PLC-Controlled Rack and Pinion-Based Automated Railway Barricade System: Design, Structural Validation, and Prototype Implementation for Enhanced Level Crossing Safety

Abstract

Railway level crossings remain a persistent source of accidents and fatalities on mixed road-rail networks, particularly where crossings are unmanned or rely on manual gate operation. This paper presents the design, structural validation, and prototype implementation of an automated railway barricade in which a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) drives an underground rack-and-pinion mechanism to raise and lower a physical barrier in response to sensor-detected train movement. The underground placement minimizes visual obstruction relative to conventional above-ground boom barriers while a robust mechanical drive is intended to withstand repeated, high-cycle outdoor operation. A structural analysis using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is used to validate the mechanical integrity of the rack-and-pinion drive under expected loading, and shaft design calculations confirm an adequate safety margin. A fabricated prototype demonstrates the automation cycle end-to-end, including a manual push-button override for fail-safe operation. To situate the contribution, a focused review of thirteen directly relevant studies retrieved from a bibliographic export is presented; it indicates that existing automated level-crossing work concentrates on sensing and control logic, while structurally validated mechanical actuator design for the barrier itself is comparatively under-addressed. The proposed system is offered as a scalable, low-cost step toward reducing manual dependency and human error at level crossings.