How often does this happen?

[NSrailfan4life]

I found this image of the Charlotte trolley on the web, and since when can trains cross a inactive xing. Honestly I have rode the Charlotte trolley during the years the signal was still active.

[freebrickproductions]

The gate mechanism is turned away from the road, and from the looks of it, it doesn't have a gate. I think that the crossbuck on the utility pole is the replacement for the crossing signals.
You can see another mechanism on the other side of the crossing that's the same way.
EDIT: the picture is from 2004, so it's possible that the signals were replacing some crossbucks, but hadn't been activated yet.

[NSrailfan4life]

The gate mechanism is turned away from the road, and from the looks of it, it doesn't have a gate. I think that the crossbuck on the utility pole is the replacement for the crossing signals.
You can see another mechanism on the other side of the crossing that's the same way.
EDIT: the picture is from 2004, so it's possible that the signals were replacing some crossbucks, but hadn't been activated yet.

Well I have spent most of my childhood in Charlotte till 2011. I remember once they were out of service in 2004 as in the image, they where taken taken down. So what I mean is, the crossbucks on the pole where the replacement for the cantilevers , for only one year.
The construction for th current light rail began later in 2006.Today the crossing has new US&S cantilevers,bells,and lights in the same arrangement as in the images above.

[NSrailfan4life]

Another example of the Charlotte trolley crossing system. This crossing left service in 2002. Sat still till 2004, then removed. The signaless crossing was removed in 2006. A new road was made for the Clanton rd/south blvd intersection later on.