Railroad crossing advice
#26
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I looked at the google street view. that crossing is in excellent condition. meaning the roadway on either side is not falling apart or chipping. I would not be doing any fancy stuff like crossing lanes at a RR crossing. be slow and predictable. I saw the angle and it should be fine going slowly. if you are still not comfortable take the sidewalk but that seems not necessary. good luck.
for reference check out this nasty crossing. yours is absolutely pristine!
https://moderntransit.org/expy_graphi...ldshoulder.jpg
for reference check out this nasty crossing. yours is absolutely pristine!
https://moderntransit.org/expy_graphi...ldshoulder.jpg
Additionally, you seem to be consistently missing the issue, that if I didn't cross my lane on the track, I would be riding at something like a 30 degree angle to the track, giving my wheels a much greater chance of getting sucked into the track, causing an accident. This is a common concern/risk with railroad tracks, as you can find across the entire forum from peoples stories about my exact concern happening to them.
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#27
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A popular biking road near here has an even sharper angle, on a one-lane in each direction road. I have a mirror, so it's easy to monitor traffic coming up behind. I'll either let the cars pass by, or take the lane and point left, like a left turn signal. But I end up in the oncoming lane, so there can't be any cars approaching, either.
If your tracks were just a little less angled, I'd ride across them staying straight on the road, not trying to angle over. But I'd keep my speed up enough to coast over the tracks. The critical thing is to make sure to be centered and balanced on the bike, so the tires don't have any side force at all.
I've seen riders fall when they turn sharply just before the tracks to hit the rails at 90 degrees. They are still leaning into the turn when their wheel crosses the rails, and they slide right out, even though the wheel is at 90 degrees.
Your crossing. It looks like a 45 degree angle to the road. It's tricky to cut across your lane, since you can't really control two lanes of traffic coming from behind, and you'll be in the left of the two lanes by the time you cross over.
If your tracks were just a little less angled, I'd ride across them staying straight on the road, not trying to angle over. But I'd keep my speed up enough to coast over the tracks. The critical thing is to make sure to be centered and balanced on the bike, so the tires don't have any side force at all.
I've seen riders fall when they turn sharply just before the tracks to hit the rails at 90 degrees. They are still leaning into the turn when their wheel crosses the rails, and they slide right out, even though the wheel is at 90 degrees.
Your crossing. It looks like a 45 degree angle to the road. It's tricky to cut across your lane, since you can't really control two lanes of traffic coming from behind, and you'll be in the left of the two lanes by the time you cross over.
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#28
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no loss of dignity to stop, and walk the bike across, and then get back on?
though the classic Cyclocross barrier leap and remount is something to learn ..
back in the day they also flipped over both toeclips at one as soon as they were back on the saddle..
when you get to the track turn your front wheel at a right angle to it ,
and move to the far side and come back to the near side so your bike can square up to the tracks . your rear wheel will follow.
though the classic Cyclocross barrier leap and remount is something to learn ..
back in the day they also flipped over both toeclips at one as soon as they were back on the saddle..
when you get to the track turn your front wheel at a right angle to it ,
and move to the far side and come back to the near side so your bike can square up to the tracks . your rear wheel will follow.
Last edited by fietsbob; 05-15-14 at 12:13 PM.
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1. I'm not talking about pouring concrete, I'm talking about 8 inches x 3 inches of brown foam on the ground from a spraycan you get at Home Depot. Frankly, you could do the same thing with a stick. Only the outside of the rail where the tire first transitions from the asphalt to the steel. Inner edge would just get mooshed by the first pass of a consist, anyway. 2. Maybe in Raleigh they have more robust enforcement by the RR companies, but here in the North East... ah, not so much. Like, you think NSC or CSX is watching that crossing? Really? I'd be impressed. Fact is, around here we have stranger things just bubbling out of the ground next to the tracks. NJ: The Landfill of Opportunity. Gosh, I've got much better ways of getting arrested and hauled into court. And my lawyer always buys me dinner, with my own money!
Last edited by blacknbluebikes; 05-14-14 at 03:13 PM. Reason: added quote
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I'm curious, what size tire are you running? I commute over several tracks that angle with questionable road quality and just get out of the saddle and barrel right over them with no concern, 12-22mph depending on mood/hill. But I use 2" tires inflated to ~70psi.
#32
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Just some words to the folks here and anyone browsing not a member..... You should always listen for train, no matter how safe you think it is, you never know if a loose freight car or cars might roll through and kill you on the spot. They often won't trigger the crossing circuit.
- Andy
- Andy
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45° is very crossable straight on. No adjustment to you whatever course you're riding is needed. If you wish, a slight wiggle making an S to cross more square to the rails may help, but isn't needed. OTOH, if you're flying on the curve (hard to gauge how sharp it is) and leaning, you might want to square up a bit so the bike is verticl as you take the bump, hen resume the curve.
More of a priblem are the nea parallel crossings you see near cities and in narrow valleys. These require that you secure a full lane so you have room to make an S-curve as you cross.
More of a priblem are the nea parallel crossings you see near cities and in narrow valleys. These require that you secure a full lane so you have room to make an S-curve as you cross.
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I always lift my front wheel and just hop over tracks with the front, that works well for for me, I've never yet crashed on railroad tracks even when they are wet.
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Yes, many of us do. But it's not possible to hop while in a curve (unless you really like road rash).
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Fat tires would help. Or simply dismount. It will slow you down less than a crash. Drivers are part of the opposition , it's hard to change that.
