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Railroad-highway crossings

General Knowledge5 minManual section 2.15

A place where the road crosses train tracks is called a railroad-highway grade crossing. Treat every crossing as if a train is coming. Trains are big, fast and cannot stop quickly, and it is very hard to judge how far away a train is or how fast it is moving.

Two types of crossings

  • Passive crossing: there is no traffic control device (no lights, no gates). You alone decide to stop or go. You must notice the crossing, look for trains, and make sure there is enough clear space on the other side to cross safely.
  • Active crossing: a traffic control device is installed. It may be flashing red lights, flashing red lights with bells, or flashing red lights with bells and gates.

Why it matters: at a passive crossing nothing will warn you. Many crashes happen at crossings without lights or gates, so be most careful there.

Warning signs and devices

  • Advance warning sign: a round, black-on-yellow sign placed before a public crossing. It means slow down, look and listen for a train, and be ready to stop at the tracks. All vehicles carrying passengers or hazardous materials must stop.
  • Pavement markings: an X with the letters RR, plus a no-passing line on two-lane roads. They mean the same as the advance warning sign. Two-lane roads may also have a no passing zone sign.
  • White stop line: may be painted before the tracks. A stopped school bus must keep its front behind this line.
  • Crossbuck sign: marks the crossing itself and means the train has the right-of-way and you must yield. Where no white stop line is painted, a vehicle that must stop should stop no closer than 15 feet and no farther than 50 feet from the nearest rail. If there is more than one track, a sign under the crossbuck shows the number of tracks.
  • Flashing red lights: often on the crossbuck, with bells. When they start to flash, stop — a train is coming and you must yield. With more than one track, make sure all tracks are clear before you cross.
  • Gates: many crossings have gates with flashing lights and bells. Stop when the lights start to flash, before the gate comes down. Stay stopped until the gates are up and the lights have stopped flashing. Then go when it is safe.

Safe driving procedures

  • Never race a train to a crossing. You cannot judge a train's speed well.
  • Reduce speed so you can see trains coming from any direction, and keep your speed low enough to stop before the tracks if needed.
  • Do not expect to hear a train. At some crossings trains do not, or are not allowed to, sound the horn (these should have signs). Noise in your cab can also hide the horn until the train is very close.
  • Do not rely only on signals, gates or flagmen. Be extra alert at crossings with no gates or flashing lights.
  • Double tracks need a double check. A train on one track can hide a train on the other. Look both ways. After one train passes, make sure no other train is near before you start across.
  • Yard areas and city crossings are as dangerous as rural crossings. Use the same care.

When you must stop

A full stop is required at a crossing when the type of cargo makes it required by state or federal rules, or when a stop is otherwise required by law.

  • While stopping, check traffic behind you and stop gradually. Use a pullout lane if there is one.
  • Turn on your four-way emergency flashers.

Crossing the tracks

  • Crossings with steep approaches can make your unit hang up (get stuck) on the tracks.
  • Never let traffic trap you so that you must stop on the tracks. Before you start, be sure you can get all the way across.
  • A typical tractor-trailer needs at least 14 seconds to clear a single track and more than 15 seconds to clear a double track.
  • Do not shift gears while crossing the tracks. A missed shift could stall you on the rails.

Special situations: getting stuck

These trailers can get stuck on raised crossings:

  • Low-slung units such as a car carrier, lowboy, possum-belly livestock trailer or moving van.
  • A single-axle tractor pulling a long trailer whose landing gear is set for a tandem-axle tractor.

If you get stuck on the tracks for any reason: get out of the vehicle and away from the tracks. Look on signposts or the signal housing for emergency contact information. Call 911 or the emergency number shown. Give the crossing location using every landmark you can, especially the DOT number if posted.

References and scope

The topic reference is listed below. Sources support verification; the lesson itself is here. The current content needs technical and language review before public launch.

Manual reference: 2.15

Official CDL handbook · Utah ↗StatesOur editorial approach

Put it into practice

Educational questions with explanations. The answer review also works without the interactive quiz.

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Review questions with answers

  1. A railroad crossing that has no lights, bells or gates is called:
    1. An active crossing
    2. A passive crossing
    3. A controlled crossing
    4. A yard crossing
    Show answer
    A passive crossing

    A passive crossing has no traffic control device, so the decision to stop or go is entirely yours.

  2. Which of these is an example of an active railroad crossing device?
    1. A round yellow advance warning sign
    2. An RR pavement marking
    3. A no-passing zone sign
    4. Flashing red lights with bells and gates
    Show answer
    Flashing red lights with bells and gates

    Active crossings have a traffic control device installed: flashing red lights, with or without bells, or lights with bells and gates.

  3. The advance warning sign for a public railroad crossing is:
    1. Round, black on yellow
    2. Square, white on black
    3. Diamond-shaped, orange
    4. An X-shaped white crossbuck
    Show answer
    Round, black on yellow

    The round black-on-yellow sign comes before the crossing and tells you to slow, look, listen and be ready to stop.

  4. At a railroad advance warning sign, which vehicles are required to stop?
    1. Only vehicles over 26,001 lb
    2. Only school buses
    3. All vehicles carrying passengers or hazardous materials
    4. Every vehicle on the road
    Show answer
    All vehicles carrying passengers or hazardous materials

    The manual says all passenger-carrying and hazmat-carrying vehicles must stop at railroad crossings.

  5. If there is no white stop line, a vehicle that must stop at a crossing should stop:
    1. 5 to 15 feet from the nearest rail
    2. 15 to 50 feet from the nearest rail
    3. 50 to 100 feet from the nearest rail
    4. Right next to the crossbuck, whatever the distance
    Show answer
    15 to 50 feet from the nearest rail

    Without a stop line, stop no closer than 15 feet and no farther than 50 feet from the nearest rail.

