Railroad Crossing

Abstract

A railroad crossing includes a turn in a road as the road approaches the railroad, the turn forcing an approaching vehicle to slow down. A impact attenuation zone extends from the turn in the direction of traffic flow so that vehicles failing to make the turn enter a vehicle impact attenuation zone are brought to a stop before coming into the area of danger through which railroad trains traverse.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]This invention relates to railroad crossings and in particular to features used to ensure safety at railroad crossings.[0002]Railroad crossings are common throughout the world. Various systems are in use to ensure the safety of vehicle traffic traveling across railroad crossings. Many such systems rely on a mechanical barrier such as a gate across the road to block access by vehicular traffic when a train is approaching the crossing. Other systems rely on warning lights or other signals to inform drivers that a train is approaching. Some crossings have both barriers and warning signals. Such systems present little or no physical attenuation devices to alert vehicular traffic to the impending danger at the crossing. Nor do many present systems provide a passive barrier for the prevention of crossing access by impaired drivers or to drivers traveling at unsafe speeds. Present approaches generally require electrical power and are therefore prone to fail...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0003]Approach to an exemplary railroad crossing and progress through it is recognizable by raised, road lane separation discs or otherwise shaped devices, larger (possibly approximately one foot in diameter), in order to distinguish their feel to a motorist driving across them from that of the smaller (approximately four (4) inch diameter) raised road discs and rectangles in use on highways at non-crossing locations. These larger discs or otherwise shaped devices have a gentle, edge slope so as not to create a hazard to traverse. This railroad crossing includes a right angle (ninety (90) degrees) or approximate turn in a road as it approaches the railroad crossing. Extending beyond the end of pavement, at this point, is a ditch or depression, filled to above grade with used wooden railroad ties, which act as an impact attenuation device (vehicle impact attenuation zone) for impaired drivers and vehicles which either did not recognize the crossing approach or were trave

Problems solved by technology

Such systems present little or no physical attenuation devices to alert vehicular traffic to the impending danger at the crossing.

Nor do many present systems provide a passive barrier for the prevention of crossing access

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