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I dont know if it makes the news that often across the pond but we have had a bad spate of crossing collisions over here, with fatalities occuring. Now the government is starting to consider getting rid of level crossings on high speed lines. i was wondering what different companies do over there, do you have underpasses?James.
We don't have any (real) high speed lines in America , but level crossings are much more common than bridges. Level crossings are usually protected by gates and flashing lights, and trains must sound the horn before a crossing. There are many gate runners, but even worse some people decide to randomly wander out on to the tracks.
Yeah we have barriers with lights and automatic ones, but people sometimes use this as a way out of life, this is what caused the first crash. Now they're talking about CCTV watching unmanned crossings so that the signalman can see if the crossing is clear before the train is cleared to go.
The Northeast Corridor in the US (which I believe runs in the 120-130 MPH range) is completely grade separated, so there are no crossings.In Canada, there has always been talk of making a MOntreal to Toronto high speed rail line, but it would require the renovation / removal of hundreds of level crossing in order to allow speeds higher than the current 100MPH limit (or is it 90MPH?). My experience in the UK has been that there are generally far fewer level crossings than here in NOrth AMerica, but I suppose that could just be the areas I have visited. Dave Reage - Beta Tester Halifax, Canada
Your correct in stating that we dont have many level crossings over here and fewer less on high speed lines. generally the ones we do have are at areas in major cities, however a few rural ones exist, this is because the road network has mainly been built around the railways and often runs alongside. What kind of crossing is used in Canada.
There is a program in Canada for the building of overpasses, etc, over highly used urban level crossings. Our community had an overpass built with Federal, Provincial and City funds. We also have one more highly used crossing which cannot be improved economically, but is protected by bells, lights and cross-arms. In addition the city erected concrete lane dividers at the approaches to the crossing to prevent people trying to drive around the cross-arms. This has stopped vehicle collisions at the crossing, but I have seen many close calls when people try to walk across the two tracks, including a woman pushing a stroller. She didn't realise both tracks were being used!Cheers; Chuck F.
perhaps thats something our goverment should consider, we have lights and sirens but people still push it. ours have a 30-40 second delay, that is to say that the barriers close long before the train arrives, but people as you say still push it.
I have been to both countries and the big difference is the in most places in the USA you can drive around gates, something you can't do at most of the protected crossings in the UK.The Northeast Corridor does have grade crossings near Mystic Ct. as well as New London and a few places in that area but speeds there are lower. There is a quad gate requirement for crossings with trains going faster than 79 mph but I believe no faster than 90 or 110 can't remember which.BobFlorida Railfan Page http://www.geocities.com/Kentucky86.geo/Boston MBTA Railfan Page http://www.geocities.com/BostonMBTAKentuckiana Railfan Page http://www.geocities.com/Kentuckyrails
>In Canada, there has always been talk of making a MOntreal >to Toronto high speed rail line, but it would require the >renovation / removal of hundreds of level crossing in order >to allow speeds higher than the current 100MPH limit (or is >it 90MPH?). Its 100 MPH. Also besides the removal of the crossings they would need to upgrade the tracks (currently they have wet-looking wooden ties), build a route separate of CN and CP freight tracks (plus Toronto GO Transit and Montreal AMT commuter lines), buy 100 MPH-Plus equiptment (stares at HEP and Renaissance cars) which VIA Rail probably doesn't have enough money for, what with their 5 cents/year funding from the government and all (ment as a joke) and lastly renovation of the Union Stations at Toronto and Montreal (I have been in both and they look just a wittle bit unsuitable for frequent high-speed trains. Hope I didn't bore you guys, just trying to prove my point that VIA just doesn't have the time or money to make a high-speed line. I'll stop now before I go on another rant. -Andy the LRC lover EMD all the way!!
Dave Reage - Beta Tester