  6. Pavement markings before a railroad crossing consist of:
    1. An X with the letters RR, and a no-passing marking on two-lane roads
    2. A solid white box with the word STOP
    3. Yellow diagonal stripes across the lane
    4. Red arrows pointing at the tracks
    Show answer
    An X with the letters RR, and a no-passing marking on two-lane roads

    The pavement marking is an X with RR. On two-lane roads there is also a no-passing marking. It means the same as the advance warning sign.

  7. A crossbuck sign at a railroad crossing means you must:
    1. Stop only if you hear a horn
    2. Speed up to clear the tracks
    3. Yield the right-of-way to the train
    4. Stop only if gates are down
    Show answer
    Yield the right-of-way to the train

    The crossbuck marks the crossing and requires you to yield to the train.

  8. At a crossing with gates, you may proceed when:
    1. The gates start to rise
    2. The train's last car passes the road
    3. The lights flash more slowly
    4. The gates are fully up, the lights have stopped flashing, and it is safe
    Show answer
    The gates are fully up, the lights have stopped flashing, and it is safe

    Stay stopped until the gates go up and the lights stop flashing, then go only when it is safe.

  9. When there is more than one track at a crossing, how do you know?
    1. The crossbuck is painted red
    2. A sign below the crossbuck shows the number of tracks
    3. There are always gates
    4. The pavement marking has two X's
    Show answer
    A sign below the crossbuck shows the number of tracks

    When the road crosses more than one track, a sign under the crossbuck gives the number of tracks.

  10. Why should you never race a train to a crossing?
    1. It is extremely hard to judge a train's speed
    2. Trains always speed up near crossings
    3. Gates may close on your trailer only
    4. It is legal only for cars
    Show answer
    It is extremely hard to judge a train's speed

    You cannot judge how fast a train is coming, so trying to beat it is deadly.

  11. You can count on hearing a train's horn before every public crossing.
    1. True
    2. False
    Show answer
    False

    False. At some crossings trains do not or may not sound horns, and cab noise can hide the horn until the train is very close.

  12. After one train clears a double-track crossing, you should:
    1. Cross right away before the lights go off
    2. Cross as soon as the gates start up
    3. Make sure no other train is coming on the other track before crossing
    4. Honk and cross
    Show answer
    Make sure no other train is coming on the other track before crossing

    A train on one track can hide a second train on the other. Look both ways again before starting across.

  13. When you must stop at a railroad crossing, you should:
    1. Stop suddenly right at the rail
    2. Turn off your headlights
    3. Shift into neutral and coast
    4. Check traffic behind you, stop gradually, and turn on your four-way flashers
    Show answer
    Check traffic behind you, stop gradually, and turn on your four-way flashers

    Check mirrors for traffic behind, stop gradually (use a pullout lane if there is one) and turn on four-way flashers.

  14. About how long does it take a typical tractor-trailer to clear a double track?
    1. At least 6 seconds
    2. About 10 seconds
    3. More than 15 seconds
    4. Exactly 30 seconds
    Show answer
    More than 15 seconds

    A typical tractor-trailer needs at least 14 seconds for a single track and more than 15 seconds for a double track.

  15. A typical tractor-trailer needs at least how long to clear a single track?
    1. 14 seconds
    2. 4 seconds
    3. 8 seconds
    4. 25 seconds
    Show answer
    14 seconds

    It takes at least 14 seconds to clear a single track, so be sure you can get all the way across before you start.

  16. While crossing railroad tracks, you should:
    1. Shift to a higher gear to cross faster
    2. Not shift gears
    3. Shift to neutral
    4. Downshift once in the middle
    Show answer
    Not shift gears

    Do not shift gears while crossing tracks. A missed shift could leave you stalled on the rails.

  17. Which trailer is most likely to get stuck on a raised railroad crossing?
    1. A standard 53-foot dry van
    2. A short straight truck
    3. A tank truck with dual axles
    4. A lowboy or car carrier
    Show answer
    A lowboy or car carrier

    Low-slung units such as lowboys, car carriers, moving vans and possum-belly livestock trailers can hang up on raised crossings.

  18. Your truck gets stuck on the tracks. What should you do first?
    1. Try to rock the truck off the tracks
    2. Get out of the vehicle and away from the tracks
    3. Stay in the cab and call your dispatcher
    4. Set out reflective triangles on the tracks
    Show answer
    Get out of the vehicle and away from the tracks

    Get out and away from the tracks first. Then look for the emergency number on the signpost or signal housing and call 911, giving the DOT number.

  19. When you report a vehicle stuck on a crossing, the most useful thing to give is:
    1. Your license number
    2. The train's color
    3. The crossing's DOT number, if posted
    4. Your company's phone number
    Show answer
    The crossing's DOT number, if posted

    Give the crossing location using every landmark, especially the DOT number posted at the crossing.

  20. A single-axle tractor can get hung up on a raised crossing when:
    1. Its long trailer's landing gear is set for a tandem-axle tractor
    2. It is pulling an empty trailer
    3. It has new tires
    4. Its fifth wheel is greased
    Show answer
    Its long trailer's landing gear is set for a tandem-axle tractor

    Landing gear set for a tandem-axle tractor sits low when pulled by a single-axle tractor and can catch on a raised crossing.

  21. Railroad crossings in yard areas and inside cities are:
    1. Safer, because trains go slowly there
    2. Exempt from stopping rules
    3. Only dangerous at night
    4. As dangerous as rural crossings
    Show answer
    As dangerous as rural crossings

    Yard and city crossings are just as dangerous as rural ones. Use the same caution.