Products > Industrial Crossing Warnings

Industrial Crossing Warnings

Product Overview

Apex Rail Manufactures full assortment of industrial crossing warnings including fully automated solutions, remote controlled DTMF, and more.

Fully Automated Crossing

In our fully automated crossing system we utilize a three zone track circuit setup. These zones consist of two approach circuits one on each side of the crossing and an island circuit. The approach locations are set at a distance determined by maximum train speed in the area. The drawing below shows the three track circuit zones that make up a full automated crossing warning system.
industrial railroad crossing warning
railroad crossing warning diagram
In this type of crossing the approach locations detect a train as it enters in the zone from either direction. Once the track circuits detects an occupancy the crossing will begin the process of activating the crossing gates, lights and bells as the train approaches the island circuit. Before the train reaches the island circuit the gates will be in the down position with the lights and bells activated. Because the system has three zones we can use stick logic to follow the train as it makes its way through the crossing. Stick logic allows us to determine when the train has fully crossed over the island. Once the train is clear of the island the crossing will deactivate clearing the gates, lights and bells.
In the diagram below you can see the two remote transmitter location would be transmitting to the receivers located at the island. This creates a detection zone that covers the rail between the remote transmitter locations all the way to the island detection zone. You can see that the island circuit has its own transmitter and receiver to define the island circuit.

Remote DTMF Radio Controlled Crossing Warning System

By adding Remote Radio Control DTMF activation to a fully automated crossing you would provide train crews the ability to request the activation of the crossing prior to occupying any of the circuits. Adding DTMF to a fully automated crossing would not be a safety concern because the crossing would still operate as described above if the train crew were to forget to DTMF the crossing.

In a remote DTMF activated crossing warning system the crossing is activated by a DTMF radio code as the train approaches the crossing. Because the train crews are responsible for activating the crossing no approach track circuits are provided with the system. In remote activated crossing the train crew is responsible putting the gates in the down position. The approach to the crossing is replaced with remote DTMF radio control.

DTMF Stands for Dual Tone Multiple Frequencies. DTMF are the tones you hear when you dial a telephone. A code is programed in the DTMF decoder and the DTMF Decode listens for the specific programed code. Once the correct DTMF code is received and decoded an output will be provided. This output is then used as an input into the system for a specific command. In the case of a DTMF activated crossing this DTMF output would be used as an input to activate the crossing.

remote controlled dtmf crossing warning

Track Circuits

In this type of setup, we employ three sets of track circuits. The two approach circuits consist of one ATC-1T Transmitter and one ATC-1R Receiver for detection of occupancy. The Island Circuit in this system consists of one ATC-1T transmitter and one ATC-3R Receiver. 

The ATC-3R operates much like the ATC-1R receivers, but it also has the ability to take occupancy inputs from both of the approach receivers. The ATC-3R is also equipped with stick logic to determine where the train is as it moves across the detection area. The ATC-3R takes information it is given by the other ATC-1R receiver along with its own occupancy information and will produce a vital output based on occupancy information to activate and deactivate the crossing.

atc track circuit models

Specifications

Coming Soon

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