Hi, I experienced something that felt a little unusual the other day, and wondered if it was typical or not.
I was on a walk in the Liss area, and came to the smaller level crossing near the south part of Liss, by the A3 junction. Here's a street view link to the crossing in question https://maps.app.goo.gl/iZAhWX8VKeCtvTsg6 .
As I was walking up to the crossing the barriers came down, as you'd somewhat expect. About 10 seconds later, a Class 444 train went through the crossing at what appeared to be a very significant speed.
As someone who has used crossings before, I just wondered:
- Is it typical for there to be such short time between the barriers lowering and the train passing through at a fast speed? If a car/wheelchair got stuck between barriers, there would have been no time to report /raise the alarm. If for some reason the barrier could not have lowered at the time it was meant to (some sort of mechanical failure perhaps), would the train have been expected to be able to stop within that amount of time?
- There was no horn from the train, it felt like it just appeared "out-of-nowhere", due to the visibility being a bit reduced to the sides. Is it not required for the train to sound a horn before a crossing like this, where visibility isn't great? It may well not be, just interested!
It just all felt a bit off for some reason- is this typical of other level crossings in the area? Thanks!
I was on a walk in the Liss area, and came to the smaller level crossing near the south part of Liss, by the A3 junction. Here's a street view link to the crossing in question https://maps.app.goo.gl/iZAhWX8VKeCtvTsg6 .
As I was walking up to the crossing the barriers came down, as you'd somewhat expect. About 10 seconds later, a Class 444 train went through the crossing at what appeared to be a very significant speed.
As someone who has used crossings before, I just wondered:
- Is it typical for there to be such short time between the barriers lowering and the train passing through at a fast speed? If a car/wheelchair got stuck between barriers, there would have been no time to report /raise the alarm. If for some reason the barrier could not have lowered at the time it was meant to (some sort of mechanical failure perhaps), would the train have been expected to be able to stop within that amount of time?
- There was no horn from the train, it felt like it just appeared "out-of-nowhere", due to the visibility being a bit reduced to the sides. Is it not required for the train to sound a horn before a crossing like this, where visibility isn't great? It may well not be, just interested!
It just all felt a bit off for some reason- is this typical of other level crossings in the area? Thanks!
I always seem to coincide the "quick hop down West Street" with being stuck at the crossing while three / four trains pass. My wife now bars me from driving us that way...
)
