Potential means of cost reduction in grade crossing automatic gate systems. volume I : overview and low cost railroad/highway grade crossing gate systems

PDFTech ReportDOT-TSC-FRA-76-14, IFRA/ORD-77-06,IDOT-TSC-859RR602/R7323GatesRailroad grade crossingsGrade crossing protection systemsAt grade intersectionsIntersectionsRailroad tracksSafetyTraffic accidentsWarning systemsFail safe systemsSafety equipmentBarriers (Roads)Automatic controlCost controlCostsEconomic benefitsPreventionUnited StatesUnited States. Federal Railroad Administration. Office of Research and DevelopmentSt. Amant, AndrewJohn A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.)United States. Federal Railroad AdministrationNTL-RAIL TRANSPORTATION-Rail SafetyNTL-RAIL TRANSPORTATION-Railroad Highway Grade CrossingsNTL-ECONOMICS AND FINANCE-ECONOMICS AND FINANCENTL-SAFETY AND SECURITY-Rail SafetyNTL-SAFETY AND SECURITY-Human FactorsVolpe National Transportation Systems Center, Technical Reference CenterThis report, Volume I of a two-volume study, examines the potential for reduction of the cost of installing and maintaining automatic gates at railroad-highway grade crossings. It comprises a general overview; a review of current practices, equipment, and standards; a consideration of modification of existing specifications to permit use of alternative technologies; the generation of design concepts for new gate systems or subsystems intended to offer significant economic benefits; an analysis and comparative evaluation of the more promising concepts; and conclusions concerning further design, development, and test activities. Concepts found to be particularly promising include a low-cost gate-drive mechanism utilizing high-reliability commercially available components; a swing-away, gravity resetting arm support intended to reduce the incidence of gate breakage; and a gate arm using new materials to obtain resistance to breakage