Strange Signal Setup Involving RR Crossing in Baton Rouge LA

[Brian556]

Signal heads before crossing have small yellow lights on bottom instead of green...one is illuminated while the signals beyond the crossing are red. If you move around, the signal heads before the crossing disappear...looks like they have recently been removed

https://www.google.com/maps/@30.4695983,-91.1636381,3a,36.4y,12.25h,92t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sG6wyiGdL_i8roo0mc0zEbg!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo3.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DG6wyiGdL_i8roo0mc0zEbg%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D131.38976%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656

[US 89]

I believe that is known as a queue cutter - this one has a flashing yellow in the bottom section (as do some other examples I've seen in California, but I've also seen RYG installations like this one in North Salt Lake, Utah). The idea is that when a downstream traffic signal is red or railroad crossing is activated, the queue cutter turns red so that traffic won't back up onto the upstream crossing.

In my opinion, it's a stupid signal because you should be able to correctly determine whether you have enough room on the other side before you enter the first crossing.

Edit: on second thought, you can't even stop on the other side of the train tracks in the LA example. Perhaps the front signal only turns red when a train is coming?

[Amtrakprod]

Signal heads before crossing have small yellow lights on bottom instead of green...one is illuminated while the signals beyond the crossing are red. If you move around, the signal heads before the crossing disappear...looks like they have recently been removed

https://www.google.com/maps/@30.4695983,-91.1636381,3a,36.4y,12.25h,92t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sG6wyiGdL_i8roo0mc0zEbg!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo3.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DG6wyiGdL_i8roo0mc0zEbg%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D131.38976%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656

look at recent street view, it is gone.

[US71]

Signal heads before crossing have small yellow lights on bottom instead of green...one is illuminated while the signals beyond the crossing are red. If you move around, the signal heads before the crossing disappear...looks like they have recently been removed

https://www.google.com/maps/@30.4695983,-91.1636381,3a,36.4y,12.25h,92t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sG6wyiGdL_i8roo0mc0zEbg!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo3.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DG6wyiGdL_i8roo0mc0zEbg%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D131.38976%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656

look at recent street view, it is gone.

Remind me of old fire department signals

[roadman]

Signal heads before crossing have small yellow lights on bottom instead of green...one is illuminated while the signals beyond the crossing are red. If you move around, the signal heads before the crossing disappear...looks like they have recently been removed

https://www.google.com/maps/@30.4695983,-91.1636381,3a,36.4y,12.25h,92t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sG6wyiGdL_i8roo0mc0zEbg!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo3.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DG6wyiGdL_i8roo0mc0zEbg%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D131.38976%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656

look at recent street view, it is gone.

Remind me of old fire department signals

My guess is that the 12-12-8 traffic signals predated the crossing signals, and perhaps the regular traffic signals at this intersection as well.  That would explain the use of flashing yellow instead of flashing or steady green for the 8 inch lens.

[royo6022]

This similar setup is seen at Morgan Ave and Burkhardt Rd in Evansville, IN

https://www.google.com/maps/@37.9945113,-87.4738371,3a,75y,1.97h,82.34t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sDSXaKWFH47KY1jIsGUlv-w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[mrsman]

This similar setup is seen at Morgan Ave and Burkhardt Rd in Evansville, IN

https://www.google.com/maps/@37.9945113,-87.4738371,3a,75y,1.97h,82.34t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sDSXaKWFH47KY1jIsGUlv-w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

They really put the signal far back from the RR crossing.  Also, don't like how they do not have a crossing arm for the traffic making right turns.

[kphoger]

Remind me of old fire department signals

Hey, remember old fire department signals?

[royo6022]

This similar setup is seen at Morgan Ave and Burkhardt Rd in Evansville, IN

https://www.google.com/maps/@37.9945113,-87.4738371,3a,75y,1.97h,82.34t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sDSXaKWFH47KY1jIsGUlv-w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

They really put the signal far back from the RR crossing.  Also, don't like how they do not have a crossing arm for the traffic making right turns.

I agree. It really was a dangerous setup until recently. I believe a few years ago they stopped using those tracks as well as some others around town. Last year, they completely removed tracks from a similar intersection on US 41 that really would've been really dangerous had they still be running trains through. They've since built alternate routes but the traffic is too prevalent through the area for the removal of it to make any sense. Still an interesting crossing to say the least.

Here's the intersection at US 41 I was talking about:

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.0173775,-87.5390278,3a,75y,1.42h,93.73t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sJFwMhd_WikssRs69Sv7Wfg!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo3.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DJFwMhd_WikssRs69Sv7Wfg%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D38.449802%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192

Notice how the tracks go diagonally through the 4 lane highway...