12-31-2018, 01:10 PM
(This post was last modified: 12-31-2018, 01:11 PM by panamaniac.)
(12-31-2018, 09:47 AM)Canard Wrote: They call the white light which faces the operators a "Lunar". It flashes when the crossing system is activated, and changes to solid once the barriers are down and in place. This lets the operator know that the crossing is secure and they may proceed. This is a modern-day, more informative equivalent to the small window in the side of older railway lamps, which expose the bulb to the train driver so they can see that it is illuminated as they approach.
At some crossings, and under certain conditions, operators are requested to treat the crossings as "Island Only" - meaning there is a problem with the detection circuit, and they are to approach slowly and active the crossing via the redundant inductive loops right at the crossing itself. This is not normal practice and will be rectified before the start of service.
Your second video illustrates my first point; the operator would have seen the vehicle in place, radioed to Control that there has been an incident, and mid-conversation would have let Control know that the driver passed through. The Lunar continued to blink because the far crossing gate could not descend to the lowered position. They take a description of the vehicle and make a record of it. If the vehicle had not moved, the LRV operator would have indicated if the "Swept Path" was clear, and if it was, would have been instructed to proceed with caution using the horn and a speed limit (usually 10 km/h, I believe).
The changes to Fairway Station are for a future bus terminal and (very small) Park-and-Ride lot; it was done as a separate Regional project. The only changes still to come to Fairway are the installation of a giant art installation, consisting of two, very plump, birbs.
Happy for you that you had a positive visit to Waterloo Region this time!
The other art project at Fairway, the ceramic "textile" panels that are now to be installed on the drivers' shed, is also still pending, although I don't know if that drivers' building is part of Ion or part of the bus terminal. I understand that the artists have been ready and waiting to install for some time, but the delay is on the other side.