Question

Many gates at railway crossings are operated manually. A typical gate consists of a rod usually made of iron, consisting heavy weight. What is the need for the heavy weight at one end of the rod??

Answer 1

Answer:

  Making the crossing gate balanced makes the mechanical drive simpler and less expensive to operate.

Explanation:

See the attachment for a picture of what we're talking about.

The gate must be rotated up and down. That rotation is easier if the mass being rotated is balanced about the center of rotation. Less torque (and work) is required to create the desired motion.