Railroad Crossing Research Paper

It is a very common misconception that trains don’t exist anymore. Many people believe that they are a thing of the past, and are of absolutely no worry to them. The vast majority of the population truly think that railroad crossings are of no importance, and that they can just ignore them. While it is uncommon and quite rare that you will come across a train while you are driving, it is still crucial that you are always aware and prepared at a railroad crossing. It is much better to be aware than to be on the wrong end of a collision. If you think about it, a small automobile against five thousand five hundred tons of heavy metal? The train will win every time, and you will be sorry. We can learn how to properly handle a railroad crossing by reading and studying …show more content…
There are passive signs, and there are active warning signs. When approaching a public highway-rail crossing, drivers will see the round, yellow advance warning sign. These and pavement markings are generally installed by local or state agencies. Pavement markings are an example of an advanced warning sign. The letters are painted onto the surface of the road, and they typically start at the advance warning sign and will end with a stop bar close to the crossing. A common pavement marking usually looks like an “x” with two capital “r’s” on each side of the “x.” Another warning is a crossbuck. The common crossbuck is the basic warning sign required at all public crossings. It is the railroad’s responsibility to instal and maintain the crossbuck. Crossbucks are sometimes supplemented by electrical warnings of flashing lights, a bell, or a gate that descends to block the road and prevent traffic from crossing the tracks. It looks like two white panels fixated in an “x” shape, one of the panels says “railroad” and the other panel says “crossing.” Some other signs that are sometimes present at a railroad crossing are stop signs and / or yield