Railway crossing guard

Abstract

A railway crossing guard includes a pivotable crossing gate and a set of retractable barriers on the same side of a set of railroad tracks. The pivotable crossing gate is mounted adjacent a first traffic lane to move between a lowered position and a raised position, and the retractable barriers are mounted in a line oriented parallel to the traffic lanes on a median strip between first and second traffic lanes. These retractable barriers move between a retracted position, in which the retractable barriers are substantially flush with the roadway, and an extended position, in which the retractable barriers are raised above the roadway. In the extended position, the retractable barriers are positioned to block a vehicle in front of the lowered crossing gate from crossing the median strip to drive around the lowered crossing gate.

1 . A railway crossing guard on a roadway comprising first and second parallel traffic lanes separated by a median strip, said traffic lanes crossing a set of railroad tracks, said crossing guard comprising: 
 a pivotable crossing gate mounted adjacent the first traffic lane on a first side of the railroad tracks to move between a lowered position and a raised position, said crossing gate having a length effective to block the first traffic lane when the crossing gate is in the lowered position;    a plurality of retractable barriers mounted on the median strip on the first side of the railroad tracks to move between a retracted position, in which the retractable barriers are substantially flush with the roadway, and an extended position, in which the retractable barriers are raised above the roadway;    said retractable barriers, when in the extended position, positioned to obstruct a vehicle positioned in front of the lowered crossing gate from crossing the median strip to drive around the lowered crossing gate.    
     
     
         2 . The invention of  claim 1  wherein each retractable barrier comprises an elongated marker, a marker-receiving tube, and a motor coupled to the marker to retract the marker into the tube and to extend the marker out of the tube.  
     
     
         3 . The invention of  claim 2  wherein the marker is sufficiently flexible to permit the vehicle to drive over the extended marker without fracturing the marker.  
     
     
         4 . The invention of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a controller responsive to a first command (1) to lower the crossing gate, and (2) to extend the retractable barriers.  
 
     
     
         5 . The invention of  claim 1  wherein the controller is responsive to a second command (1) to raise the crossing gate, and (2) to retract the retractable barriers.  
     
     
         6 . The invention of  claim 1  wherein the crossing gate is disposed substantially entirely on one side of the median strip when in the lowered position.  
     
     
         7 . The invention of  claim 1  wherein the crossing gate blocks the first traffic lane but not the second traffic lane in the lowered position.  
     
     
         8 . The invention of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of retractable barriers comprises at least three retractable barriers mounted in a line extending along the median strip.