Mike's Railroad Crossing Forum

In the 1960s, on a train trip from Pittsburgh to Lewistown, PA, I remember seeing some crossings with gates only.
I don't even recall any crossbuck signs at the crossings.
The gates were black and white striped.

I never noticed any bells.
1.) Did they have bells?
2.) Did the gates have lights?
Did they simply begin to descend and the driver was to notice the movement and stop before being hit by the loweringate?

Thank you.

Do you mean something like this?

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=334693

The caption indicates there was a "crossing gate tender"... someone manually lowering the gates, obviously. You can see in this picture, this crossing does have regular (wooden) crossbucks, and is about to get an updgade to standard gates and flashing lights. Although there are bells mounted on the new signals... I would have to assume the manual gates did not have any lights or bells.

Interesting photo. Thank you.

The gates I recall were on cement pads - not on signal poles.
I believe they were automatic motorized gates.
Or did they have such gates only if crossing watchmen-operated?

Nice to see black and white striped gates.

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