Doktor No wrote:Four quadrant gates. Then grandma gets caught between them in her tin lizzie and freezes. I've seen it happen at two quadrant gates...sorta like a squirrel in the road when cars are coming. .
Three Oaks a month ago when 350 hit a box truck. Witness reports in the news said the truck turned right from the library and started across the track, making it south bound. The east gate was in front of the truck so the driver stopped, got out and tried to lift it by hand. That would put the truck across the center line.
The four quadrant gates in Illinois and on the North East Corridor lower two quadrants to stop traffic and use sensors to detect if the crossingis clear before lowering the remaining two. Neither two quadrant or four quadrant will prevent all accidents. MBTA did a study in the 90's video taping incursions on a crossing after the lights and bells had sounded. 13 in a eight week period down to I believe two with a four quadrant gate. Theirs used center barriers to prevent cars from crossing the center line and set the added quadrants 25' back from the track to allow room for a vehicle to exit the crossing.
None of the systems will prevent all accidents but what Amtrak and MDOT will be up against is the phrase "best practise". Did they emply best practices as they raised sppeds. Even if they successfully argue drivers caused the accidents and are at fault for their own injuries, eventually they will hit a heavier vehicle or one will get under the front of the locomotive and cause a derailment. Now they've got a train load of passengers who were not at fault. A personal injury lawyers dream...