RAILROAD SIGNALS of the U.S.

PEDESTRIAN CROSSING GATES
and SIGNALS

This section covers protection for pedestrians where they have to cross a railroad right-of-way, such as crossing gates, signals, and signs.

Camp Hill PA (Harrisburg) on the Norfolk Southern

In this southern suburb of Harrisburg, adjacent to the Camp Hill depot and on the Lurgan Branch, is this grade crossing on the Norfolk Southern.  It is fairly easy to get here off of I-83.  See my railfan guide map for Harrisburg here.

Darby PA (Philadelphia) on the CSX (ex B&O)

This crossing gate and it's brother are in Darby PA, a southwest suburb of Philadelphia. It protects people from freights on the old B&O, their only track in and out of town to the south. It is on Main St (cross street of N 6th St), not too far off of Island Ave, which is an exit off of I95.  You can also see, especially in the streetcar shot, that the trolley tracks cross here too.  What a great town!  Sorry I didn't get more pix of it, the streetcar was coming for a photo run-by and then we had to get back on.

This is the PCC we chartered for a 5 hour trip around Philadelphia, wherever we wanted to go as long as it was active track.  You too can do the same for $200 an hour, 2 hour minimum.... great fun!  SEPTA had a bunch of these cars rebuilt at a cost of $1.1mil apiece, and the refurb included adding A/C, installing new solid state controllers, new wiring, new operators console, new interior panels (probably with insulation, as the original PCC cars didn't have any), LED tail and stop lights, and white LED emergency lights (continuously lit).  A job well done that will likely keep these things running for another 20-30 years (hopefully).
 

Cumberland MD - CSX (formerly the B&O)

     
These crossing gates seem to be a little bit better maintained than their brothers in Darby (above).

      Other "stuff" at the same location.

Lancaster NY - NS Southern Tier Line

There are several grade crossings in the Lancaster NY area with these combined vehicular and pedestrian crossing gates.

 

MTA Light Rail - Timonium Rd - Timonium MD

A pedestrian crossing signal on the Baltimore Light Rail at Timonium Rd in Timonium MD.
It's a typical "hand-man" signal used in regular traffic light service.  For those not familiar with the terminology used with auto type signals, the "hand" and "man" refer to the symbols displayed.  The white symbol of a man walking signifies it is OK to walk, an orange hand replaces the traditional "don't walk".

This is the cheap way to provide pedestrian protection at a grade crossing, but not many pay attention to them.

The "signal" in the last two pictures is a special, one-of-a-kind LED matrix display that goes off when two trains are approaching the crossing at the same time... first, it warns the drivers that there are two trains in writing, and then it displays two trains, one at a time, one going in one direction, and the other in the opposite direction.  Now that they have double tracked the line, trains don't meet here too often any more.  The signal was designed by a former foreman of the light rail Systems department.

COMING.....  some day - Pictures of a unique pedestrian crossing gate(s) in Bethlehem PA

New: 12/21/2006
Last Modified: 11-Dec-2009