Highway-rail grade crossing controller with out of service mode

1. A highway-railroad grade crossing warning system, said warning system comprising:

an approach circuit in the railroad on either side of the highway;

an island circuit in the railroad at the intersection of the railroad and the highway;

an electronic controller electrically coupled to said approach circuit and to said island circuit;

a warning device which is activated when a train is detected in the approach circuit or in the island circuit by the electronic controller;

a display in the electronic controller, the display having a plurality of touch-sensitive fields,

a first touch-sensitive field on the display in said electronic controller responsive to a command for selectively taking the approach circuit out of service;

a second touch-sensitive field on the display in said electronic controller responsive to a command for selectively taking the island circuit out of service;

a third touch-sensitive field on the display in said electronic controller for selecting the amount of time that the approach circuit or the island circuit is to remain out of service, and

means in said electronic controller for restoring service to said approach circuit or to said island circuit upon expiration of the entered amount of time.

2. The highway-railroad grade crossing warning system of claim 1 , wherein the amount of time that the approach circuit and/or the amount of time that the island circuit remains out of service is selectable in increments of 1 to 23 hours.

3. The highway-railroad grade crossing warning system of claim 1 , wherein the display has a first screen for displaying the first three touch-sensitive fields, and the display has a second screen with a fourth touch-sensitive field for confirming that the maintainer wishes to take the approach circuit out of service or that the maintainer wishes to take the island circuit out of service.

4. A method of taking an approach circuit and/or an island circuit of a highway-railroad grade crossing warning system out of service with an electronic controller for electrically coupling to the approach circuit and to the island circuit, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a means for coupling the electronic controller to the approach circuit;

providing a means for coupling the electronic controller to the island circuit;

providing a means for activating a warning device when the controller detects a train in the approach circuit or detects a train in the island circuit;

providing a display in the electronic controller;

providing a plurality of touch-sensitive fields on the display;

touching a first touch-sensitive field on the display to selectively take the approach circuit out of service;

touching a second touch-sensitive field on the display to selectively take the island circuit out of service;

using a third touch-sensitive field on the display to enter an amount of time that the approach circuit or the island circuit is to remain out of service; and

restoring service to said approach circuit or to said island circuit upon expiration of the selected amount of time.

5. The method of taking an approach circuit and/or an island circuit of a highway-railroad grade crossing warning system out of service in accordance with claim 4 said method further comprising the step of:

selecting the amount of time that the approach circuit and/or the amount of time that the island circuit remains out of service in increments of 1 to 23 hours.

6. The method of taking an approach circuit and/or an island circuit of a highway-railroad grade crossing warning system out of service in accordance with claim 4 , said method further comprising the step of:

touching a fourth touch-sensitive field on the display to confirm that the approach circuit should be taken out of service and/or to confirm that the island circuit should be taken out of service.

7. An electronic controller for a highway-railroad grade crossing warning system, said warning system including an approach circuit in the railroad on either side of the highway, an island circuit in the railroad at the intersection of the railroad and the highway, at least one gate which is normally raised and a plurality of warning lights; said electronic controller comprising:

means for coupling the electronic controller to the approach circuit;

means for coupling the electronic controller to the island circuit;

means for activating a warning device when the controller detects a train in the approach circuit or detects a train in the island circuit;

a display in the electronic controller, the display having a plurality of touch-sensitive fields,

a first touch-sensitive field on the display in said electronic controller responsive to a command for selectively taking the approach circuit out of service;

a second touch-sensitive field on the display in said electronic controller responsive to a command for selectively taking the island circuit out of service;

a third touch-sensitive field on the display in said electronic controller for selecting the amount of time that the approach circuit or the island circuit is to remain out of service, and

means in said electronic controller for restoring service to said approach circuit or to said island circuit upon expiration of the entered amount of time.

8. The electronic controller in accordance with of claim 7 , wherein the amount of time that the approach circuit and/or the amount of time that the island circuit remains out of service is selectable in increments of 1 to 23 hours.

9. The electronic controller in accordance with claim 7 , wherein the display has a first screen for displaying the first three touch-sensitive fields, and the display has a second screen with a fourth touch-sensitive field for confirming that the maintainer wishes to take the approach circuit out of service or that the maintainer wishes to take the island circuit remains out of service.