LEVEL-CROSSING SIGNALS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19957, 18 June 1930, Page 11

LEVEL-CROSSING SIGNALS.

GREEN LIGHT FOR DANGER. SUGGESTED CAUSE OF MISTAKES. The railway crossing tragedy at Sockburu on Monday evening has focused attention on the question of crossing signals, about which there ®P* pears to be a good deal of misapprehension. A representative of The Pbess -who made enquiries yesterday concerning the position waß told that whereas it is often thought by people that the crossing-keepers are on duty in order to assist pngino crews, they are there to regulate vehicular and other traffic over the lines traversing the crossings. The regulation under which they oporate is 38A, taken from the Gazette of November Bth, 1923, as follows: "Any person driving any vehicle or ridiiig or driving any animal, shall, if and when required by any officer of the railway stationed on any level-crossing on the railway for the purpose of controlling traffic thereover, comply with the direction pf such' officer by, stopping before entering on to . such crossing for so long, a time as such officer shall deem necessary in order to permit of the passage of trains or to preveiit accidents. The exhibition of a green flag or the holding up of his hand by day or the exhibition of a green light by night shall be deemed a sufficient notice that the officer requires cuch driver or rider to stop."

Green is Confusing. Motorists to whom the Pressman spoke stated that it Was against all understanding that a grefen flag or light should be used to stop traffic. In all other partS" of the wdrld red was the recognised danger colour, and although a green signal had been in use in New Zealand for a long time there were still large numbers of people who did not know what its purpose was.

An important point was made by one motorist, who drew attention to the semaphore signals used by tramway motormen in Biecarton, Lincoln, and fendalton roads, and Colombo and Antigua streets. These signals, •he said, became known to many motorists who travelled over the same route , daily. When the. l|ne was clear a gteen light was sbowji, Unfortunately, crossingkeepers used such a light when the line was not clear, this being the case at the Sockburn crossing. This, he stated, was incongruous, as if a certain colour meant "all clear" at one crossing it should mean as much at anothefr, particularly when both crossings Were on the same route.

A procedure which might cause confusion among motorists, he continued, was the practice of Bignal-keepers to beckon a motorist on mien a. warning bell was ringing. This was done in order to bold up traffic as little as possible, and it was greatly appreciated by motorists. It might, however, be followed by serious consequences one day, in that it wotild result in a motorist coming on when he was not expected to do so.

Railway Official's View- . When the matter was mentioned to a railway official, he stated that it would be impracticable to use any othet ,colour than green to hold up traffic, for the reason <that this* signals were visible from the engines of incoming trains. Consequently, if-red warp displayed theeffect would be to causetr&ins tb stop. He pointed out that the. finals for en-gine-drivers were of the semaphore' type, ho notice being taken df tflags or lamps displayed by &ostins-]i;eep6rs unless, of Course, red was shd'wn. In such an event a. train would be pulledup instantly, owing to the signal l)eing; regarded as an emergency one -on all railways. He asked the Pressman to consider what would happen if fed were shown to traffio approaching a crossing, claiming;, that-ft would resiUt in evGry train being stopped, ; >VAlthough the Railway Department went to the trouble of putting men on crossing duty With a view to preventing loss of life, it was not uncommon* h«t said, for motorists to driv6 past them on occasions. Even if the men on duty were armed with- guns, some drivers i would defy them in order to avoid a wait of a minute or two so that a train might pass. Traffic inspector's Opinion.

When asked if he could suggest any means whereby the present crossings signal system might bp improve# the Chief Traffic Inspector (Mr H. Mae* intosh) said that he> could not. He was afraid that no matter how contentious a crossing-keeper was, accidents would continue to happen. _ Driven were often too careless and disregarded signals erected for their safety. ■He had known of easps where drivers had actually run into and knocked over compulsory stop .signs. Dr. H. T. J. Thacker stated that a good way toovercome thelevel-croising danger wail that adopted in certain partri of the TJnitea States. "MUet KansatfCity, for instance, when a tritin was approaching a crossing it automatic-, ally set a bell ringing, this continuing until the strain had passed the crossing. In other cases a gate w^'automatically shut acrotfs a road, even in a.brisy portion of a. city. Another .precaution which might well be followed here was that Which required drivers nt -vehicles to stop; at all level-crossings finder: a severe penalty. .... ... A suggestion was made that when applicants were being given a trial for a certificate, to drive a motor-vehicle they should be examined as to their knowledge of railway signals, and if they were unable to answer the questions put to them should not be issued with a ticket of ability.