few hundred yards away on plain line has a count of 86 - presumably 4 of them go through a flaw in the space/time continuum.

 

Ah, I can tell you why that might be, some train counts are done using the Timetable based on a 12 hour period (such as 07:00 to 19:00), so if a train passes one crossing at 18:59:30, but the other at 19:00:10, then it may be counted at one crossing, but not the other. It is entirely dependent on the person conducting the count. Of course, they may also be done on different timetables depending on when the count was done, which means you could loose or gain trains apparently without reason.

 

Simon

[martin_wynne]

I was interested to see the data for Brimfield 49 foot crossing on the Welsh Marches line, having used it a few days ago. They are expecting 1 pedestrian or cyclist, and I was it. There won't be many others - here I'm on the footpath leading to it:

 

 

And here is what's hidden in that wood:

 

 

A footbridge over the remains of the Leominster Canal.

 

And they won't be cyclists, because this is a right of way on foot only.

 

Martin.

[Coryton]

And they won't be cyclists, because this is a right of way on foot only.

 

That doesn't necessarily follow.

 

In any case, as I understand it if a right-of-way is a public footpath it doesn't in itself mean that cycles are prohibited; it means that (as with any land in general) a landowner can choose to prohibit people on cycles (or horses, or in cars etc.) from using it, whereas they have to permit people to walk along it (to "pass and re-pass", I think).

[martin_wynne]

That doesn't necessarily follow.

 

In any case, as I understand it if a right-of-way is a public footpath it doesn't in itself mean that cycles are prohibited; it means that (as with any land in general) a landowner can choose to prohibit people on cycles (or horses, or in cars etc.) from using it, whereas they have to permit people to walk along it (to "pass and re-pass", I think).

 

True. However anyone trying to cycle along that non-existent footpath deserves a medal. I needed my GPS to know that I was on it.

 

Here's the other side, equally deserted:

 

click image for better quality

 

I'm on the right of way, the farm track isn't.

 

Here I mapped the crossing earlier on OpenStreetMap, and I have now added the details:

 

 https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=18/52.30226/-2.72214

 

Click the pointer at the bottom of the column on the right, and then on the X level-crossing to see the details via the menu which appears on the left.

 

(The red dots are a footpath. The purple dots are a parish boundary.)

 

Martin.

Edited May 22, 2018 by martin_wynne

[Shadow]

How about this crossing with no lights or barriers across a motorway!

 

[SHMD]

8!

[mozzer models]

Very interesting - thanks.

 

A quick look at the places I frequent has unfortunately shown up several mistakes, including one crossing not even shown, and out of date photos (Eccles Road is still showing level crossing gates which have been gone for 5 years now). If the crossing has been assessed I can't understand why a photo wasn't taken at the time and used as the reference shot, after all these are safety critical places and up to date information is key.

for the line past me all trains run the full length of the branch but the crossing's nearest Neath show 2 trains a day but at the other end 8 trains all the crossing should have the same No

[RJS1977]

How about this crossing with no lights or barriers across a motorway!

 

 

Though clearly not a motorway as we know one as there are parked cars off to either side.

[APOLLO]

Two more at Ashland - are the Yanks totally crazy !!

 

 

 

And this is interesting

 

 

This is  - well, you judge !!

 

 

Drive safe folks !!!

 

Brit15

[Dagworth]

How about this crossing with no lights or barriers across a motorway!

 

Still visible on Google maps

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@40.3753732,49.8627395,104m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

[Colin_McLeod]

Deleted.

If you use the "Hide" button the post disappears from view compeletly. Looks a lot neater.

[melmerby]

Not motoring stupidity but the Yanks stupidity with train lengths

 

Deshler OH has several crossings at a busy juction on the Railroad.

As I speak a freight train has been sitting blocking several crossings for the last 30mins waiting for clearance to move into the next section.

Would we put up with that in the UK? Definitely not.

At this place a single section with some passing loops regularly has trains too long for the loops and have to wait for another train so it can move.

 

Keith

[SHMD]

I can't help thinking that when crossings are blocked for long periods that this "encourages" road users to gamble to beat the train next time.

 

 

Kev.

[melmerby]

I can't help thinking that when crossings are blocked for long periods that this "encourages" road users to gamble to beat the train next time.

 

 

Kev.

It was stationary for about 68 minutes blocking probably 3 road crossings and effectively cutting off part of the town.

It's pretty rural so maybe the locals would just drive across fields in their 4x4s?

This is the location:

https://goo.gl/maps/4WeYv1m4Um92

The train had come from the West and was going South, the tail was still on the E-W line and the front someway past the C Road

 

Long waits at crossings for long, slow freights seem normal in the US.

Apart from cities and freeways all roads seem to be flat crossings.

Long single sections on many routes doesn't help the traffic flow on those lines either.

 

Keith

[EddieB]

All within 3 days according to the article.

 

Looks like the trucks grounded.

Perhaps why, in the first clip, there is a sign saying “No Trucks” underneath the 30 limit sign...

[SHMD]

It was stationary for about 68 minutes blocking probably 3 road crossings and effectively cutting off part of the town.

It's pretty rural so maybe the locals would just drive across fields in their 4x4s?

This is the location:

https://goo.gl/maps/4WeYv1m4Um92

The train had come from the West and was going South, the tail was still on the E-W line and the front someway past the C Road

 

Long waits at crossings for long, slow freights seem normal in the US.

Apart from cities and freeways all roads seem to be flat crossings.

Long single sections on many routes doesn't help the traffic flow on those lines either.

 

Keith

That's an interesting railroad crossroads town there.

 

I counted 6 crossings. Would all 6 have been blocked by the train?

The surrounding road are laid out in a grid pattern. So there are A LOT of crossings - it's just how far you have to go to get round!

 

 

Kev.

Edited May 26, 2018 by SHMD