https://xcancel.com/mike_harrigan/status/1873191393012924584

  • crime [she/her, any]
    ·
    7 days ago

    Wait til you hear about railroad crossings that don't even have "gate" technology agony-deep

    The backup method is "train lays on its horn the entire time it crosses through the city and hops for the best" which makes it super miserable to live within a mile of those tracks bc they need to do that no matter what time of day or night it is

    • Yukiko [she/her]
      ·
      7 days ago

      They do it regardless of whether or not it has a crossing. I used to live right next to a proper crossing and they still blared their horn. While it wasn't fun, it was easy to tune it out after a month or so.

      • wtypstanaccount04 [he/him]
        ·
        edit-2
        7 days ago

        Federal Railroad Administration rules on this are rather excessive in my opinion. To see how these safety rules can backfire look no further than Caltrain's morning rush hour. These are brand-new, quiet and smooth electric trains but because of the rules the bells and whistles are so loud it sounds like some sort of 5-alarm emergency! But no, that's just a normal morning. My heart goes out to any easily overstimulated people near railroad crossings.

      • PaulSmackage [he/him, comrade/them]
        ·
        7 days ago

        Growing up next to a set of tracks, I purposely go out if my way to find places to live near them. I find it very comforting. The fact that places like that tend to be cheaper is just a bonus.

        • RION [she/her]
          ·
          7 days ago

          Yeah I love hearing the train go by at night. At my mom's current place it's like 30 feet from the tracks which was a little much but where I lived in high school it was perfect

      • crime [she/her, any]
        ·
        7 days ago

        could be the autism but I never got used to it living next to one for years

    • regul [any]
      ·
      7 days ago

      Aren't quad gates the FRA requirement to not have to use your horn at a level crossing?

    • keepcarrot [she/her]
      ·
      7 days ago

      I remember as a kid crossing Australia, we got stuck at a really long train crossing in front of us. It was visibly moving, but not very fast. We wound up having a picnic on the side of the road. It was an event when the end of the train came trailing along like an hour or so later.

    • Acute_Engles [he/him, any]
      ·
      7 days ago

      I live far enough away from a crossing that I get to just hear the Bwaaaaa in the distance. if the window's closed its hardly noticeable but if i want to hear train noises I just open it up and ill hear the wheels and squeaks and shit.

      It's the simple pleasures