Agreed, all the flashing lights, bell or whistles will not make some people take any notice anyway.

I hate to say this but the "risk assessment" for STM and that crossing must be common causes of concern. Unfortunately the real possibility is that "one day" the unthinkable will happen. I honestly believe that will be the end of oprations on the RNP branch.

And I cannot see funding for a costly grade seperation being made available..

grahamj661

--- InTramsDownUnder@..., "Jones, Richard" <RICHARD.JONES@...> wrote:
>

> HI Graham

>

> Considering that there are flashing yellow warning signs 100 metres each side of the STM's Princes Highway crossing, actuated by the tram triggering the sequence, then ten seconds later the lights flash and bells ring, followed ten seconds later by an extremely audible horn sounding when we get the "T" light, there is ample warning to motorists.

>

> Excuses could be location of the crossing on a slight curve, windows of the car/vehicle etcetera wound up and the boom box blasting, inattention coupled with exceeding the 80 km/h speed limit and/or unfamiliarity of Sydney motorists with level crossings without boom gates. Sydney motorists won't stop until something gets in their way, as witnessed by the number of times the boom gates at the Carlingford line crossing at Parramatta Road, Clyde, are regularly "taken out" and replaced.

>

> I really think ignorance and stupidity could be the main factors though. It is unnerving to commence crossing the highway and have a 4wd with an adult or two and a load of children cross the bows of the tram, which is why we take it carefully.

>

> We ain't lost a tram yet though, as we take it very carefully.

>

> Regards

>

> Dick

>

>

> ________________________________

> From:TramsDownUnder@... [mailto:TramsDownUnder@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of grahamj661

> Sent: Friday, 13 July 2012 12:52 PM

> To:TramsDownUnder@...

> Subject: [TramsDownUnder] Re: University terminus derailment report of Combino April 2011

>

>

>

> There are level crossings in Victoria (some adjacent or near adjacent to intersections) where traffic lights are intigrated into the level crossing protection lights.

>

> As suburban Sydney does not have very many level crossing what you see happen at the RNP crossing is just the ignorance of some NSW drivers. Failing that they must be colourblind!!!!!!!!!!!!

>

> grahamj661

>

> --- InTramsDownUnder@...mailto:TramsDownUnder%40yahoogroups..com, Matthew Geier <matthew@> wrote:

> >

> > On 13/07/12 07:38, Terry wrote:

> > > Possibly these experiences led to the Sydney Tramway Museum installing a

> > > form of induction loops to detect trams approaching the Princes Highway

> > > level crossing rather than use track circuits as was done when trains

> > > used the crossing

> > >

> > The STM highway crossing also isn't 'rolling approach triggered'.

> > Trams come to a stand on top of the induction loop (which the

> > Victorian's seem to be calling a 'mass detector'), and wait for the

> > crossing to cycle.

> >

> > Mostly you sit there watching traffic speeding past the flashing

> > lights till some one gets the idea that flashing red lights means stop.

> >

> > More than once the person who realised what the lights meant and

> > stopped has been hit up the rear.

> >

> > Personally I think we would get better compliance with the crossing if

> > we ditched the type F flashers and put in standard intersection traffic

> > lights. But I gather the rail safety laws don't allow rail crossings to

> > be 'protected' by standard traffic signals.

> >

>

>

>

>

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