You want either an overpass or an underpass. You don't need to do every single one but certainly the public crossings through urban areas should all be level grade with an overpass or underpass for vehicle/pedestrian traffic.
That Turbotrain I mentioned earlier had an accident with a truck on its very first trip might I add.
Saw the above in Politics. Will reply in Emergency Services, as it concerns an MCI which put a significant strain on our Response Time.
And, the Ontario Highway Traffic Act amended requiring all public transit and school buses to
stop at all level rail crossings before proceeding.
Exactly half a century ago, almost to this day, on December 12, 1975, during the evening rush hour, an eastbound Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) bus from Warden subway station with approximately 65 passengers on board became disabled on the GO commuter train tracks near St. Clair and Midland Avenues in Scarborough.
A westbound GO Train approaching at 70 mph collided with the bus causing the deaths of ten passengers, and seriously injuring 21 others.
The subsequent investigation and coroner's inquest would lead to widespread changes in the way rail lines interact with busy arterials.
While subways and underpasses had been built to separate downtown traffic from busy train tracks, in the suburban boroughs, the same lines regularly crossed major roads at grade.
The legacy of the tragedy was increased urgency for grade separations on major roads. Five days later, Ottawa pledged the $5.2 million needed to build underpasses on St. Clair Avenue East and Midland Avenue, just down the tracks. Funds for similar bridges at Eglinton East, Kennedy Road, and Islington Avenue were also sought.
The Ontario Highway Traffic Act was amended after the accident to require buses to stop at railway crossings.
The cause of the accident was the - hidden - emergency brake over-ride switch on the bus. It was not the driver's fault.
The accident spooked bus operators. In spite of the new law, operators were refusing to stop at the crossing due to poor visibility and the unusual width of the tracks. Starting a bus from stopped and getting it across the five sets of rails took too long.
The bus involved was a 40 foot GM New Look aka 'Fisbowl". Our dept. operated the same make and model, with a - not hidden from the operator - emergency brake over-ride switch. In case the rear doors failed to close, thus locking the brakes. As happened in this case. ( pic. )
This tragedy led to a mandatory provincial law requiring all public transit and school buses to
stop at all level rail crossings before proceeding. It also resulted in the installation of override switches for door interlocks on future buses.
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
