01-07-2021, 08:19 AM
Wayne,
i have screened about 200 historic photos of RR crossings in the States an Canada. I rural environment it is common as you wrote, only one lane, the approaching one, is blocked by the barriers.
But in urban agglomerations both lanes are blocked, so the screened photos told me.
And Flats is an industrial area settled in a urban vicinity. So it seemed me vindicated to block the whole road, as this is an major connection between city and industrial area. As car traffic increased it would became a necessity to replace the old metaled narrow 2-lane road by the means of a then generous 4-lane freeway/turnpike/highway and the level crossing eliminated by the means of an overpass.
The type of crossing barriers, so my recherche, were introduced as early as 1936. Marginal for the 1930's, but credible. There here must be one of the very first ones installed. Only 4 years later, so my mytical historiography for Flats, the highway was opened.
And this kind of special high risk sports of circumnavigating closed barriers is not unknow here in Germany and Europe. Beginning with bicyclists (mostly racing bike type), dashing sales representatives ($ale, $ale, $ale), family minivans (bad moms at the steering wheel), SUVs (here Ego Man coming with his armoured vehicle), parcel vans (Useless Parces Service, sorry your parcel is still missing) until 40ton trucks driven by vodka saturated drivers of Est European origin.
Sometimes with and not so seldom worst results.
Lutz
i have screened about 200 historic photos of RR crossings in the States an Canada. I rural environment it is common as you wrote, only one lane, the approaching one, is blocked by the barriers.
But in urban agglomerations both lanes are blocked, so the screened photos told me.
And Flats is an industrial area settled in a urban vicinity. So it seemed me vindicated to block the whole road, as this is an major connection between city and industrial area. As car traffic increased it would became a necessity to replace the old metaled narrow 2-lane road by the means of a then generous 4-lane freeway/turnpike/highway and the level crossing eliminated by the means of an overpass.
The type of crossing barriers, so my recherche, were introduced as early as 1936. Marginal for the 1930's, but credible. There here must be one of the very first ones installed. Only 4 years later, so my mytical historiography for Flats, the highway was opened.
And this kind of special high risk sports of circumnavigating closed barriers is not unknow here in Germany and Europe. Beginning with bicyclists (mostly racing bike type), dashing sales representatives ($ale, $ale, $ale), family minivans (bad moms at the steering wheel), SUVs (here Ego Man coming with his armoured vehicle), parcel vans (Useless Parces Service, sorry your parcel is still missing) until 40ton trucks driven by vodka saturated drivers of Est European origin.
Sometimes with and not so seldom worst results.
Lutz