Safety vs. Silence

Here's two more articles about the DCTA crossings... now business owners in Lewisville are complaining that the wayside horns are too loud. The first article has a video showing the Main Street crossing:

http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Lewisville-business-owners-say-simulated ...

On Google maps, I found an abandoned line in the Boston, MA suburb of Malden. Kind of depressing to see in this condition... it would have been interesting to see this line in operation.

Pretty sad:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Boston,+MA&aq=0&sll=37.0625,-95.677068 ...

Here's an article from today's local news about the Denton County "A-Train" commuter rail:

http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/DCTA-blaring-horns-bothering-homeowners-123878804.html

All of the crossings along this route have had new equipment installed including wayside horns. But according to the ...

Here's what's going on in my area this afternoon... A "P.D.S." (Particularly Dangerous Situation) Tornado Watch:

http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/watch/ww0215.html

...THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION...

DESTRUCTIVE TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL TO 4 INCHES IN DIAMETER...
THUNDERSTORM WIND ...

Kokomo, IN

Lights are bagged and turned, and "Tracks Out of Service" signs were added to the cantilevers

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=North+Ohio+Street,+Kokomo,+IN&aq=0&sll=40.493143,-86.117363&sspn=0.017265,0.038238&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=N+Ohio+St,+Kokomo,+Howard ...

According to the FRA reports, this crossing gets 20 trains per day as of 2004. There have been 5 accidents. DOT # is 432544R if anyone can find out any more information on it.

I'm 99% sure that the lenses are actually amber, not previously red lenses that faded. I do have a close-up shot of one of ...

I am on vacation this week in the wonderful city of San Antonio, and I came across something VERY strange...

A crossing with standard (albeit very old) signals, except there is no bell and the lights are *YELLOW* instead of red! :Scared: And the lights flash continuously, whether there is a train ...

Here's another picture of it just before it was dismantled:

http://ksrycar10.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1658531

Looks quite a bit worse for the wear... rusted, faded paint, plus it looks like a truck smashed into it too. Looks even creepier than it did originally.

In the comments ...

Well, all the snow that was supposed to hit Houston & south Texas... hit here instead :Sad: . Last night they were forecasting a chance of flurries with no accumulation expected. Woke up this morning to 6" of snow! And this is on top of the ice patches that still remain from Monday night. This ...

I don't think it is being used as an actual crossing signal though... more for display purposes only.

Cabman speaks the truth. The signal is operable, but it is not being used as an actual crossing signal. It's a display piece at the railroad museum at the State Fair of Texas. The 8" lights on ...