Ron did not in any way excuse or justify this kind of behavior, that's "The truth".

Ron merely stated a known observed fact, that in the double (multiple) track situations do increase the likelihood of these sorts of gate running incidents, which is why more warnings may be a good idea, and why they have been used elsewhere.

The very first wig-wag's, first installed on the PE, were dealing with this problem in the 1900's, at Michillinda and Huntington Drive in Arcadia...

However, humans like to think that they are clever and still manage to find all kinds of new creative ways to do things to make such additional efforts less effective in preventing their own deaths and injuries, though.

This is why the most sophisticated quad gate systems also include raised median sections to prevent cars "zig zagging" crossing between the lowered quad gates on things like the Goldline along Duarte Road in Monrovia and Duarte.

The reality of the confusion and danger over multiple tracks is also why there have been several recent cancellations of quiet zones including in and around Downtown San Digeo recenyly, where motorist's have similar "bad habits".

The exception for quad gating for lines under 79 mph. is also being reviewed, in the light of other accidents on higher speed/high volume passenger and freight lines, and the NTSB is looking at this problem at another recent Brightline multiple crossing accident site in Melbourne.

The relatvie movement of moving trains when passing, that one is not moving, is an optical illusion that all of us have probably experienced at one time or the other. I remember leaving Union Station as a child on the Lark and remember still thinking that the other train next to us was moving, until I looked down at the ground.

This "relativity of motion" illusion, and taking in "ground movement" is so critical to good train handling, that at the stimulator where I was trained to run a choo-choo, they put in a rolling floor just under the cab window, to look down at, which was tied into the movement of the film, and your actions on the throttle. So when you began to "pull" your train at the simulator, you could see the speed change by the movement "on the ground", and adjust your handling, by the "ground movement", just like you would when starting a trains with a "real" engine.


Ron Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The truth Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Ron Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Double tracks create an added hazard. The
> > driver
> > > probably saw the stopped train in the hole
> and
> > > figured the gates were down for the stopped
> > train.
> > > The stopped train may also have blocked the
> > sight
> > > of the fast oncoming train. I remember a
> > crossing
> > > just east of Roseville that had a sign light
> up
> > > "both tracks" or something to that effect.
> >
> > It really helps to read. The other train was
> NOT
> > STOPPED but was moving. The other train had
> just
> > cleared the crossing and that car made a
> decision
> > to go around the gates and flashing lights and
> go
> > around a car that was there completely
> > disregarding anything else.
> >
> > You are part of the problem by not solely
> > directing blame to that car driver.
>
> Okay Read what? Other people's comments? I watched
> the video. That's all. I never claimed the driver
> was not solely responsible. He was. So let me
> rephrase my comment.Double tracks create an
> additional hazard. The driver probably saw a train
> that had just cleared the crossing and figured
> that's why the gates were down. The train that had
> just gone by blocked the view of the fast
> approaching opposing train .