Why are railroad tracks so incredibly difficult to cross?

[imwithdummy]

I've got field 15,16,17 on Ravenport; bordered by train tracks to the north and they're like the gatekeepers to my property....a surefire way to keep attacking roves of semis at bay, its always a hassle to cross these things, even with a decently horsepowered medium tractor. A semi truck with a trailer? Forget about it...not happening.
All other learning curve issues aside, these have been the persistent bane of my game playing experience thus far....never would have bought this land if I knew that railroad tracks were this evil.

In real life, I can cross railroad tracks in my little Carolla, what is this??

[SeaDog]

Um, IRL you can't really cross tracks unless there is a road crossing put in. If you try to cross a raw track you are in for trouble. On maps with trains you can easily cross where there is a proper road crossing. However, most of the track is just the raw rails and ties without any cement or concrete put in to make a crossing. Definitely shouldn't be able to cross that with a truck.

[Blurplegirl]

Originally posted by imwithdummy:

I've got field 15,16,17 on Ravenport; bordered by train tracks to the north and they're like the gatekeepers to my property....a surefire way to keep attacking roves of semis at bay, its always a hassle to cross these things, even with a decently horsepowered medium tractor. A semi truck with a trailer? Forget about it...not happening.
All other learning curve issues aside, these have been the persistent bane of my game playing experience thus far....never would have bought this land if I knew that railroad tracks were this evil.

In real life, I can cross railroad tracks in my little Carolla, what is this??

You expecting it to be better than RL?

[imwithdummy]

Originally posted by SeaDog:

Um, IRL you can't really cross tracks unless there is a road crossing put in. If you try to cross a raw track you are in for trouble. On maps with trains you can easily cross where there is a proper road crossing. However, most of the track is just the raw rails and ties without any cement or concrete put in to make a crossing. Definitely shouldn't be able to cross that with a truck.

Alright so I guess I don't have that much experience crossing tracks in rl, BUSTED, but goddang man, how high is the railing on railroad tracks? 5-6" high?
I'm going to make a point of checking this out because I'd never have thought they'd be that much of a barrier, designated crossing zone or not. Giants is going to rue the day lol

[Shredder]

OP please remove the 'with' in your name. :D

[jasonharris2]

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Ffoxsportstexarkana.com%2F2019%2F08%2F28%2Fwoman-unharmed-car-railroad-tracks%2F&psig=AOvVaw3FnjZ2iZezgUtaW6_AsiiV&ust=1591751605589000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCKDe1ovH8-kCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD
ever cars can drive over tracks

[imwithdummy]

Originally posted by The Liquor:

OP please remove the 'with' in your name. :D

Goddangit.
Just for the record, I got this name because I only used to play on Steam back in the day when I played with a particular friend, so chose this name as a joke, not realizing how much of a platform Steam would one day become, so...its...I wish I could change it, its way silly and all...

Originally posted by jasonharris2:

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Ffoxsportstexarkana.com%2F2019%2F08%2F28%2Fwoman-unharmed-car-railroad-tracks%2F&psig=AOvVaw3FnjZ2iZezgUtaW6_AsiiV&ust=1591751605589000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCKDe1ovH8-kCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD
ever cars can drive over tracks

Alright, well in my defense, if you were going to get stuck on some tracks, those are the tracks that'll get you....look at the size of those. And its like she drove into the middle of some hub where all the biggest tracks meet...like some kind of railroad-based bodybuiding competition LOL look at those tracks!!

[Merck]

Originally posted by imwithdummy:

Alright so I guess I don't have that much experience crossing tracks in rl, BUSTED, but goddang man, how high is the railing on railroad tracks? 5-6" high?
I'm going to make a point of checking this out because I'd never have thought they'd be that much of a barrier, designated crossing zone or not. Giants is going to rue the day lol

Rail height can commonly be 7 inches or more. Plus, you have the tie plate that can add another 1/2 inch. Also, the rails are laid upon ties & ballast, which further raise the track above the surrounding areas, with ditches carved on the sides to assist drainage of the roadbed.

This all can cause vehicles to easily bottom out, if they were to pass over trackage at locations other than crossings. I have seen multiple vehicle hung-up trying such feats.

