Mike's Railroad Crossing Forum

The 2009 version of the MUTCD has been released.

You can read it at: http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/kno_2009.htm

At a quick glance, the most noticeable changes have been mandatory STOP and YIELD signs to go with the crossbucks at passive crossings, and the gate stripes have been changed to reflect the Canadian type.

Yuck. Vertical gate stripes, not something I like. The slanted ones mean "hazard". I guess they don't consider passing trains a "hazard" anymore. Haha...

owensri wrote:Yuck. Vertical gate stripes, not something I like. The slanted ones mean "hazard". I guess they don't consider passing trains a "hazard" anymore. Haha...

NOPE
a couple of days ago a car ran into a train near you saw it on the news though that to be funny
run into the side of the train like thats going to move it

TRAINMANKIGHT wrote: a couple of days ago a car ran into a train near you saw it on the news though that to be funny
run into the side of the train like thats going to move it

What's scary is that the people who don't notice all the flashing lights and that big honkin' train could be the same people pulling up to the crosswalk while I'm in it...

gedunk wrote:

TRAINMANKIGHT wrote: a couple of days ago a car ran into a train near you saw it on the news though that to be funny
run into the side of the train like thats going to move it

What's scary is that the people who don't notice all the flashing lights and that big honkin' train could be the same people pulling up to the crosswalk while I'm in it...

Just like the 2 cars that passed the big yellow school bus I was driving this morning with my red lights flashing and stop arm extended.

Thank heavens the elementary school kids I was picking up didn't have to cross the street.

gedunk wrote:

TRAINMANKIGHT wrote: a couple of days ago a car ran into a train near you saw it on the news though that to be funny
run into the side of the train like thats going to move it

What's scary is that the people who don't notice all the flashing lights and that big honkin' train could be the same people pulling up to the crosswalk while I'm in it...

Aint it the truth, i have to cross a busy street with countdown ped. signals and stupid people ALWAYS pull into the crosswalk when i have the light and keep inching forward! I've just started getting off my bike and standing right in front of them until there is just like 4 second left on the signal.

illinoistrains wrote: Aint it the truth, i have to cross a busy street with countdown ped. signals and stupid people ALWAYS pull into the crosswalk when i have the light and keep inching forward! I've just started getting off my bike and standing right in front of them until there is just like 4 second left on the signal.

Thump their bumper in a way they can't see you do it, and then begin jumping up and down, holding your leg, and howling in pain.

I must say I'm relieved they did not abolish 8" traffic lights. Downtown Portland has narrow streets and very small blocks (200' x 200') and in my opinion, 12" signals would just look stupid in those conditions. It would just be overkill.

Some of the new 2009 signs have been released in PDF format. You can find them here:

http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/shsm_interim/index.htm

According to their site, they'll add more signs over the next coming weeks. I don't know why the Speed Limit sign is there though. Doesn't look like anything has changed to that sign IMO.