Research has shown that the curved steam train shape is much more recognisable than the box like modern train shape. People would be familiar with the shape of a steam train from children's books and films, even if they had never seen a real one. Therefore the steam train sign is safer:
Title: A COMPARISON OF ALTERNATIVE SYMBOLIC WARNING SIGNS FOR RAILWAY LEVEL CROSSINGS
Abstract:
Most level crossings have light traffic and good accident records and the only protection that can be justified in cost benefit terms is a system of warning signs. The Australian standard specifies a warning sign using the "cross bucks" symbol which might not be correctly interpreted and might also be confused with the crossroads warning sign. Wigglesworth, in a review of level crossing protection for the Ministry of Transport, Victoria, recommended the adoption of a train symbol. The UN protocol symbol is a steam train but steam trains are no longer used on scheduled railway services. However, a diesel train symbol does not have distinctive features easily adaptable to symbolic representation and such a symbol might not have an adequate legibility distance. This paper compares the two Australian standard railway warning signs, a steam train symbol and two diesel train symbols. The criteria for evaluation are interpretability and legibility distance. Consideration is also given to what are the community stereotypes for a railway warning sign. It is concluded that the steam train symbol remains a community stereotype despite the rarity of steam trains; is likely to be correctly interpreted and has a long legibility
distance. (Author/TRRL)...Authors: Cole, B L Jacobs, R J
Publication Date: 1981-12
Serial: Australian Road Research Volume: 11 Issue Number: 4
Publisher: Australian Road Research Board
ISSN: 0005-0164
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