Timers for manual LCs

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Timers for manual LCs 10/01/2015 at 20:53 #67698
clive
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2738 posts
" said:
Indeed, if a crossing is operated 'correctly' (that is, not lowered unreasonably early and raised as soon as possible), the penalty shouldn't normally be encountered - the only possible exceptions being when there's a few trains in quick succession or one's unexpectedly delayed in rear of the crossing. If you have to be reminded that you've left the barriers down, whether that's by a mysterious flashing light or a 'phone call from Control (yes, got the t-shirt!!), then you've already unnecessarily delayed road traffic and earned the penalty. To me, the job (in real life and in Simsig) is about minimising the inconvenience to road traffic whilst keeping trains running without delay, which certainly isn't consistent with lowering Stoke Canon barriers before an Up train has even arrived at Exeter - there's plenty of time to get them down after the train is observed to be leaving the station.
This about summarizes it.

The penalties are there to simulate the complaints you will get if you regularly block the crossing unnecessarily. The times should be significantly more than are necessary to signal trains through. If you're learning the panel, the message is a warning of something you've forgotten and the penalty points shouldn't be a big deal. If you think you're skilled, then you've got things wrong and should pay the penalty.

I don't see any need to change this. The only thing that could be done is to replace the message by a phone call. What would people think of that?

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Timers for manual LCs 10/01/2015 at 21:25 #67702
Forest Pines
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525 posts
" said:

I remember a story about some coastal town in a rural area of the UK there a stuck-down level crossing effectively cut off the only road out of town for something on the order of 12-36 hours. The local police showed up, but did nothing until NR could send someone out to rectify the problem. I do not even believe pedestrians were allowed to cross the tracks. The term Sheeple gets thrown around a lot, but that was seriously a case where people needed to deviate from the normal procedure.*
At a guess, I suspect this was probably Frinton-On-Sea, where the crossing is the major route in and out of town, and whose residents infamously consider the railway crossing to be the edge of the civilised world - when its gates were replaced by barriers, there was much local indignation and protest.

Wikipedia and the Ordnance Survey suggest the news article's statement that the crossing is the *only* way in is inaccurate, but other routes require long detours, one via a non-public road.

Last edited: 10/01/2015 at 21:26 by Forest Pines
Reason: Sorting out news article link

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Timers for manual LCs 11/01/2015 at 15:56 #67725
kbarber
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1712 posts
" said:
" said:

I'm not sure the 10/15 minutes times are particularly realistic. We do have plenty of standards that are referred to about level crossing times, I believe, but these mostly apply to automatic level crossings where drivers are much more likely to abuse them (due to the lack of full gates). I think our cars are probably smaller than yours so less likely to be totally happy with simply ploughing through gates ;)
I remember a story about some coastal town in a rural area of the UK there a stuck-down level crossing effectively cut off the only road out of town for something on the order of 12-36 hours. The local police showed up, but did nothing until NR could send someone out to rectify the problem. I do not even believe pedestrians were allowed to cross the tracks. The term Sheeple gets thrown around a lot, but that was seriously a case where people needed to deviate from the normal procedure.*

Definitely agree with Steamer on this... on this side of the Pond that sort of 'deviation from normal procedure' is likely to result in some rather messy fatalities - we just have too many trains to get away with that sort of thing. And if it were Frinton on Sea (a place beyond parody, as the Guardian memorably described it) the crossing concerned was closed with large and heavy wooden gates (they are now preserved in the station car park). So it would have been completely impossible to free the crossing without some major surgery on the gates the locals were so determined to keep.

Mind you, knowing the standard of reporting we endure it wouldn't surprise me if the closure took place for the replacement of the gates (with everything duly advertised in official notices) and the police attended to ensure there was no trouble with revolting natives trying to chain themselves to the gates or anything like that.


" said:
I know some towns near me that were having problems with long freight trains blocking crossings for hours and hours. In protest the local mayor ordered the local police to park a police car on the tracks to see how the railroad liked being blocked in. Local police have also been known to issue citations to the railroad company, issue traffic tickets to the crew or even arrest the train crew for blocking crossings. All such actions are illegal since railroads are a Federal matter, but that doesn't stop the locals from taking action.

I think the police over here are both better briefed and more sensible. And not subject to the orders of (clearly terminally stupid) local mayors. Moreover I'd like to see a policeman try and issue a ticket to an HST in full cry

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Timers for manual LCs 11/01/2015 at 17:22 #67730
Peter Bennet
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5362 posts
" said:
Moreover I'd like to see a policeman try and issue a ticket to an HST in full cry :ohmy:
Like this?

Peter

I identify as half man half biscuit - crumbs!
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Timers for manual LCs 11/01/2015 at 17:53 #67731
belly buster
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368 posts
" said:
" said:
Moreover I'd like to see a policeman try and issue a ticket to an HST in full cry :ohmy:
Like this?

Peter
Ha I knew that would link to that advert - remember it well. From an era when you couldn't fast forward the adverts.

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Timers for manual LCs 12/01/2015 at 09:25 #67750
kbarber
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1712 posts
" said:
" said:
Moreover I'd like to see a policeman try and issue a ticket to an HST in full cry :ohmy:
Like this?

Peter

Quite so m'lud.

Peter, I think your signature text and that advert belong together somehow (perhaps with a helping of Monty Python to wash it down).

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Timers for manual LCs 12/01/2015 at 17:36 #67751
Jersey_Mike
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250 posts
There are better videos of this situation, but this was the only one I could find.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zW9RrPUu6j0

BNSF freight trains routinely block the path between several downtown attractions such as the waterfront, convention center and baseball stadium, when the crews are flat switching the yard. Locals will go over, under, around and through the train to get to their destination. I've seen this happen myself, but wasn't able to get my camera out in time for video it. Sure it's unsafe, but I don't think anyone's been killed yet. The city built a pedestrian bridge, but since American's don't like inclines the problem at the level crossing persists.

This picture sums up our philosophy perfectly.

https://www.acm.jhu.edu//~sthurmovik/Railpics/08-10-10_SELKIRK_COLOURS/Amtrak_Hudson-Line-MP168-Crossing-South.html

See, the sign tells you to be careful. Problem solved. B)

Line speed is 110mph BTW.

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Timers for manual LCs 13/01/2015 at 07:31 #67771
kbarber
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1712 posts
" said:
There are better videos of this situation, but this was the only one I could find.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zW9RrPUu6j0

BNSF freight trains routinely block the path between several downtown attractions such as the waterfront, convention center and baseball stadium, when the crews are flat switching the yard. Locals will go over, under, around and through the train to get to their destination. I've seen this happen myself, but wasn't able to get my camera out in time for video it. Sure it's unsafe, but I don't think anyone's been killed yet. The city built a pedestrian bridge, but since American's don't like inclines the problem at the level crossing persists.

This picture sums up our philosophy perfectly.

https://www.acm.jhu.edu//~sthurmovik/Railpics/08-10-10_SELKIRK_COLOURS/Amtrak_Hudson-Line-MP168-Crossing-South.html

See, the sign tells you to be careful. Problem solved. B)

Line speed is 110mph BTW.

I think the massed ranks of elfen safety just had an egg

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Timers for manual LCs 13/01/2015 at 11:53 #67774
Ron_J
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329 posts
" said:
BNSF freight trains routinely block the path between several downtown attractions such as the waterfront, convention center and baseball stadium, when the crews are flat switching the yard. Locals will go over, under, around and through the train to get to their destination. I've seen this happen myself, but wasn't able to get my camera out in time for video it. Sure it's unsafe, but I don't think anyone's been killed yet. The city built a pedestrian bridge, but since American's don't like inclines the problem at the level crossing persists.

The solution to that particularly American problem is to not build the railway down the middle of the High Street.

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Timers for manual LCs 13/01/2015 at 12:35 #67776
Jersey_Mike
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250 posts
" said:

The solution to that particularly American problem is to not build the railway down the middle of the High Street.
Normally the railroad pre-dates the high street, but in this case the railroad was built to serve the waterfront, which back before the 1980's were considered seedy industrial areas in most cities that had them. When the longshoreman and prostitutes moved to shiny new container terminals the old waterfronts were redeveloped into tourist attractions and residential neighborhoods. In San Diego's case the waterfront railroad still ran to the city's major rail yard and all those shiny new port facilities so it couldn't be given over entirely to public transport. Here's a video I took at the same location of one of the commuter trainsets heading into the yard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwBmf-K4934

Oakland is another example of waterfront rail lines getting caught up by development.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MGBuJVXfEM

Last edited: 13/01/2015 at 12:38 by Jersey_Mike
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Timers for manual LCs 14/01/2015 at 00:48 #67793
meeko
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33 posts
Or what looks otherwise like a quiet residential street...
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Timers for manual LCs 08/04/2015 at 19:23 #70872
Slash
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76 posts
I think Derby must follow the 6/8 rule, but admitting a train to the Down Goods Loops over Clay Mills crossing can be extremely tight. That leads to you waiting until the train is looking at a YY or Y, but then if you get hit by a blocked crossing, causing you to cycle the barriers, you get a 500m Class 6 coming to a stand.
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