Also while in the military working as a railroad MOS, I have seen a track vehicle have trouble crossing such track. Granted it was able to do it, as long as it stayed perpendicular to the trackage. If it were to have crossed at an angle, it would have likely gotten hung up also.

A common expedient for such crossings would be to lay planks in the middle between the rails, & also outside of the rails, creating a ramp up to the rails. So if you could do something similar in-game, then I would see no issue with you crossing over the tracks. Just don't let the railroad catch you doing such a thing without their permission, since they would not take it too kindly.

But even in my area of the world Minnesota USA, the railroads will often build crossings for farmers to have access to their fields. These "private" crossings are very minimal, & usually only have cross-buck signs warning to watch for the trains. Something which those that ignore, often pay a high price. Tales of one farmer crossing tracks... train passed by... Luckly for him it only took hitched equipment, & he was left to contemplate his lack of awareness.

[bplus410]

Originally posted by imwithdummy:

they're like the gatekeepers to my property....a surefire way to keep attacking roves of semis at bay, its always a hassle to cross these things, even with a decently horsepowered medium tractor. A semi truck with a trailer? Forget about it...not happening.

It's possible to cross them. I would avoid hitting them head on (perpendicular) and come at them somewhere around a 30 degree angle. Usually works fine, but not always smooth sailing for semis. Sometimes they require a bit more back & forth to get you through.

[Oneblock]

You can change your name if you want to. Just edit your profile.

[SeaDog]

Originally posted by Oneblock:

You can change your name if you want to. Just edit your profile.

Bah, don't change your name.

[imwithdummy]

Originally posted by Merck:

Eloquently stated stuff you said

Thanks for the detailed description...and the story, lol despite how easy it must be to fall asleep during the hours you'd spend behind a combine or whatever in rl farming, you've got ONE job to do in order to ensure your existence...I bet that farmer never made that mistake again!

Your plank solution...think I'll try raising the ground around the track by just the weeniest little amount and see if that helps...thanks Merck.
And thanks BP, that's what I've been learning...angles are sometimes better...unless you're solo in a tractor maybe, where you can actually catch a surprising amount of air and just sail over them lol

Originally posted by Oneblock:

You can change your name if you want to. Just edit your profile.

Never knew that...wow....just figured it didn't make any sense for someone to be able to do that, like...it'd enable shennanigans on the forum or something. Huh!

Originally posted by SeaDog:

Originally posted by Oneblock:

You can change your name if you want to. Just edit your profile.

Bah, don't change your name.

Thanks Sea...I probably won't just on account of being unable to come up with anything lol

[Merck]

I have indeed in the past used the terraforming tool to make my own crossings on the tracks. Just go slowly so you don't dig a ditch or make a mountain.

Another thing to try is to dump wood chips. I seem to remember some videos of players making bridges across bodies of water by dumping in loads of wood chips.

[Druckform | INSOMNIAC 3D]

Originally posted by jasonharris2:

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Ffoxsportstexarkana.com%2F2019%2F08%2F28%2Fwoman-unharmed-car-railroad-tracks%2F&psig=AOvVaw3FnjZ2iZezgUtaW6_AsiiV&ust=1591751605589000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCKDe1ovH8-kCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD
ever cars can drive over tracks

"Polcie said that they’re not exactly sure how she wound up in the train yard or where she was trying to go." hahahahaha

[Merck]

Many years ago we had a very deep snow that winter. Very early one morning (some say after the bars closed) a driver drove down a road & turned onto what the driver thought was another road. Ends up the road plows hadn't yet gotten out to do the plowing, but the trains having traveled often enough, that the tracks ended up looking like a plowed road.

The location was right behind the Kwik Trip store (convenience gas station), & the driver seen a light approaching. He ran out towards the train, waving to stop it (yeah that will happen)... Ends up the train plowed the car. Lucky no one was hurt.

Funny thing was, that I had heard the whole thing happening on my railroad scanner radio. Shortly later my boss & I headed to work (snow plowing properties). We stopped for fuel & donuts. I asked the employees about the car being hit by the train, & most had no idea... One did state though that he wondered why a cars bumper was out back of their store...