Railroad Crossings
A freight train can take a mile or more to stop. By the time an engineer sees a vehicle on the tracks, it’s almost always too late. Most crossing crashes happen at crossings drivers know well, often when they try to beat the train or stop on the tracks in traffic.
- All drivers
- Truck drivers
Photo: railroad crossing with lights, gates and the blue Emergency Notification System sign
Rules for every crossing
- Slow down, look both ways and listen as you approach any crossing.
- Stop when lights are flashing, gates are down or a train is coming. Stop at least 15 feet from the nearest rail.
- Wait until the gates are fully up and lights stop flashing. A second train may be coming on another track.
- Never drive around lowered gates.
- Never stop on the tracks. Make sure there’s room on the other side before you start across.
- Cross in a lower gear, and don’t shift gears on the tracks (especially in trucks).
Why trains are deceiving
- Trains are much closer and faster than they look.
- Modern trains can be quiet; you may not hear one coming.
- A train overhangs the tracks by at least 3 feet on each side.
- Trains can come from either direction at any time.
If your vehicle stalls on the tracks
- Get out immediately, and get everyone else out.
- Move away from the tracks at a 45-degree angle toward the direction the train is coming from. Debris from the crash flies forward in the direction the train is traveling.
- Call the number on the blue Emergency Notification System sign at the crossing (or 911). Give the crossing’s ID number from the sign.
- Don’t try to restart or push the vehicle if a train is coming.
Special vehicles
School buses, vehicles carrying passengers for hire, and trucks carrying placarded hazardous materials must stop at railroad crossings even when no train is visible, look and listen, and then cross. Low-clearance trailers can get stuck on humped crossings; watch for “Low Ground Clearance” signs. See Hazmat Trucking.
Walking near tracks
Walking on or along railroad tracks is trespassing and extremely dangerous. Only cross at designated crossings.
Standards & references
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