Definitions

Section 1535 Section 1535.100  Definitions "Advance warning sign" means a fixed sign, located at a distance from a grade crossing and intended to warn drivers of vehicles of the presence of the crossing before the vehicle reaches the crossing. "AREMA" means American Railway Engineering and Maintenance of Way Association (2004 Edition). "Automatic gates" means gates which are designed to move into the obstructing position automatically upon the approach of a train or trains, and to move into the clear position when the train or trains have cleared the crossing and are generally used in conjunction with "flashing light signals" as defined in this Section. "City" means all incorporated cities, villages and towns. "Clearance signs" means the signs posted at a subway to indicate the maximum height of vehicles that may safely pass beneath the grade separation structure. "Crossbuck sign" means a sign consisting essentially of two boards or blades, crossing each other in the general form of the letter X, and designed to be mounted upon a post or upon the mast of an automatic signal.  The word "RAILROAD" is inscribed upon the board or blade extending from the upper left to the lower right portion of the sign as viewed by a person facing the crossing, and the word "CROSSING" is inscribed upon the board or blade extending from the lower left to the upper right portion of the sign. "Crossing" means any place where a public street or highway and a railroad cross either at grade or by separation of grades.  It may also apply to locations where a railroad running longitudinally in a street is crossed by a roadway or sidewalk. "Crossing proper" means that portion of the grade crossing over the crosstie area. "Crosstie" means a transverse beam that connects and supports the rails of a railroad. "Department" means the Illinois Department of Transportation. "Flashing light signal" means a signaling device consisting essentially of two red lamps mounted horizontally about 2 feet 6 inches between centers and which flash alternately to indicate the approach of a train.  Such signals usually are designed to operate automatically upon the approach of a train but sometimes are so arranged as to start and cease operation by a manual controlling device. "Gates" means a barrier that employs arms so arranged as to be moved into a position wholly or partly to obstruct a street.  "Gates" provide a definite obstruction to street traffic but are not designed positively to stop moving vehicles. "Grade crossing" means any crossing where the street or highway and the railroad are at the same elevation. "Hazard marker" means a fixed sign consisting of a vertical rectangle, size 1 foot by 3 feet having alternating black and reflectorized yellow or white stripes 3 inches in width sloping down at an angle of 45 degrees toward the side of the obstruction on which traffic is to pass, or should conditions dictate other type of marker, one of those described in the current edition of Illinois Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices. "Highway" means the same as "street". "Law" means the Illinois Commercial Transportation Law [625 ILCS 5/18c]. "MUTCD" means the federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (2003 Edition). "Rail carrier" means the same as the definition in Section 18c-1104 of the Law[625 ILCS 5/18c-1104]. "Railroad" means the same as the definition in Section 18c-1104 of the Law . "Railroad train" means any locomotive with or without cars coupled to it, operating upon a railroad.  This term, however, is not applied to handcars, speeders, motor cars, hi-rail cars or self-propelled work equipment operated for maintenance or other railroad purposes and not used for the transportation of persons or property for hire. "Reflector button" means a unit consisting essentially of a glass lens and a reflecting mirror or a plastic lens so designed as to reflect the rays of light from headlights of vehicles.  The reflecting mirror may be a separate mirror or consist of reflecting material deposited directly upon the surface of the lens. "Reflector type" or "reflectorized," when applied to any sign, means that either the letters or some outstanding feature of the sign is marked by reflector buttons, or by other suitable reflecting devices or materials, in such manner as to be illuminated and made visible by headlights of vehicles. "Roadway" means that portion of a street or highway improved, designed, or ordinarily used for vehicular travel. "Shoulder" means that portion of a highway between the edge of the pavement and the curb line where there is a sidewalk, or, where there is no sidewalk, between the edge of the pavement and the outer edge of the surface graded for possible vehicular use. "Sidewalk" means that portion of a street, between the curb lines or the lateral lines of a roadway and the adjacent property lines, intended for the use of pedestrians. "Street" means the entire width between property lines of every way or place of whatever nature when any part is open to the use of the public as a matter of right for purposes of vehicular traffic. "Subway" means a crossing where the street or highway passes underneath the railroad. "Temporary STOP Sign" means the installation of temporary STOP signs whenever the Commission authorizes the installation of automatic flashing light signals or automatic flashing light signals and gates at public highway-rail grade crossings, pursuant to Section 18c-7401(3) of the Law. "Viaduct" means a crossing where the street or highway passes above the railroad.