Railroads have always been an important way of life. It has allowed for a quick and easy way to transport people, animals, food, fuel, and other goods across cities, counties, and states. Along the railway path, there are railroad crossing systems at intersections. These railroad crossings were built with safety in mind and to act as a barrier against intrusion. It is crucial the railroad crossing systems are always networked correctly otherwise accidents can occur.

Every railroad crossing has a nearby control cabinet housing industrial-grade equipment to safely operate the warning systems. About 30 seconds before a train arrives at an intersection crossing, the train trips a track circuit, triggering the crossing signals. Lights begin to flash and bells at the top of railroad crossing masts begin to ring, and after a few seconds, the gate crossing equipment begins to lower. A serial to fiber converter inside the control cabinet allows for these safety measures to occur. The serial converter can transmit data long distances via fiber to the next railroad crossing. Eventually, all this data is brought back to a central control room for monitoring.