The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1917-06-15
DIFFERENT WAYS OF SAFE
GUARDING GRADE CROSSINGS

In California the state railroad
commission has exclusive jurisdiction
over all grade crossings of highways
and railways. Between June 80,
1914, and December 81, 1915, there
were 229 persons killed and 500 in
jured at these crossings, largely
through the carelessness of the per-
sons driving on the highways. The
commission is now making an exami-
nation of every such crossing in the
state. If possible each crossing is
examined in the presence of the rail-
road company's representatives and
the local highway authorities who are
interested in It,. The commission
makes a report on each crossing,
sometimes giving recommendations
for improving the existing conditions
and sometimes merely recording
them. The recommendation are US
ually confined to improvements
which do not involve the separation
of the grades Of the highway and rail-
way, for such elimination Of grade
crossings is too expensive where the
hazard is slight.
The recommendation made most
often is to place, change or remove
signs at these crossings; the recon-
mendation coming next in frequency
Is to cut down brush or trees or to
trim trees which interfere with the
view of the tracks from the roads.
Out of 100 recommendations for the
improvement of grade crossings, 1853
were of one or the other of these two
classes. In ninety-two cases the
ing, because to do so would cause lit
tie inconvenience and greatly reduce
the dangerous conditions. In sixty
six cases the installation of automat-
ic flagmen or bells which give warn
ing of the proximity of the train to
the crossing was recommended. Like
all warning signals, however, they
do not check the careless driver and
for this reason some road builders
believe in reviving the bump" used
in few places a number Of years
ago to stop reckless speeding. 1t is
merely a transverse ridge which a
pass over without other result than
a slight jar; car moving at high
speed, however, will receive such
Jolt that the driver will be cautioned
of danger. These dumps" it is pro-
posed to place near the warning sig
nal so that every car will be brought |
under control before the crossing is
reached, provided the driver is care
full and intelligent. There is no meth
cd of completely controlling the care
less fool at the wheel of the car |
which does not work an unnecessary |
hardship on the careful drivers.
In thirty cases the commission rec
commended the removal of bill boards,
buildings and other distractions to
q view of the tracks. An unnecess-
airy hardship to the large number of
careful drivers results from the pres
ence of such obstacles to the over
sight of the tracks leading to the
If the bill boards served
any public service there might be
some excuse for locating them in
such places, but no such reason can
be advanced for them. The buildings
)ften belong to the railway company,
which has a perverse tendency to
place tool sheds, store sheds and 9th
sr small structures near the tracks
1t crossings where they cause the
.raffic on the highways the maxi
mum inconvenience. It Is strange
hat this is so in view of the fact
hat every grade crossing accident
costs the railway on which it oc-
,urs a sum which would remove
many of these to more suitable posi- !
ions.
In twenty-seven cases the Califor-
Tia commission recommended that the 9
highway approaches to the crossing =
hould be graded, in four cases 1t ad-
used changing the alignment of the
highway, in fourteen cases 1t advised ,
grading between rails and in one case =
t advised changing the location OF
he crossing. In only eighteen out of
he 100 cases did it recommend the
separation of the grades of the high
way and the railway. This last fact
8 significant of the change in public
eminent in the last fifteen years.
1t one time there was quite gen. :
raj demand that grade crossings
hould be removed at the expense Of
he railroad companies everywhere, Z
Without regard to the fact that prob 9
bly, no railroad company could do so
Without going into bankruptcy. That 7
My eighteen out of 100 grade =
rossings are now considered to re- I
uire separation of grades indicates j
more complete understanding of the
cal causes of danger at such places I
nd of the means of reducing 1t to
egligible minimum.