#37
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Just got a new specialized tri-cross bike. Still using the tires that came with it, 700x32's, inflated once a week up to 100psi or so. When those wear out, or before my first tri of the year, whichever happens first I'll drop down to a 700x25 or 28.
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Honestly, if it's that much trouble, I would just dismount and walk it over. I'm not eating asphalt or replacing bent wheels just to avoid a brief inconvenience - no way.
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Old thread, but topic is spot-on and timeless.
I have to traverse a skewed crossing (not as acute as this - the telephoto makes this look less acute than it is) and can't always go perpendicular due to traffic. I know to slow down and raise off the seat and keep a firm grip on the handlebars.
I am not sure the following works, but I do it intuitively. I tilt the bike toward the direction the tires would slip, if they did, so that the tire will land flatter on the surface that it would slip on. (For these road riders, that would be toward the left from our view.) I think it both makes it less likely the tire will slip and puts me in a better position to recover if it does. Not sure if this is correct. Traverse my crossing hundreds of times a year and have yet to fall. In case it matters, tires are mountain 26 x 1.75 or so, with minimal tread.
Now I will go read the thread
Video compilation from Knoxville, TN at https://goo.gl/maps/7ZAgm6xc2aT1He1BA
I have to traverse a skewed crossing (not as acute as this - the telephoto makes this look less acute than it is) and can't always go perpendicular due to traffic. I know to slow down and raise off the seat and keep a firm grip on the handlebars.
I am not sure the following works, but I do it intuitively. I tilt the bike toward the direction the tires would slip, if they did, so that the tire will land flatter on the surface that it would slip on. (For these road riders, that would be toward the left from our view.) I think it both makes it less likely the tire will slip and puts me in a better position to recover if it does. Not sure if this is correct. Traverse my crossing hundreds of times a year and have yet to fall. In case it matters, tires are mountain 26 x 1.75 or so, with minimal tread.
Now I will go read the thread
Video compilation from Knoxville, TN at https://goo.gl/maps/7ZAgm6xc2aT1He1BA
Last edited by duffer1960; 03-21-21 at 11:25 AM.
#40
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Old thread, but topic is spot-on and timeless.
I have to traverse a skewed crossing (not as acute as this - the telephoto makes this look less acute than it is) and can't always go perpendicular due to traffic. I know to slow down and raise off the seat and keep a firm grip on the handlebars.
I am not sure the following works, but I do it intuitively. I tilt the bike toward the direction the tires would slip, if they did, so that the tire will land flatter on the surface that it would slip on. (For these road riders, that would be toward the left from our view.) I think it both makes it less likely the tire will slip and puts me in a better position to recover if it does. Not sure if this is correct. Traverse my crossing hundreds of times a year and have yet to fall. In case it matters, tires are mountain 26 x 1.75 or so, with minimal tread.
Now I will go read the thread
Video compilation from Knoxville, TN at https://goo.gl/maps/7ZAgm6xc2aT1He1BA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfeQvbIFBks
I have to traverse a skewed crossing (not as acute as this - the telephoto makes this look less acute than it is) and can't always go perpendicular due to traffic. I know to slow down and raise off the seat and keep a firm grip on the handlebars.
I am not sure the following works, but I do it intuitively. I tilt the bike toward the direction the tires would slip, if they did, so that the tire will land flatter on the surface that it would slip on. (For these road riders, that would be toward the left from our view.) I think it both makes it less likely the tire will slip and puts me in a better position to recover if it does. Not sure if this is correct. Traverse my crossing hundreds of times a year and have yet to fall. In case it matters, tires are mountain 26 x 1.75 or so, with minimal tread.
Now I will go read the thread
Video compilation from Knoxville, TN at https://goo.gl/maps/7ZAgm6xc2aT1He1BA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfeQvbIFBks
#41
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Old thread, but topic is spot-on and timeless.
I have to traverse a skewed crossing (not as acute as this - the telephoto makes this look less acute than it is) and can't always go perpendicular due to traffic. I know to slow down and raise off the seat and keep a firm grip on the handlebars.
I am not sure the following works, but I do it intuitively. I tilt the bike toward the direction the tires would slip, if they did, so that the tire will land flatter on the surface that it would slip on. (For these road riders, that would be toward the left from our view.) I think it both makes it less likely the tire will slip and puts me in a better position to recover if it does. Not sure if this is correct. Traverse my crossing hundreds of times a year and have yet to fall. In case it matters, tires are mountain 26 x 1.75 or so, with minimal tread.
Now I will go read the thread
Video compilation from Knoxville, TN at https://goo.gl/maps/7ZAgm6xc2aT1He1BA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfeQvbIFBks
I have to traverse a skewed crossing (not as acute as this - the telephoto makes this look less acute than it is) and can't always go perpendicular due to traffic. I know to slow down and raise off the seat and keep a firm grip on the handlebars.
I am not sure the following works, but I do it intuitively. I tilt the bike toward the direction the tires would slip, if they did, so that the tire will land flatter on the surface that it would slip on. (For these road riders, that would be toward the left from our view.) I think it both makes it less likely the tire will slip and puts me in a better position to recover if it does. Not sure if this is correct. Traverse my crossing hundreds of times a year and have yet to fall. In case it matters, tires are mountain 26 x 1.75 or so, with minimal tread.
Now I will go read the thread
Video compilation from Knoxville, TN at https://goo.gl/maps/7ZAgm6xc2aT1He1BA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfeQvbIFBks
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