As its name might suggest, a railroad crossing sign appears where the road intersects with train tracks, prompting you to slow down, be cautious, or even stop as a train crosses by.
It’s arguably one of the most important road signs that you have to recognize, as not properly heeding a railroad crossing sign could put you right in the path of a moving train!
What Does The Railroad Crossing Sign Mean?
If you notice a railroad crossing sign, it’s meant to signal that active train tracks intersect the road ahead. This sign is a pretty clear warning that you have to be on alert, be ready to slow down and be prepared to stop if a train is approaching.
In most situations, a train has the right of way, which means that vehicles or pedestrians must stop and wait until the train has passed by completely. Some places also feature lights, bells, and other barriers that turn on and activate when a train is approaching.
However, I’ve noticed that in more rural areas or less trafficked areas, you might only see a railroad crossing sign with no additional safety measures. So, it’s up to you to be on the lookout and spot or hear if a train is nearby and is approaching the railroad crossing.
What Does It Look Like?
The most common design of railroad crossing signs that you’ll see is shaped like an “X” and has the words “RAILROAD CROSSING” printed across it. This is called a “crossbuck” sign, and they’ll normally be painted in white, with black lettering. They’re made to be high contrast to ensure that they’re visible, even if you’re spotting them from a distance.
Additionally, aside from these crossbuck railroad crossing signs, you might otherwise see some circular signs ahead of the railroad crossing, providing you with an advance warning. You may notice that these signs are yellow, with a black “X” symbol, and the capital letter “R” on either side of the “X”, used to signal that a railroad crossing is up ahead.
Where Are They Found?
As you can imagine, a railroad crossing sign could be found anywhere a road and train track intersect each other. These railroad crossings can vary between heavily trafficked city streets and even more rural, isolated places with less traffic flow. Still, here are some places where you’re more likely to come across a railroad crossing sign:
- Urban Streets – Within busy cities, railroad crossings are often equipped with additional safety measures, like crossing gates and flashing lights. These aren’t just for larger trains either, as a railroad crossing sign might also be spotted when smaller trams approach, too.
- Rural Roads – Otherwise, you might additionally notice railroad crossing signs on rural country roads. Here, because there’s less traffic, railroad crossings might only feature the sign, without any gates or lights. So, you’ll have to be cautious and be on the lookout.
- Near Industrial Zones – If you’re driving around industrial areas that feature a lot of shipping or heavy manufacturing, you might come across multiple railroad crossings. That’s because trains frequently transport goods or materials in and out of these industrial zones.
What To Do
When you’re approaching a railroad crossing sign, here’s what you should do to make sure you get across the other side of the railroad crossing safely:
- First off, make sure that you immediately reduce your speed and slow down as you approach the railroad crossing, and check for any oncoming trains. This is particularly true in places where a railroad crossing lacks safety measures. So, even if you don’t hear or see a train at first, you’ll have to remain cautious.
- In rural, quieter country areas that don’t have barriers or safety measures, it’s crucial that you use sight and sound to know if a train is approaching. Some trains can be deceptively quiet as well, so make sure you listen carefully. Don’t just assume that because you can’t hear and see trains approaching, they’re not actually there.
- Another important thing that you shouldn’t do is stop in the middle of the train tracks, or even too close to the train tracks. Always make sure that there is enough space on the other side of the tracks before you cross over. This is vital to remember if traffic is heavy and backed up ahead, as getting stuck in the middle of the train track is dangerous and fatal.
- Elsewhere, if you come across a railroad crossing that has bells, lights, and gates, make sure that you obey them. Stop when the signals indicate that a train is coming and only proceed once the signals stop and it’s clear that the train has passed.
What To (Not) Do
While it should be clear that trying to play chicken with a train isn’t going to end up well when you’re in a road car, here are some common mistakes that you should absolutely avoid:
- One of the most common mistakes that many folks make is assuming that just because a railroad crossing doesn’t have lights, bells, and barriers, they can just cross safely without checking. This can be deadly dangerous, especially in rural places where trains don’t usually sound their horns that frequently.
- Another mistake that you should avoid repeating is ignoring yellow railroad crossing warning signs. Since they appear way in advance of the actual train tracks, many motorists drive past them without thinking twice. With that in mind, make sure that you use this yellow sign as an advance warning to start slowing down and prepare to stop further up ahead.
- Critically, I’ve seen way too many people stupidly try to beat the train and attempt to cross a set of train tracks before the train crosses by. These drivers usually attempt to cross the tracks quickly when they see or hear a train approaching. Remember that trains take much longer to stop than vehicles, so they can’t always stop in time if a car zooms past in front of them.