Largest Railroad Crossing

[kphoger]

I just found one with 21 tracks in Galveston, TX.

What's interesting is that's only on the public side of the gate located at the end of the street; there are several more sets of tracks on the private property beyond it.

I count 19 tracks between Harborside and Port Industrial Blvd, then 8 or 9 more (depending on how you count the one that splits) between there and the fence gate. Not sure where they're getting 21 from.

There are 7 more in the private property, for a grand total of 35 train tracks.

OK, this took a lot longer than I care to admit...

The 21 tracks appear to be a combination of the auxiliary freight yard plus the mainline–but not including those tracks pertaining exclusively to the freight yard at the port itself.  Going by Google satellite view, I've mapped out the rail lines below as well as I can.  The green and blue crossings add up to 21.

Blue = Mainline railroad (or sidings that reconnect to the mainline)
Red = Port of Galveston freight yard sidings
Green = Auxiliary freight yard and spur lines

[empirestate]

I just found one with 21 tracks in Galveston, TX.

What's interesting is that's only on the public side of the gate located at the end of the street; there are several more sets of tracks on the private property beyond it.

I count 19 tracks between Harborside and Port Industrial Blvd, then 8 or 9 more (depending on how you count the one that splits) between there and the fence gate. Not sure where they're getting 21 from.

There are 7 more in the private property, for a grand total of 35 train tracks.

I count 21 to where the pavement ends, at (and not including) a dismantled set of tracks still embedded in the street. I would guess that represents the extent of the public ROW, and thus the extent of the authority of the signage.

[kphoger]

I count 21 to where the pavement ends, at (and not including) a dismantled set of tracks still embedded in the street. I would guess that represents the extent of the public ROW, and thus the extent of the authority of the signage.

That is the same set of tracks as the 21 I counted.

Starting from the south:

HARBORSIDE DRIVE
1 BNSF mainline track
18 BNSF sidings
PORT INDUSTRIAL ROAD
2 BNSF mainline tracks
pavement ends
6 Port Rail / ADM Grain sidings
Gate #15
7 Port Rail / Pier 39 sidings
becomes WHARF ROAD

[SkyPesos]

Saw this youtube video of a large railroad crossing in Japan a while ago

Edit: found the location of it on Google Maps. It's 8 tracks across, and it seems like the crossing got permanently closed in 2019.

[empirestate]

Saw this youtube video of a large railroad crossing in Japan a while ago

Edit: found the location of it on Google Maps. It's 8 tracks across, and it seems like the crossing got permanently closed in 2019.

What's notable about that one, surely, is how busy it is (both for trains and other traffic) and how often it is available for crossing–and not least, the fact that there's a perfectly viable pedestrian/bicycle crossing immediately next to it!

Meanwhile, I'm sure you will find innumerable other crossing very like this one, but uncontrolled, in other countries around the world!

[1995hoo]

VDOT tweeted this about half an hour ago as I type this post and it made me think of this thread. The old version may not have been the "largest" railroad crossing, but it's a neat picture that fits the spirit of this thread. Click the picture to enlarge; if it opens Twitter, click the picture again.

https://twitter.com/VaDOT/status/1359845706748604419

[empirestate]

VDOT tweeted this about half an hour ago as I type this post and it made me think of this thread. The old version may not have been the "largest" railroad crossing, but it's a neat picture that fits the spirit of this thread. Click the picture to enlarge; if it opens Twitter, click the picture again.

I'm struck by how much the autos in the picture have changed over the years, but the railcars are identical.

[US71]

Vermont St in Blue Island Illinois USED to. You'd cross 2-3 tracks, have an island,(with a RR signal) then 2-3 more tracks.

Here's a current GSV
https://goo.gl/maps/1Kd8WfsxYZAzLxKK9

[kphoger]

Vermont St in Blue Island Illinois USED to. You'd cross 2-3 tracks, have an island,(with a RR signal) then 2-3 more tracks.

Here's a current GSV
https://goo.gl/maps/1Kd8WfsxYZAzLxKK9

I think it's cool how the "island" platform for Metra is basically split in half and has a station building in the middle of it.