Crazy grade crossings

[DaveO]

edit: it seems some japanese live cam streams are stopped on a regular basis and then restarted.
that will break the YouTube links unfortunately

YouTube provided a suggestion for this new live railcam in Tokyo.
https://youtu.be/saJYRMnljwM
location
https://goo.gl/maps/cais1Hfoj3wFVFCv9

This was the first crossing I had seen that truly was crazy. It was in Osaka
and has been closed for several years now. Some YT commentators haven't picked up that fact
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QMcFUHORSU&t=149s
location
https://goo.gl/maps/RXH3nVGvrNVQEbaq8

Much closer to home, is this still like this in Ithaca?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBtfa4usOXg
location
https://goo.gl/maps/zvHVxxnvVKo92DzC6

There is another video out there where the road was removed but the signals are still there and working.
Anyone know where that is? I couldn't find it on this go round.

I'm not talking about that JawTooth video where he wonders why the signals are there and working but the road is a dead end...
and still usable by vehicles. That's his modus operandi.

Seen any other interesting ones?

[David Collins]

The ones on the CSAO/CN quad tracks are always fun to watch, specifically Oak Street in Wyandotte (which wasn’t wired properly) where the middle crossings always activate even if there isn’t a train on those tracks.

Opdyke and Kensington in Bloomfield Hills is also an interesting crossing, given there’s a T-intersection, houses and a middle school literally right next to it.

[DaveO]

DC regarding the downriver crossings. They're designed to not trap cars on the tracks.
That means in some cases, only one side of the crossing signal will activate.
The spacing between tracks is the factor on the behavior.
The sides facing away from the tracks-with the gates-should always activate for any train.

But having said that, I wasn't there when you were and things may have changed.

[Chip]

The ones on the CSAO/CN quad tracks are always fun to watch, specifically Oak Street in Wyandotte (which wasn’t wired properly) where the middle crossings always activate even if there isn’t a train on those tracks.

The lights all come on but the inside guardrails only come down if there's a train on that track. The outer guardrails come down no matter what. Not every road has guardrails on the interior tracks (Conrail and NS respectively). The only one I can think of that still has that arrangement is King Rd.

[Chip]

There is another video out there where the road was removed but the signals are still there and working.
Anyone know where that is? I couldn't find it on this go round.

I think I know which one you’re talking about and if it's the same one, it's somewhere on GLC. Can't remember exactly where though.

[NS3322]

Much closer to home, is this still like this in Ithaca?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBtfa4usOXg
location
https://goo.gl/maps/zvHVxxnvVKo92DzC6

They are gone now.

[Michael]

This was a thread from a few years ago

Safest Grade Crossing In America
https://railroadfan.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=35302

[DaveO]

This was a thread from a few years ago

Safest Grade Crossing In America
https://railroadfan.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=35302

That's it. Even had a gate for the non-existent sidewalk.
They removed the signals because the road was never extended.
Who puts signals in before the road? What a waste of money.

[Saturnalia]

Who puts signals in before the road? What a waste of money.

Same answer as I give to everybody else who questions why management did what they did: if you told me exactly what would happen in the future, I'd probably make better decisions. But there are like 100,000 different factors, like three of which I know and/or can control, so some things looking dumb in hindsight is just going to come with the territory.

It probably made sense at the time. The road authority may even have paid for it. Then something unforeseen changed and boom there you go. Probably quite simple and chances are I bet most people would have made the same exact decision.

[Buster Manning]

Woodville Rd., just west of CP 78 on the Michigan Line has functioning crossing protection and no road going across the tracks......when I asked a maintainer about this, was told that someone hadn't made up their mind whether or not to officially abandon the road between the airport property and the railroad......and so, we act like it's an active crossing

[DaveO]

Woodville Rd., just west of CP 78 on the Michigan Line has functioning crossing protection and no road going across the tracks......when I asked a maintainer about this, was told that someone hadn't made up their mind whether or not to officially abandon the road between the airport property and the railroad......and so, we act like it's an active crossing

Low ground clearance isn't the only problem
https://goo.gl/maps/BX4dV8TAVrcQ587Y9