Mike's Railroad Crossing Forum

Considering sometimes crossing signals can get damaged and destroyed when trains slam into vehicles i thought i'd make this topic.

Heres some.

In late 2015, a train struck the trailer of a truck, dragged it along the tracks, and destroyed 2 crossing signals in the progress, apparently the driver claims he was talking on the CB radio, and didn't see the signals, i doubt that.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@49.68093 ... 312!8i6656

In July 2014, a Union Pacific train hit a semi carrying trail mix, destroying a signal. Not sure where it was recorded, i actually saw this IIRC on BBC Three during 60 seconds news.


In May 2015, a Norfolk Southern train hit a tractor trailer carrying a transformer, it destroyed a signal and the relay case, because of this. The crossing had to be upgraded.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@33.83180 ... 312!8i6656

Ft. Wayne, IN.
Forgot what year this happened because this was aired on television, but by the quality of the video, this might be sometime in the 90's or early 2000's


Sycamore, GA
Taken in 2012

This was in Georgia... warning, there is some foul language:




And you can't forget about this one is Salisbury, NC:




This one was also in North Carolina. By some miracle only the gate mast was damaged but the separate signal was spared:




This is a much older one in Oxnard, California. Again, miraculously it appears only the gate itself was damaged... doesn't appear that even the gate motor suffered any damage. You can skip to the 1:00 mark.




This one is in Maryland. The signal was knocked down before the train got there... but the train wasn't able to stop in time and obliterated the signal. The train happened to be carrying a steamer locomotive that was being taken somewhere for restoration:




And lastly... this one where a train wasn't involved. Instead it was a truck with an oversize load that was too high and took out a cantilever (can't remember where this happened). You can skip to the 2:40 mark.

The downed cantilever laid over both rails and caused what's left of the crossing signals to activate.

Back in 2011, a train hit a truck at the Springvale Road level crossing in Springvale, VIC. Took out a whole gate mast, although they were able to re-erect it back into place.


This crossing has since been grade separated.

This one happened way back in 1983 (according to the video) at the Furlong Road level crossing in St Albans, VIC. A train hit a panel van at the crossing (which was gateless at the time) and it took out one of the signals (this is were the knocked down signal would of been located at). This crossing was upgraded with gates the following year and I'm pretty sure this accident would of sealed the deal.


The crossing was grade separated late last year (as it was considered one of the worst in the state due to the many accidents that happened at it, including a triple fatality accident in 2004). Ironically, this video was uploaded a few weeks after the crossing had officially been removed.

Sorry... this is not a video, but it fits the subject of this post.

Not sure where this is located... saw this on a Facebook page I follow. Hard to believe that the signal is standing. Not only did the truck open the gate mechanism, it also broke off the counterweights... the can be seen lying on the ground.

As flimsy as newer mast signals seem to be... this one appears to be an exception.

cabman701 wrote:Sorry... this is not a video, but it fits the subject of this post.

Not sure where this is located... saw this on a Facebook page I follow. Hard to believe that the signal is standing. Not only did the truck open the gate mechanism, it also broke off the counterweights... the can be seen lying on the ground.

As flimsy as newer mast signals seem to be... this one appears to be an exception.

Damaged signal.jpg

Based on the equipment and the positioning of the emergency info, I'm gonna say that it's on an NS line somewhere.

Midland County, TX.

When the CSX train hits the minivan, notice it sidewipe the signal off camera (Go to 0:28 to see the knocked down signal)

Hopefully that minivan was unoccupied!