Nearly two dozen at-grade crossings are planned between Pasadena and Azusa. Each is individually designed with the latest safety equipment and state of the art technology. This five minute video provides an overview of how technology and safety equipment are integrated into each at-grade crossing to ensure maximum public safety and train reliability for the 11.5-mile Foothill Extension from Pasadena to Azusa.
I think the video is very effective in explaining the reasons for full intersection safety. I had to go back and re-look at the shot at 2:56 as I thought the gentleman was simply slipping thru the gate as the bar came down, but it didn’t register the first time I watched that he is exiting the intersection.
Very well done and informative video
Keep up the good work
Hooray for the Gold Line Foothill Extension; there’s no reason on earth we can’t have safe crossings at grade! We did when I was growing up in southwest Chicago’s suburbs. With quad gates & more widespread pedestrian gates, these crossings are even better- in fact they should be “The Standard”. Our biggest rail safety mistake in the L.A. basin we allowed the 1,128 mile Pacific Electric, and much of our other rail lines to be torn up. Portland’s light rail & trolley lines are mostly at-grade and with very limited fencing. Flyovers are budget-busting expensive, divide neighborhoods, & act as graffiti magnets. Subway tunnels are more than doubly worse costwise; elevators & stairs slow the time needed to make transit connections on the surface. LAC MTA had to make up a little game & come up with a car-traffic flyover threshold number- not based on anything scientific- to “justify” senseless flyovers & tunneling on the Expo Line where NONE were needed …but let’s think about it: when crossing gates go down, they stop cars (the most wasteful form of surface transport), letting up to 200 people PER RAILCAR through a grade crossing in a few seconds… Shouldn’t we maximize-not-penalize the most efficient form of vehicular surface transportation (rail at grade), and non-polluting forms of transport (bicycles & pedestrians) by building Complete Streets “giving ground” to trains, riders, & walkers?… and bury the most dangerous (40,000 fatalites/yr) & least efficient form (fossil-swilling cars)?