Re: (rshsdepot) Railroad safety

[I95BERNIEW_@_aol.com]

In a message dated 6/8/01 7:41:44 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
j.i.cleveland_@_larc.nasa.gov writes:


> Suggestion for discussion
> 
> For railroad crossings that have gates, make the gates long enough and 
> provide fences to either side of the gate so that once closed, there is no 
> way for a vehicle to go around the gate.  It seems to me that this, rather 
> simple, idea would save a lot of lives.  I remember the Amtrak incident in 
> Illinois a few years ago, where an 18 wheeler went around a closed gate 
> causing a major passenger train accident.
> 
> 

A variation on this has been used in some places.  They're called four 
quadrant gates and instead of one gate coming down to block traffic in only 
one direction, two gates come down and block both sides of the roadway.  

I believe they've proven to be successful in stopping most drive around 
problems.

You can get more info from Operation Lifesaver's Web site at:
http://www.oli.org/printer_friendly/ol_basics/engineering/4_quadrant_gate.html
 
Bernie Wagenblast

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