10-19-2018, 01:50 PM
I’m not sure if the heavy rail standards apply to LRT at all or to LRT on heavy rail track, but the standards are here:
https://www.tc.gcca/media/documents/railsafety/grade-crossing-standards.pdf#page=46
It seems a bit complicated.
Descent of the gate arm must take at least 10 seconds.
If a rail vehicle is travelling >25kph the gate arm must be horizontal at least 5 seconds before the vehicle’s arrival (if the vehicle is travelling <25kph the gate arm must be horizontal at time of vehicle arrival).
Ascent of the gate arm must take at least 6 seconds.
Plus the travel time of the train across the crossing.
So for most of the crossings along the spur you are looking at at least 10+5+6+crossing time = total time (seconds).
So for Columbia (~30m crossing width) where the limit is 50 you are looking at a minimum of 10+5+6+3 = 24 seconds with the crossing arms down.
It seems like the rest of the warning system has different standards (see below). It looks like the lights and bells will be on at least 26 seconds before the rail vehicle even arrives (20 seconds + 1sec per 3m extra width above 11m). I think that recent video of 511 at Hayward showed the arms and lights activated a good 1min 15sec beforehand, but hopefully that gets tightened up; imagine a 1min plus of forewarning every 4min.
15.2 Gates
15.2.1 The gate arm must be installed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the road approach.
15.2.2 The descent of the gate arm must take 10 to 15 seconds and its ascent must take 6 to 12 seconds.
15.2.3 The gate arm must begin its descent once the gate arm clearance time has elapsed, calculated in accordance with article 10.4.
15.2.4 For a grade crossing where railway equipment enters the grade crossing at more than 25 km/h (15 mph), the gate arm must rest in the horizontal position not less than 5 seconds before the arrival at the crossing surface of railway equipment.
15.2.4.1 For a grade crossing where the railway equipment enters the grade crossing at 25 km/h (15 mph) or less, the gate arm must rest in the horizontal position when the railway equipment arrives at the crossing surface.
15.2.5 The gate arms must operate uniformly, smoothly, and complete all movements without rebound, and must be securely held when in the raised position.
15.2.6 If the gate arm strikes or fouls any object during its ascent or descent, it must readily stop and, on removal of an obstruction, assume the position corresponding with the control apparatus.
16.1 Warning Time
16.1.1 The time during which the warning system must operate, before the arrival of railway equipment at the crossing surface, must be the greatest of:
(a) 20 seconds, unless the grade crossing clearance distance (Figure 10-1) is more than 11 m (35 ft), in which case, the 20 seconds must be increased by one second for each additional 3 m (10 ft), or fraction thereof;
(b) the Departure Time for the design vehicle (article 10.3.2);
© the Departure Time for pedestrians, cyclists, and persons using assistive devices (article 10.3.3);
(d) the gate arm clearance time, plus the time to complete the gate arm descent, plus 5 seconds;
(e) the minimum warning time required for traffic signal interconnection as referred to in article 19.3(a);
(f) the time for the design vehicle to travel from the stopping sight distance, and pass completely through the clearance distance.
https://www.tc.gcca/media/documents/railsafety/grade-crossing-standards.pdf#page=46
It seems a bit complicated.
Descent of the gate arm must take at least 10 seconds.
If a rail vehicle is travelling >25kph the gate arm must be horizontal at least 5 seconds before the vehicle’s arrival (if the vehicle is travelling <25kph the gate arm must be horizontal at time of vehicle arrival).
Ascent of the gate arm must take at least 6 seconds.
Plus the travel time of the train across the crossing.
So for most of the crossings along the spur you are looking at at least 10+5+6+crossing time = total time (seconds).
So for Columbia (~30m crossing width) where the limit is 50 you are looking at a minimum of 10+5+6+3 = 24 seconds with the crossing arms down.
It seems like the rest of the warning system has different standards (see below). It looks like the lights and bells will be on at least 26 seconds before the rail vehicle even arrives (20 seconds + 1sec per 3m extra width above 11m). I think that recent video of 511 at Hayward showed the arms and lights activated a good 1min 15sec beforehand, but hopefully that gets tightened up; imagine a 1min plus of forewarning every 4min.
15.2 Gates
15.2.1 The gate arm must be installed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the road approach.
15.2.2 The descent of the gate arm must take 10 to 15 seconds and its ascent must take 6 to 12 seconds.
15.2.3 The gate arm must begin its descent once the gate arm clearance time has elapsed, calculated in accordance with article 10.4.
15.2.4 For a grade crossing where railway equipment enters the grade crossing at more than 25 km/h (15 mph), the gate arm must rest in the horizontal position not less than 5 seconds before the arrival at the crossing surface of railway equipment.
15.2.4.1 For a grade crossing where the railway equipment enters the grade crossing at 25 km/h (15 mph) or less, the gate arm must rest in the horizontal position when the railway equipment arrives at the crossing surface.
15.2.5 The gate arms must operate uniformly, smoothly, and complete all movements without rebound, and must be securely held when in the raised position.
15.2.6 If the gate arm strikes or fouls any object during its ascent or descent, it must readily stop and, on removal of an obstruction, assume the position corresponding with the control apparatus.
16.1 Warning Time
16.1.1 The time during which the warning system must operate, before the arrival of railway equipment at the crossing surface, must be the greatest of:
(a) 20 seconds, unless the grade crossing clearance distance (Figure 10-1) is more than 11 m (35 ft), in which case, the 20 seconds must be increased by one second for each additional 3 m (10 ft), or fraction thereof;
(b) the Departure Time for the design vehicle (article 10.3.2);
© the Departure Time for pedestrians, cyclists, and persons using assistive devices (article 10.3.3);
(d) the gate arm clearance time, plus the time to complete the gate arm descent, plus 5 seconds;
(e) the minimum warning time required for traffic signal interconnection as referred to in article 19.3(a);
(f) the time for the design vehicle to travel from the stopping sight distance, and pass completely through the clearance distance.
Everyone move to the back of the bus and we all get home faster.