Allen Road Crossing back in the news...

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Burb8145
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Allen Road Crossing back in the news...

Unread post by Burb8145 »

...but this time it joins in alongside two nearby crossings for a pilot project where video cameras will be installed.

https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/cam ... -get-stuck

So far, nothing posted yet on the city of Woodhaven website.

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Saturnalia
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Re: Allen Road Crossing back in the news...

Unread post by Saturnalia »

At least we can now watch the trains go by - government funded railfanning cam!

Useless, otherwise.
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Burb8145
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Re: Allen Road Crossing back in the news...

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Saturnalia wrote:At least we can now watch the trains go by - government funded railfanning cam!
That makes it a government first...LOL.
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Re: Allen Road Crossing back in the news...

Unread post by Raildudes dad »

Pretty dumb idea. Encourage drivers to look for a live feed for a camera at a RR crossing while they are driving. A much better idea would be black on yellow advisory signs at strategic locations which say "Allen Rd RxR crossing blocked when flashing" with flashing alternating yellow lights like at a school crosswalk. Today's technology would allow for a 5? minute delay so they wouldn't flash if the train rolled right thru. Lights flashing = crossing has been and is still blocked , take the other way. And every driver approaching the crossing will see the advisory and their eyes are on the road where they should be.:shock:

blueheron13
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Re: Allen Road Crossing back in the news...

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Raildudes dad wrote:Pretty dumb idea. Encourage drivers to look for a live feed for a camera at a RR crossing while they are driving. A much better idea would be black on yellow advisory signs at strategic locations which say "Allen Rd RxR crossing blocked when flashing" with flashing alternating yellow lights like at a school crosswalk. Today's technology would allow for a 5? minute delay so they wouldn't flash if the train rolled right thru. Lights flashing = crossing has been and is still blocked , take the other way. And every driver approaching the crossing will see the advisory and their eyes are on the road where they should be.:shock:
There used to be a flashing sign like this on EB M-59 in Pontiac before the Holly Sub overpass was built over Huron St.
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jimnorthwood
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Re: Allen Road Crossing back in the news...

Unread post by jimnorthwood »

At Vickers, NS (and its predecessors), has priority over CSX. This often meant long delays due to blocked CSX crossings in Northwood, where Vickers is located, as well as adjacent Oregon. Northwood is a small town with a subsequently small annual budget, so it took many years to save up its matching part towards the ODOT and federal money that ultimately resulted in the construction of the new Wales road overpass, as well as the closing of the Drouillard Road grade crossing and the re-routing of that road. That new wales Road overpass grade separated the two busiest lines (NS/CSX) at Vickers. But, there is a third, albeit much less busy, line (CSX) that was not included in the overpass, so it is still grade separated on Wales Road. Now Northwood has installed flashing blue lights (think K-Mart) to warn motorists when that CSX crossing at Wales Road is blocked. Oregon opted to install the blue light special at three strategic intersections to warn of blocked crossings at the busier (the Vickers) CSX line.

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Re: Allen Road Crossing back in the news...

Unread post by Raildudes dad »

The flashing lights need to be yellow per the Uniform Manual of Traffic Control Devices. Blue and red are for law enforcement, only red for fire departments.

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justalurker66
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Re: Allen Road Crossing back in the news...

Unread post by justalurker66 »

Elkhart (Indiana) has had yellow lights at several locations approaching the main street crossing for decades. They are a good idea. In Elkhart they trigger with the railroad crossing gates regardless of the expected length of the train crossing.

Live cameras on a website? OK for rail fans (and some accountability proving just how long those crossings get blocked). Not good for drivers. I suspect that the intent is that people will check the website before they travel and find alternative routes. But it is too easy to visit the web on a cell phone ... the cameras will lead to more distracted driving.

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M.D.Bentley
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Re: Allen Road Crossing back in the news...

Unread post by M.D.Bentley »

It'll be GREAT ! You can sit in a traffic back up and watch the train that's causing the back up ! Wait what.................

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Burb8145
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Re: Allen Road Crossing back in the news...

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http://rrcrossings.woodhavenmi.org/

Only two years late, but two of the crossings, including Allen Road, are now up for viewing. Van Horn will wait.
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kd_1014
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Re: Allen Road Crossing back in the news...

Unread post by kd_1014 »

It seems that news channels featuring railroads always seem to have better luck catching trains then me... :lol: :lol:

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Re: Allen Road Crossing back in the news...

Unread post by JStryker722 »

Burb8145 wrote:http://rrcrossings.woodhavenmi.org/

Only two years late, but two of the crossings, including Allen Road, are now up for viewing. Van Horn will wait.
They have cameras at Sibley,Eureka,and Pennyslvania Rds on the CSX Saginaw Sub in New Boston for the same reasoning,thanks to trains stopping to pick up/dropping off cars daily at the TDSI yard there.
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blueheron13
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Re: Allen Road Crossing back in the news...

Unread post by blueheron13 »

I'm not finding a working link for the Huron Township CSX cameras. Does anyone have one?
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