LEVEL CROSSING

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20065, 23 March 1935, Page 10

LEVEL CROSSING

NEW AMERICAN DEVICE Successful tests have been made in America with an automatic barrier for level railway crossings. When a train enters the control section a warning bell starts to ring, and on each side of the track a barrier rises to a height of four inches, stopping at this height for a period of ten seconds, during which time red lights flash a warning STOP. Should a vehicle strike a barrier during this period, the barrier is depressed to the level of the roadway, and the car rides over. After the ten-second interval the barrier rises to its full height of 10 inches. The sides nearest the railway track are curved to approximate to the wheels of a motor-car and any car riding up the curves depresses the barrier again. This means that a car which has crossed one barrier safely and finds the other barrier up to the full height can depress the high barrier with ease. The approach side of the barrier is,

however, straight and any car striking it rebounds and stops. A fivepassenger car weighing 40001 b. with passengers weighing 9001 b., has been driven against a barrier at a speed, of 30 m.p.h. with no injury to passengers

The track circuits provide for the warning to ring 30 seconds before the arrival of the fastest passenger train, and for the barrier to be fully raised 15 seconds before the train arrives. The barrier remains at its full height until the rear of the train clears the crossing, the bell continuing to ring and the lights to flash. Even when the barrier is sinking the lights flash. The whole apparatus is located below the surface of the roadway and is housed in a farmework consisting of two steel beams 18 inches high, set inches apart. The barrier itself is made in ten-foot-long sections, and the worm gear which moves the operating rod in and out is driven by a *-h.p. 32-volt d.c. motor which operates at 1725 r.p.m. At 800 feet from the crossing is a sign “Slow Down;” at 400 feet a sign reading “Expect Quick Stop;” at 350 feet a standard railway stop sign; at 200 feet a standard “Slow” .sign; and nearer still are other painted, reflecting, and bell signs.