>
> My questions are:
>
> How does sounding the horn trigger the signal/Level crossing?
Very simple - this system has been in use for a long time at Plimmerton and
Paekakariki station areas in Wellington. It is tuned for the horn, which
brings back memories as a kid of reading how local kids were mimicking
horns... they retuned it!
> Does this mean that the DMU service and freights can't share the tracks
at
> the same time? The station is in a dip between two gradients so whichever
> way the freights were travelling they'd be stopping against the grade
then
> starting against it again if they had to stop at the L/C.
Probably not, I suspect you'll find that there is another whistle for
signal board a kilometre or two prior to the station. If a freight
approaches, it can whistle, and have a light come up (white) to confirm
that the whistle has been detected, and this will in turn clear the signal,
and put the barriers down, at an appropriate time. The DMUs don't whistle,
and therefore have to whistle at the station. I suspect too that it'll be
on a timer system, so the barriers/signal function automatically, after a
certain time of night (after DMUs stop?).
I am only guessing here, I don't know the area, nor have seen the setup,
but this sounds like what it is. Hope that is useful.
Cheers
Ben
-- (Hmmm... what would Lassie do?)