I deliver to Crocker MO MFA on occasion at their Fertilizer yard, have to say it is probably the Epitome of DANGEROUS to delivery trucks. Sits barely past the BNSF Main Springfield to Rolla, has a limited view On a Corner in the trackage, with less than 30' to the main from old Mo17 highway where coming out is yet worse coming uphill, even more degraded view as INSIDE the corner and still that same 30' of road into the highway traffic flow. Is a Guess and roll praying every time the train does not come and the traffic flow does not stop. ALMOST tempted to tell the boss will no longer go there.
They have lights and swing arm gates, there is two sets of track a siding serving a set of small industries and the main, noticed on my deliveries is around a 15-20 second interim from signal start to first engine crossing from either direction, NOT enough time to get away if the traffic gets stupid. Is JUST enough room for a ton truck and a fertilizer buggy to sit alongside the highway on the side road, nowhere near enough for a tractor trailer.
There are probably 1000 or more crossings all over the country that look like this one. While they will never admit it, SAFETY is in the hands of the highway department. In these kinds of crossings, highway traffic signals need to be used. The light on the stem of the T needs to be the one that allows traffic to cross the tracks. The traffic signals need to be interlocked with train traffic - train in the vicinity - RED for going across the tracks in either direction. Highway Dept will cry about it as a frivolous expenditure - not enough traffic to warrant the expenditure.
