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Mike is right, I think the railroads set the speed limit? There are a number
of factors that determine the speed limit as well. You might be able to see what it is yourself because they have signs beside the tracks stating what the speed limits are...
Conditions can vary a lot depending upon the circumstances; although I've been a railroad buff for all my life, I can't recall any instances of a dispute between a community and a railroad over train speeds.
Major railroads usually list speed limits for all their trackage in a manual referred to as an employees timetable, which they are expected to carry or have access to while on duty. But in all honesty, most simply commit the portions affecting their duties, which very seldom change, to memory,
Interestingly, some of the highest listed speed limits of which I'm aware are on the Amtrak main line, including 110 MPH running within the city limits of Newark, NJ.(The tracks have no grade or pedestrian crossings and are usually well-fenced.).
I serve as a volunteer for Operation Lifesaver, a national rail-safety project; Topton, PA, where I spend much of my time, has a population of about 2000; no major highways, but a major line of the Norfolk Southern sends about thirty freight trains through the center of town on a daily basis. They can reach speeds of 50 MPH, but all the crossings are protected by automatically-operated crossing gates and flashing lights, save for a few private farm roads.
However, about three years ago, an out-of-town truck driver parked his rig too closely to the tracks and it ended up in several pieces; fortunately. no injuries. It disturbs me that apparently, some people know so little about rail operations that they can't tell the difference between a heavily-trafficked rail line and a rusty, lightly-used spur.
I witness the opposite. Usually I see most drivers driving so fast crossing the tracks they launch like the Duke boys driving the General Lee. Unless, of course, the stop light is red then they stop right on the tracks oblivious to the obvious.
These specific tracks are so flat you'd have to go 200 MPH to catch any air and that would be from the road leading to it.
Well said! What bothers me is the fact that people can't wait for a train
to pass and they go around the crossing gates. From what I have seen once the
gates start down it's approx 20 seconds or less before the train comes through?
I have almost 400 train videos on Youtube and hundreds more not even edited yet.
On average I'd say it takes two to three minutes for a train to pass? Granted if it's
somewhere like Hamlet where they are going to or from the yard it might take 12
minutes sometimes. There is nothing so important that I can't wait three minutes for
a train to pass and I resume my trip safely!
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2nd trick op
It disturbs me that apparently, some people know so little about rail operations that they can't tell the difference between a heavily-trafficked rail line and a rusty, lightly-used spur.
Well said! What bothers me is the fact that people can't wait for a train
to pass and they go around the crossing gates. From what I have seen once the
gates start down it's approx 20 seconds or less before the train comes through?
Federal requirement is a minimum of 20 seconds. Time starts when the lights start flashing, not when the gates start to come down or are down. There is about a 5 second delay from the time the lights start to flash, to when the gates start descending.
After the train has passed through the crossing, people should not proceed through the crossing until the gates are all the way up, and more importantly they should not proceed until the lights have stopped flashing. The red lights are your controlling signal, not the gates. (if it is stated differently in any NCDOT handout, please post it!)
Federal requirement is a minimum of 20 seconds. Time starts when the lights start flashing, not when the gates start to come down or are down. There is about a 5 second delay from the time the lights start to flash, to when the gates start descending.
After the train has passed through the crossing, people should not proceed through the crossing until the gates are all the way up, and more importantly they should not proceed until the lights have stopped flashing. The red lights are your controlling signal, not the gates. (if it is stated differently in any NCDOT handout, please post it!)
Sometimes Fred will hitch a ride on the front of the train...
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