At each place where railroad tracks cross public streets or highways in the city,
except as otherwise provided in this chapter, there shall be provided and maintained
at all times, by one or more of such railroads whose tracks intersect such streets
and whose locomotives, cars or trains cross same, approved automatic or manually controlled
signal lights for the purpose of giving warning and notice of the approach of locomotives,
cars, trains or parts of trains to each such street crossing. Such automatic or manually
controlled signal lights shall be erected at the right side of the street or railway
near the first railroad track to be crossed and so as to be plainly visible to pedestrians,
drivers or operators of vehicles, streetcars, motorcars and other traffic using such
streets, and such automatic or manually controlled signals shall display and burn
two red lights in a horizontal line, mounted below a standard railroad crossing sign,
flashing alternately at all times when any moving locomotive, rail train or car is
within 300 feet of such street crossing. At crossings of streets with traffic in both
directions, back-to-back pairs of lights shall be placed on each side of the tracks.
On one-way streets and divided streets, signals shall be placed on the approach side
of the crossing. Such automatic signals shall be controlled so as to be actuated a
minimum of 20 seconds before the train reaches the crossing. Controls shall be set
in each instance for the actual operating speed of the track to be protected, but
in no event shall the speed of the train exceed 30 miles per hour. Additional regulations
of the state manual on uniform traffic control devices shall be observed as though
written herein. Applications with all necessary data shall be made to the city engineer,
and he or she shall approve the automatic or manually controlled signal lights to
be installed as herein required before such installations are made. The city engineer
shall prepare and have on hand for public inspection general specifications for the
installation and operation of such signal lights according to the provisions of this
chapter.
