Forest Avenue Backed Up For Second Time After Railroad Crossing Malfunction

For the second time within a month, the railroad crossing on Forest Avenue at Woodford's Corner in Portland malfunctioned causing chaos on one of Portland's busiest streets. What's causing this?

Crossing Malfunction

On February 17, traffic backed up through at least 5 intersections on Forest Avenue that are controlled by traffic lights. All of them were red and not changing to green. Why?

If you look closely at the railroad crossing in the photo I took stuck at one of those red lights, you'll see the crossing gates are down and the lights are flashing. The bells were ringing as well, but there was no train in sight. The crossing just a few feet away at Saunders Street had gates up and no lights flashing.

Smart Traffic Lights

This railroad crossing was rebuilt in 2018 and it ties into the traffic lights in the area. When a train is detected, traffic lights at intersections near the crossing all turn red until the train passes. It greatly helps with the flow of traffic when it works.

When it becomes a problem for drivers, the crossing gate malfunctions and keeps the traffic lights red until those gates go up. If they don't, the lights stay red.

READ MORE: Train Speeds Are Increasing Through Waterville, Maine

The railroad crossings in Portland are maintained by CSX Transportation, so it's their job to come out and fix malfunctions. It has happened twice now, so hopefully they've got the problem figured out.

How Do Railroad Crossing Signals Work?

If you're curious about the technology that makes crossing signals activate, check out this explanation from Danny Harman, a railroad fanatic and television announcer who recently retired.