More new signals on the Grand Rapids sub
Re: More new signals on the Grand Rapids sub
Are gates really necessary there? Trains go what, about 5-10mph through that area?
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Re: More new signals on the Grand Rapids sub
People, People, people. Gotta keep them off the tracks at train time!J T wrote:Are gates really necessary there? Trains go what, about 5-10mph through that area?
Re: More new signals on the Grand Rapids sub
Gates won't keep them off the tracks there. The whole area is wide open to cross the tracks; gates will do little to nothing to deter people.MQT3001 wrote:People, People, people. Gotta keep them off the tracks at train time!J T wrote:Are gates really necessary there? Trains go what, about 5-10mph through that area?
Someone else agrees with me: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=27357&p=274256#p274256
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Re: More new signals on the Grand Rapids sub
It adds another line of reasoning to the railroad's "they shouldn've been on the tracks" agrument should someone get hit, at the very least. It is still a fairly busy crossing in general.J T wrote:Gates won't keep them off the tracks there. The whole area is wide open to cross the tracks; gates will do little to nothing to deter people.MQT3001 wrote:People, People, people. Gotta keep them off the tracks at train time!J T wrote:Are gates really necessary there? Trains go what, about 5-10mph through that area?
Someone else agrees with me: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=27357&p=274256#p274256
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Re: More new signals on the Grand Rapids sub
Couple of observations on this, 1. do the signal equipment manufacturers even offer "lights only" as an option? 2. With the gates/light combo being the "default" installation in this day an age, imagine the outrage/lawsuits if someone got hit at a crossing with "only" lights - when better protection is available and used elsewhere....
Re: More new signals on the Grand Rapids sub
And one that I've driven over dozens of times...and I still don't believe, IMO, that gates are necessary there. But that's just my grown up opinion.MQT3001 wrote:It is still a fairly busy crossing in general.
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Re: More new signals on the Grand Rapids sub
Are gates needed at Franklin in G-ville? Are they needed on those country roads north of Saugatuck? There are lots of places where they might not be needed...and of all those places left on the GR sub, St. Joseph is far from the worst contender.J T wrote:And one that I've driven over dozens of times...and I still don't believe, IMO, that gates are necessary there. But that's just my grown up opinion.MQT3001 wrote:It is still a fairly busy crossing in general.
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Re: More new signals on the Grand Rapids sub
It's pretty hard to re-signal a crossing these days without installing gates.
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Re: More new signals on the Grand Rapids sub
Of course, due to the speeds being much faster at those crossings. Logic dictates that.MQT3001 wrote: Are gates needed at Franklin in G-ville? Are they needed on those country roads north of Saugatuck?
Are gates needed at 8th Street in Holland and all the non-gated crossings through town to the south? I don't view the crossing in St. Joe any different.
Well, if they don't make crossing signals any more without gates attached to them, then that explains it.SD80MAC wrote:It's pretty hard to re-signal a crossing these days without installing gates.
Last edited by J T on Tue Jul 16, 2013 5:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: More new signals on the Grand Rapids sub
They probably have to put gates on them because, let's face it, common sense isn't so common anymore.
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Re: More new signals on the Grand Rapids sub
You can get anything you want, if you're willing to spend the money. SafeTRANS still offers mechanical searchlights (last I knew it was $10K for one) if you REALLY want to install them. You can also get the head configuation anyway you want it with brackets. You want a PRR style Position Light, they'll hook you up.MSchwiebert wrote:Couple of observations on this, 1. do the signal equipment manufacturers even offer "lights only" as an option? 2. With the gates/light combo being the "default" installation in this day an age, imagine the outrage/lawsuits if someone got hit at a crossing with "only" lights - when better protection is available and used elsewhere....
Anyway, they make 'flasher only' crossing protection. You'll see those used in the median side of gates and whatnot. But, most signal projects just default to the gates and flashers. State throws money at the projects, and I'm sure they're 'standards' factor in to the installation too. By the time I left the Garrett Sub in 2005 for greener pastures, I think there were only 1 or 2 'unimproved crossings' (one was in Fostoria just west of F Tower). Of the 'improved' ones, I think only a couple didn't have flashers AND gates on them. In addition, they had closed a lot of the lesser used crossings altogether. Crossing protection on the St. Louis line gets flashers and gates, and some of the roads aren't used by much more than farmers between fields.
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Re: More new signals on the Grand Rapids sub
The real problem is, "survival of the fittest" is being phased out of society, removing all responsibility of having common sense.Jochs wrote:They probably have to put gates on them because, let's face it, common sense isn't so common anymore.
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Re: More new signals on the Grand Rapids sub
Heh heh...
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Re: More new signals on the Grand Rapids sub
Ain't that the truth!J T wrote:The real problem is, "survival of the fittest" is being phased out of society, removing all responsibility of having common sense.Jochs wrote:They probably have to put gates on them because, let's face it, common sense isn't so common anymore.
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Re: More new signals on the Grand Rapids sub
JT- That photo Rocks.
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Re: More new signals on the Grand Rapids sub
It sounds like maintainers will be getting time shortly to place the second signal at Ivanrest on its base.
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Re: More new signals on the Grand Rapids sub
It is my assumption that this was not meant to be taken as a signal roster shot, just she'll do just fine to indicate the new Ivanrest signal on two. Thanks to Jim Guest
P371 East, Lamar by Jim Guest, on Flickr
I'll mention here that I'm very Envyous of your's and SD80MAC's 371 shots today. Tried and failed to make it
P371 East, Lamar by Jim Guest, on Flickr
I'll mention here that I'm very Envyous of your's and SD80MAC's 371 shots today. Tried and failed to make it
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Re: More new signals on the Grand Rapids sub
As noted in the New AMTK Station thread, it sounds like there will NOT be CTC on the main through Wyoming Yard.
One thing I was wondering after chasing #370 tonight has to deal with the signals already installed. Now, my understanding is the intermediates, after the train passes, show an approach aspect after the train passes in the opposite direction, so as you can see it from the rear of said train. But after #370 whized by 64th St and I, I noticed that Vriesland showed a clear aspect. And then a little later, Port Jenison (or 9) showed an Approach.
Anyone know why this is? Or has anyone else seen this someplace else?
One thing I was wondering after chasing #370 tonight has to deal with the signals already installed. Now, my understanding is the intermediates, after the train passes, show an approach aspect after the train passes in the opposite direction, so as you can see it from the rear of said train. But after #370 whized by 64th St and I, I noticed that Vriesland showed a clear aspect. And then a little later, Port Jenison (or 9) showed an Approach.
Anyone know why this is? Or has anyone else seen this someplace else?
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Re: More new signals on the Grand Rapids sub
The intermediate signal indications depend on how the nearest absolute is lined.
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Re: More new signals on the Grand Rapids sub
So Vriesland would be Green because Zeeland is between that and 112th? That makes since.Typhoon wrote:The intermediate signal indications depend on how the nearest absolute is lined.