Flashing red ball at a grade crossing?

[RobbieL2415]

Just came across this video of an Amtrak train rolling through a grade crossing in Windsor Locks, CT.  A fairly normal occurrence.  The crossing is to the right of the intersection.  Everything seems in order except for what happens starting at 0:41.

https://youtu.be/eE1GXsxs69g?t=41

Is it normal for this to happen at grade crossings adjacent to an intersection?

For reference, the light at this intersection is single-direction permissive phases across (from the perspective of the video), one protected phase oncoming, then a bi-directional permissive phase.  Also, there is no left turn heading northbound (forward).

[Ace10]

Since the signal for the right turn lane uses circular signals, not arrows, it's counter-intuitive and probably against MUTCD to show a red ball for right-turns and a green ball for straight-through traffic and have both signals viewable at the same time. The flashing ball for through traffic is probably the only way around that without having to change the right-turn signal to use arrows. Definitely an unusual setup and not one I've ever seen before, but that's my best explanation.

[lepidopteran]

I've seen this a lot.  In Toledo, OH, at the intersection of Kenwood Blvd. and Douglas, the traffic signal there went into all-red flash whenever the adjacent RR signals were activated.  This section of track was ripped out in 2010, but a gravel path and pave-over is present.  The grade crossing at Central Ave. north of there did the same thing.
https://goo.gl/maps/ggkHu9uPzPu
This was the former Toledo Terminal switching line, which literally made a complete loop around the city until 1982, when the Maumee River bridge just north of the Ohio Turnpike was damaged in a derailment.  The bridge is currently being demolished.

The traffic signal still has a single stanchion east of the tracks so people waiting for a train to pass can see it.  From what I remember, it flashed red as well, but I would expect that it turned solid red beforehand to clear the crossing.  Note how the mast arms, which are unchanged since 1974 at the latest, essentially "simulate" a diagonal span-wire.

[jamess]

In downtown Fresno, all the signals near the rail line go to flashing red in all directions when a freight train goes by. As the trains can take 5+ minutes to clear the crossing, the entire area would get backed up if they used standard timings

[6a]

This is a fairly common occurrence here in Columbus. Not quite the same setup (only one flashing), however. Usually it's all the way around the intersection.

[SectorZ]

So with the flashing red you could proceed straight after yielding (though everyone else has a red anyways). Yet the van driver just, well, does nothing?

[Amtrakprod]

So with the flashing red you could proceed straight after yielding (though everyone else has a red anyways). Yet the van driver just, well, does nothing?

I do not understand why they couldn't have it work like this: