On Thursday, February 12, 2015 at 1:02:46 PM UTC-5, peterw...@hotmail.com   
   wrote:   
      
   > 1. In designing the iconic FT freight locomotive and E series passenger   
   locomotives, Electromotive put a hood-like structure on the front specifically   
   to give some protection to the engineer and fireman in the event of a   
   collision at a grade crossing,    
   and virtually all subsequent American locomotives have continued this   
   practice. Is there any requirement for grade-crossing protection on   
   self-propelled motor unit passenger cars?   
      
   Yes, extensive high-strength protection against collisions.   
      
      
   > 2. In the accounts I've read, the lead unit on the Metro North train was set   
   on fire by gasoline from the fuel tank of the Mercedes Benz SUV. Barring the   
   few battery powered cars in service, every vehicle hit at a grade crossing has   
   a fuel tank; in the    
   case of a semi truck there might be as much as three hundred gallons of diesel   
   oil onboard. Does the design of a locomotive or motor unit incorporate any   
   protection from this?   
      
   Short of hitting a fuel truck, this kind of fire is unusual in grade crossing   
   accidents.  Usually the vehicle is just crushed or pushed aside and does not   
   catch fire.   
      
      
      
   > With modern welded rail track, broken rails are a known and feared failure   
   mode.    
      
   They are?  I thought welded rail reduced the incidence of broken rails.   
      
   Also, I don't believe third rail is welded, plus it is very rare for it to   
   break.   
      
   In any event, a broken rail would disrupt the signal current, causing the   
   block to go red.   
      
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