Railroad Crossing, Detroit, Toledo & Ironton Railroad, Oak Street, Wyandotte, Michigan, June 1926

Summary

Apart from eliminating it altogether, the safest way to protect a railroad crossing is with movable gates. The earliest gates, introduced around 1870, were hand-operated by an employee stationed at the crossing. Automated gates first appeared in the 1930s. Four-quadrant gates completely block off the road, while more common two-quadrant gates block each lane only in the direction of travel.

Apart from eliminating it altogether, the safest way to protect a railroad crossing is with movable gates. The earliest gates, introduced around 1870, were hand-operated by an employee stationed at the crossing. Automated gates first appeared in the 1930s. Four-quadrant gates completely block off the road, while more common two-quadrant gates block each lane only in the direction of travel.

Artifact

Photographic print

Date Made

16 June 1926

Subject Date

16 June 1926

 On Exhibit

By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center

Object ID

64.167.548.P.833.46840

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company.

Material

Paper (Fiber product)
Linen (Material)

Technique

Gelatin silver process

Color

Black-and-white (Colors)

Dimensions

Height: 7.875 in

Width: 11.25 in

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