Level crossing

place where a road crosses a railway at the same level

A level crossing (also called a grade crossing, a railway crossing, or a railroad crossing) is a place where a railway line and a road meet each other on the same level. This means that the grades (the road and the track) are not separated by using a bridge or a tunnel. Usually, there are signs indicating the crossing. There may also be barriers/gates that go down before a train passes.

Depending on how much traffic there is, there are different measures to make the crossing more secure:

  • Signs or panels, indicating the crossing
  • Blinking or steady lights
  • Sounds (usually a warning bell)
  • Gates/barriers that are lowered before a train passes

Since level crossings are dangerous (there are many accidents), they are usually reworked into grade separated crossings when there is more traffic, or high speed trains.

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