Crossing Gates
Posted in Uncategorized on 03/12/2008 04:45 am by admin
Crossing Gates
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 Crossing Gates And Semaphore  US $.99
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 Vintage American Flyer Girder Bridge 23581 Crossing Light Sign Gate Building US $14.99
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Railroad Crossing Dangers And Safety Tips
First, the good news about vehicle/train collisions at railroad crossings; the number of collisions at railroad crossings has declined from a high of 13,557 incidents in 1978 to 2,746 in 2007, a decline of 80%. Now the bad news; in 2007, there were still 2,746 incidents. Drivers are still not getting the word that trying to outrace a train at a railroad crossing is a lose/lose proposition. 94% of the collisions and 87% of the fatalities at railroad crossings are caused by risky driving behavior or poor judgment on the part of the driver. Look at the facts:
- A large vehicle such as a train appears to be moving slower than it actually is. The maximum speed for freight trains is 60 mph while passenger trains can travel up to 80 mph.
- Even at low speeds, the impact force of a train is tremendous. A single locomotive weighing 432,000 pounds traveling at 35 mph will impart a collision force on a car of 885,000 tons of force. In order for an average car to impart that kind of crash force it would have to be traveling more than 4,200 mph.
- Once the train's engineer applies the brakes, the train will travel several hundred feet before air pressure is applied to the brakes on all the cars of a train and they fully take hold.
- An average freight train takes 1 1/2 miles to come to a complete stop.
- Of all the public railroad crossings (those crossing public roads and highways), only about 53% are controlled by electronic signals. Many private railroad crossings (on farms and industrial parks) are not marked at all.
How do you guard against becoming one of the statistics?
- Assume that there is a train on every track at all times, even tracks that are rarely used. If there is a stop sign at the crossing, stop! If there is a yield sign or electronic signals, slow and make sure that no trains are approaching.
- If there are two or more tracks, make sure there a train isn't coming in the other direction. In 2000, a firefighter returning from a false alarm waited at the crossing gates for a northbound train to pass. The train passed and stopped just beyond the crossing. The firefighter drove his fire truck around the gate and was struck and killed by a southbound train whose view was obscured by the stopped northbound train. The crossbuck railroad sign will indicate how many tracks there are at the crossing.
- When stopping at a railroad crossing make sure you stop no less than 15 feet from the tracks.
- Never cross a railroad track unless you are sure there is room on the other side for your vehicle to completely clear the tracks. Many collisions occur when a vehicle's rear end is still hanging out over the tracks.
- Don't shift gears while crossing a railroad track; it could cause your vehicle to stall.
- If your car stalls on a railroad track, get out of the car immediately, clear the tracks and call 911 for help. If a train is coming, run away from the tracks in the direction of the approaching train. If you run away from the approaching train, you may be injured or killed by flying debris when the train smashes into your car.
- Never try to beat a train at a crossing or snake around the lowered crossing gates. Once the lights start to flash and the crossing gate arms go down, the train will appear in about 20 seconds.
Learn more driver safety tips at The National Safety Commission Alerts.
About the Author
Dave Herron works for the National Safety Commission as a driver safety educator and trainer. He contributes to the weekly Driver Safety Alerts and develops driver safety courses.
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Crossing the Gates of Alaska $13 Crossing the Gates of Alaska |
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S P Whistle Stop 42504 12 Pieces Crossing Gates and Signals $22.28 Crossing Gates and Signals. You can add sound lights and accent pieces to your railroad with our extensive selection of operating accessories. 12 Pieces. N Scale. Qty OH: 25. |
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The Crossing $11.49 The Crossing |
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Crossing $9.99 Crossing |
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Bachmann BAC46720 N Dual Crossing Gates $24.05 For use with all N scale electric trains. Each corner of the piece has a patch of realistically molded plastic turf. A section of Bachmann N scale track runs through the center. A Black plastic two lane road crosses the track. The railroad crossing symbol and stop are painted in White on each lane in front of the railroad tracks. Each side of the road has a Black and White striped crossing gate with a railroad crossing sign and transparent Red signal light lenses. Length: 41/2 (117mm). Width: 3 (78mm). Height: 23/8 (61mm). |
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Bachmann BAC42504 Crossing Gate and Signals - 9 $17.85 You'll find six crossing signals and six crossing gates in this package. For use with N scale railroad layouts and dioramas. Made of plastic construction. Gates: Black base with black/white gates. Crossing signals: White with railroad crossing signs (X-shaped). |
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Bachmann BAC42504 Crossing Gate and Signals 9 $22.1 You ll find six crossing signals and six crossing gates in this package. For use with N scale railroad layouts and dioramas. Made of plastic construction. Gates: Black base with black/white gates. Crossing signals: White with railroad crossing signs (Xshaped). |
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Bachmann BAC42522 Road Crossing $17.85 For use with N scale railroad layouts and dioramas. Plastic construction. Road crossing resembles two lane Black asphalt pavement. RXR-Stop written in White. Black and White crossing gates and White crossing signals. Includes: Two Street Sections with RR Crossing Gate and Non-Operating Signals. Comments: Keep product safely out of reach of small children. |
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Bachmann Williams BAC44579 Ho Ez Track Crossing Gate $43.55 HO Deluxe EZ Crossing Gate. Gates automatically lower when train passes by. Compatible with steel alloy or nickel silver track. Engine shown not included. |
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S P Whistle Stop 46720 Dual Crossing Gates $24.3 You can add sound lights water features and accent pieces to your railroad with our extensive selection of operating accessories. Qty OH: 5. |
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S P Whistle Stop 44879 EZ Track Crossing Gate $40.5 As the train approaches the crossing gates come down. When the train has past the gates open allowing the cars to pass. This N Scale Operating Crossing Gate is designed for Bachmann's EZ Track System and replaces any straight section. Gate system is mechanically operated by the weight of the train as it passes and has nickel silver rail. Qty OH: 4. Gray Roadbed. |
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Student Crossing $10 Student Crossing |