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  • Train question

    I was sitting at this crossing today waiting for a LONG CNR to pass (forever intermodal cars...), and the thought occured to me. How does the warning-light system work? Is there something on the tracks that the train trips?

    Please help train people.
    (know of any good train photo sites?)
    My Flickr Pictures! Click Me!

  • #2
    Originally posted by Cameron
    (know of any good train photo sites?)
    Infact I do: http://railpictures.net/

    That is JetPhotos.Net's sister site.
    And if you don't get an adequate answer to your question here, feel free to ask it in RP's forum.
    Will F.
    Photos: JetPhotos.Net | Airliners.net | General Photography

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Crazy764
      Infact I do: http://railpictures.net/

      That is JetPhotos.Net's sister site.
      Nice site...
      Why is it limited to North American railroads though?

      Paul


      Click Here to view my aircraft photos at JetPhotos.Net!

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      • #4
        Originally posted by Cameron
        I was sitting at this crossing today waiting for a LONG CNR to pass (forever intermodal cars...), and the thought occured to me. How does the warning-light system work? Is there something on the tracks that the train trips?
        www.howstuffworks.com has some articles on that, and lots of other train/subway related articles.

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        • #5
          It is not limited to the US, I have over 100 pictures on there from the UK and other countries-do a search using the name of a country as a keyword.



          Matt
          My gallery of transport and travel pictures.

          Click Here to view my photos at RailPictures.Net!

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          • #6
            first view of railpictures.
            this is cool ... awesome !!
            Inactive from May 1 2009.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by egll
              It is not limited to the US, I have over 100 pictures on there from the UK and other countries-do a search using the name of a country as a keyword.
              Terrific! There's even a few hundred pics from the Netherlands. Now I'll have to spend some time browsing that site as well...

              Paul


              Click Here to view my aircraft photos at JetPhotos.Net!

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              • #8
                I suspect it's tripped magnetically. Just like many gates that go up when a car pulls up to it. Of course, a track pressure switch is a possibility too... and then there's the possibility of having the switch trip automatically by a mainframe computer that tracks positions of the train network and knows which intersection to close the gates at... but I don't really know for sure - just speculation.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by AC_A340-500
                  and then there's the possibility of having the switch trip automatically by a mainframe computer that tracks positions of the train network and knows which intersection to close the gates at... but I don't really know for sure - just speculation.
                  Assuming Cameron was asking about tracks in Canada, there is ZERO possibility. The Union Station in downtown Toronto still uses 1920s-technology track switches!

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by avro_arrow_25206
                    Assuming Cameron was asking about tracks in Canada, there is ZERO possibility. The Union Station in downtown Toronto still uses 1920s-technology track switches!
                    Well at least that way there's no chance of the system crashing.

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Cameron
                      I was sitting at this crossing today waiting for a LONG CNR to pass (forever intermodal cars...), and the thought occured to me. How does the warning-light system work? Is there something on the tracks that the train trips?
                      As an überTrainnerd...I might help if you have got a picture of the tracks


                      Originally posted by Cameron
                      (know of any good train photo sites?)
                      www.railfaneurope.net
                      www.bahnbilder.de <--- i'm on there....Username Richard Klok


                      I'm on there as well....same username ''Richard Klok'' in pictures
                      Online railroad photo database, featuring thousands of high-quality photographs of trains, railroads, railroad scenes, and more.
                      Suche gut gebaute 18-30 Jährigen zum schlachten.
                      - Metzgermeister

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                      • #12
                        Ok, I had a chance to meet with the Signals & Communications supervisor of Canadian Pacific Railway, and I brought this question up to him.

                        He explained that the new systems that they're putting in works as an electric circuit, There are circuitry buried beneath the tracks, and connected to the rail signals and gate. When a train approaches the circuitry, its axle (made of metal of course) would close the circuit, so that the signals would respond. When the last train car leaves, the circuit would be open again.

                        Also, for some signal systems, they are sending a frequency along the circuitry. Then by calculating the time it takes that frequency to travel from one end of the train to the other, one can get the actual speed of the train.

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