Trains and....planes?

[~Z~]

http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php? ... ments=true

[OwlCaboose2853]

Big cool! Yea, Train is first on right of way. But Where is a gates, flashers crossing-plane and markerRXR?

[GreatLakesRailfan]

Interesting. It'd be kind of scary to be on final at the moment the engineer decided to cross the runway even if he only had two or three cars. Of course, I'd imagine that either the tower (if there is one there) or air traffic control would probably be coordinating with the railroad employees concerning traffic like that. Or if its an uncontrolled field, the engineer/conductor?/railway employee would likely have warned area (or local) traffic that whatever they call themselves were crossing the active (if indeed that were the active runway at the time the train were crossing). Kind of a unique situation there, I'd guess.

[OwlCaboose2853]

Hello Charle W,

You know about Air Tower Watcher must have been responsibility for information to airplane's radio for avoid touchdown runaway surface before the train come on the runaway crossing. I think.

Owl

[GreatLakesRailfan]

Not knowing how it works in Madagascar, where I believe the caption said the photo was taken, I'd assume its similar to the way they do things here. My guess is that the train is kind of like another airplane, more than likely going through about the same procedures to get clearance that the planes do, with the exception that the train wouldn't be taking up room up in the sky upon leaving the airport. Wouldn't surprise me too much that if it were an uncontrolled airport (with just a radio frequency, no tower or person sitting around regulating traffic), the engineer would have a radio for the airport frequency(s) in order to notify area traffic that the train was crossing the field. I'm not sure if I'm saying this right or not, but some airports don't have a tower or anything for people on the ground to relay information to those coming in- its up to the pilot to land safely using his (her) eyes and by following the rules. But yeah, at a controlled airport the ATC personnel (or ground control depending on what's being crossed) would be the ones giving clearance to the train and the planes.

...not trying to sound like a jerk or anything, I'm pretty much just trying to remember some of the rules and stuff, having taken some flight training a few years back, something like this brings back a lot of good memories...

[CAT345C]

How did he get that shot, run onto the runway while they crossed?

[GreatLakesRailfan]

Before taking off there is a list of stuff has to be done (a checklist) One of the things on the checklist is an engine run-up in order to check gauges and stuff, we did them on a taxiway while waiting to get onto the active runway. Also, that prop is the primary means of forward motion of the plane, so if for some reason the parking brake were set, or the plane wasn't going anywhere anyway, it wouldn't be that hard to get out to get a shot and then get back. Or maybe the photographer used some sort of a zoom lenses. I can't see the pic right now, my web service seems to be running a little crazy tonight.

[~Z~]

doesn't look like a zoomed in shot at all...he was quite close..i'm just thinking that since the engine of the locomotive is on the runway now, it's probably crossing and the plane is waiting...if this is a taxi strip, the train may have right of way here, but not across a runway. who knows...