This video from the Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority offers up an introduction to grade crossing design. Why are grade crossings so important? Because they represent the most vulnerable part of any rail line.
The Foothill Extension will make use of state-of-the-art grade crossings to ensure safety along the entire line. The video features animated visualizations that show how quad gates, pedestrian gates, bells and horns all work together to ensure the tracks are clear by the time a train passes.
Recent Foothill Extension posts on The Source:
Monorail: Because smaller, less efficient, limited-source “gee whiz” technology incompatible with existing rail systems is far better than the simple, easy to understand solution to grade crossings found throughout the world.
Also, because people are too lazy and impatient to learn to stop for 1 minute at a railroad crossing.
Juxtapose that safety minded video with the one they created for the East gold line extent ion where these gates do not exist. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3r53tCbTIk&feature=youtube_gdata_player
6:03 minutes on why monorail is better.