Mike's Railroad Crossing Forum

No... this is apparently not a mistake.

For some reason, the signals at this intersection in Ashland, VA are set up with one light of the rear lights turned 90 degrees. I'm not sure if is for the trains, or possibly because there is a road that runs parallel on both sides of the tracks.

Whatever the reason is, I don't like it. It looks crappy in my opinion! If they wanted side lights, they should have just put them in!

There's a few other intersections like this too, but not all of them.

Photo below, video here: http://www.rail-videos.net/video/view.php?id=6417

Yep. That's a pretty bad setup...

The crossing is on Street View, as well and it is pretty fugly.

It's tough to tell in the video but those tracks actually run down the middle of the street. They are separated from the car traffic by curbs though, similar to how the P&W tracks are done in Corvallis.

I've heard that area is also a quiet zone

Some of the other signals in that area look even worse...if you can believe it. Lights turned wonky directions everywhere and even missing visors and targets.


http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... ,,0,-11.22

Interesting placement of a no left turn lamp as well... I doubt with my vision I could make out what it says from across the street even...
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 09645&z=17

Horrid.... Just horrid.

AndrewFields wrote:The crossing is on Street View, as well and it is pretty fugly.

It's tough to tell in the video but those tracks actually run down the middle of the street. They are separated from the car traffic by curbs though, similar to how the P&W tracks are done in Corvallis.

That is considered honorable mention street running.Just like here in Pine Bluff,AR.

Here's another video from Ashland, VA. You can see one of the crappy looking signals in this video with one of the front lights turned and missing visors on the rear lights. For such a nice area it's too bad the signals are not kept in better shape.

It does appear that this area is a quiet zone.

Kind of an interesting train though. It's the "OJ" train... nothing but Tropicana refrigerated cars:

http://www.rail-videos.net/video/view.php?id=6442

Dang, those blink so fast you can barely tell the signal is on! I guess if you are on that side street, you couldnt help missing the huge train right next to you!

Did come across something in Huntersville NC that is somewhat similar

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 43945&z=15

(Signal opposite the cantilever)

bigphilliestyle2000 wrote:Dang, those blink so fast you can barely tell the signal is on! I guess if you are on that side street, you couldnt help missing the huge train right next to you!

Did come across something in Huntersville NC that is somewhat similar

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 43945&z=15

(Signal opposite the cantilever)

Not quite the same because they have two lights pointed each way (which is the way it should be). The one's in Ashland have 1 light pointing forward and one sideways.

However, in my opinion the signal in your link should have a set of lights facing all 4 directions.