Technology is being put in place in Elkhart County to warn drivers of blocked railroad crossings, so they can go to an open one and not have to wait. This will be helpful to first responders as well.
https://wsbt.com/news/local/technology- ... lc-indiana#
When the Prairie Street Overpass opened a few years ago, it brought some relief to downtown Elkhart when it comes to blocked crossings. I've been to Elkhart before when Main St. was blocked for over 30 minutes by trains going into and out of the rail yard.
The problem with this is new technology to show blocked crossings is that the info goes to a website, and people have to illegally use their phones to access the information while they are behind the wheel. Indiana is a "hands-free" state, and it is illegal to have a cell phone in your hands while you are operating your vehicle. I believe this even includes if you are parked at a railroad crossing or red light. As long as you are behind the wheel with the key in the ingnition and the motor running, you are operating that vehicle.
https://www.mcneelylaw.com/understandin ... e%20Law%20(Ind,device%20while%20operating%20a%20vehicle.
Technology May Help Drivers Bypass Train Traffic.
Technology May Help Drivers Bypass Train Traffic.
Jeff O.
Celebrating 11 years dial-up free!
(18:36:45) MagnumForce: Railfanning is way more fun when you stop caring about locomotives and signals
(19:11:29) cbehr91: I can't believe I'm +1ing Brent but +1
Celebrating 11 years dial-up free!
(18:36:45) MagnumForce: Railfanning is way more fun when you stop caring about locomotives and signals
(19:11:29) cbehr91: I can't believe I'm +1ing Brent but +1
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justalurker66
- Railroadfan...fan
- Posts: 1968
- Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2011 2:51 am
Re: Technology May Help Drivers Bypass Train Traffic.
This site claimed to have technology in place to detect blocked crossings.
http://ectrains.com/
The wording has been removed from their website:
"Train location is not an easy task. We're doing it using every tool we can think of. That includes video, audio and RF.
We've also developed our own sensors using seismometers that detect the ground shaking from a passing train.
None of our sensors are on or even very near railroad property. That has hampered our work, but as you can see we're working around that.
Accuracy varies, but when we show a train on a particular stretch of track, we're pretty sure there IS one there. We just might not know exactly where, but it's there."
With county funding and other support, the article states that the new system will use cameras to detect when crossing gates are activated. At least that is less vague than their former claims. (Often their "blocked crossing" map matched train locations seen on ATSC.)
http://ectrains.com/
The wording has been removed from their website:
"Train location is not an easy task. We're doing it using every tool we can think of. That includes video, audio and RF.
We've also developed our own sensors using seismometers that detect the ground shaking from a passing train.
None of our sensors are on or even very near railroad property. That has hampered our work, but as you can see we're working around that.
Accuracy varies, but when we show a train on a particular stretch of track, we're pretty sure there IS one there. We just might not know exactly where, but it's there."
With county funding and other support, the article states that the new system will use cameras to detect when crossing gates are activated. At least that is less vague than their former claims. (Often their "blocked crossing" map matched train locations seen on ATSC.)