1.5 Railroad Grade Crossings and Train Safety

1.5 Railroad Grade Crossings and Train Safety

Quick Answer: Mississippi drivers must always stop at a railroad crossing when they see a lowered gate, a flashing electric signal, a posted STOP sign, a flag person signaling, or a rapidly approaching train — even if no train is visible. The Mississippi Driver's Manual sets the stop at fifty to ten feet from the outer rail; Miss. Code Ann. § 63-3-1007 words it as within 50 feet but not less than 15 feet of the nearest rail, so stopping between 15 and 50 feet complies with both. Never drive around a lowered gate, never shift gears on the tracks, and always look for a second train behind the first.

A freight train traveling at highway speed needs more than a mile to stop. The driver of the train can see you long before the train can do anything about you, which is why every rule in this section puts the entire burden of avoidance on the motorist. Mississippi's crossings range from fully gated urban intersections in Jackson and Hattiesburg to unlit rural crossings on county roads in the Delta, and the exam tests the signs, the stopping distance, and the special-vehicle rules.

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1. How a Mississippi Crossing Is Marked

Approaches to public railroad crossings are marked with warning signs and pavement markings; the crossings themselves carry one or more of the following devices.

Pavement Markings Before a Crossing

Mississippi marks the pavement in advance of a crossing with a large white X and two R's, a solid yellow line to prevent passing in advance of the crossing, and a white stop line painted on each side of the track. The solid yellow line reinforces Miss. Code Ann. § 63-3-611, which bars driving on the left side of the roadway within 100 feet of a railroad grade crossing. A separate rule in Miss. Code Ann. § 63-3-901 bans stopping, standing, or parking within 15 feet of the nearest rail.

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2. When Every Driver Must Stop

The manual's rule is written as an absolute. ALL drivers must ALWAYS STOP within fifty to ten feet of the outer rail of any railroad crossing when they see any of the following:

• a lowered crossing gate,
• a flashing electric signal,
• a posted STOP sign,
• a flag person giving a signal, or
• a rapidly approaching train.

You must stop even if you do not see a train. You must remain stopped until all tracks are clear, any gates are raised, and the lights no longer flash.

Reconciling the Two Numbers: The manual says fifty to ten feet from the outer rail. Miss. Code Ann. § 63-3-1007 says a driver facing a clearly visible electric or mechanical signal warning of an approaching train “shall stop within fifty (50) feet but not less than fifteen (15) feet from” the nearest rail. Stopping between 15 and 50 feet satisfies both standards, and that is the range to practice.

Four Absolute Prohibitions

1. It is against the law to drive around any lowered gate at a crossing. Gates are lowered because a train is inbound, and the second gate will trap you.
2. Do not shift gears as you drive across the tracks. A missed gear leaves you stalled between the rails.
3. Never try to “beat” a train. A train's size makes it appear slower and farther away than it is.
4. Always check carefully for a second train following close behind the first, especially at multi-track crossings.

If a traffic officer directs you to proceed over a railroad crossing, follow the order immediately.

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3. Vehicles That Must Stop at Every Crossing

Regardless of signage, and whether or not lights are flashing, the following must stop at all railroad crossings:

• a school bus carrying even one child,
• a vehicle for hire carrying passengers, and
• a vehicle carrying explosives or flammable liquids.

These vehicles must stop within fifty to ten feet of the outer rail, and after coming to a complete stop the driver must check both directions for an approaching train before proceeding.

Defensive Driving Consequence: Watch for vehicles that must stop whether or not a train is coming. A tanker or a school bus braking for an apparently clear crossing is behaving lawfully; rear-ending it because “there was no train” is your fault.

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4. Trapped on the Tracks: The 20-Second Rule

If your vehicle is physically on the tracks at a grade crossing and the lights begin to flash, you may have only 20 seconds before the train arrives — 20 seconds is the minimum time it takes a train to reach the crossing once the warning lights activate.

Remember the word “GO” — GET OUT of your vehicle.

1. Abandon the vehicle immediately. Do not try to restart it, retrieve belongings, or push it.
2. Run at a 45-degree angle away from the tracks, in the direction the train is coming from. Running that way puts distance between you and the debris field the train will create when it strikes your car.
3. Dial 911 as soon as you are clear.

If you are stuck on the tracks and there are no warning lights, or the lights have not activated, get out of the vehicle and immediately call 911 and the ENS number on the blue sign. Provide the location, the crossing number if posted, and the road or highway that intersects the tracks — and state explicitly that a vehicle is on the tracks.

What the ENS Number Is For

The toll-free ENS number is answered by railroad dispatchers who can attempt to stop all train traffic at that crossing. Use it to report:

1. malfunctioning warning signals, crossing gates, or other safety devices;
2. disabled vehicles blocking the tracks;
3. trespassers on the tracks or in the right of way; and
4. any other unsafe condition at the crossing.

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5. Worked Mississippi Scenarios and Exam Traps

Scenario A: The Rural Advance Warning Sign

You are driving 55 mph on a two-lane state highway in Attala County and pass a round yellow sign with a black X and two R's. Cross bucks are not yet visible. Correct Action: The tracks are 500 to 900 feet ahead. Ease off the accelerator, roll down a window if conditions allow, look both ways along the right of way, and be prepared to stop within the 15-to-50-foot band. Do not pass the vehicle ahead — the solid yellow line and § 63-3-611's 100-foot rule both prohibit it.

Scenario B: Second Train at a Double-Track Crossing

A freight train clears the crossing ahead of you, and the number-of-tracks plate below the cross buck reads “2.” The gate begins to rise. Correct Action: Wait until the gate is fully raised and the lights have stopped flashing, then look down the second track before you move. A train on the far track is masked by the one that just passed, and this is the classic double-track collision.

Critical Exam Traps

• The “No Train Visible” Trap: Flashing lights or a lowered gate require a stop even if you cannot see a train. Visibility is not the trigger; the device is.
• The Wrong-Direction Escape Trap: If you must abandon a car on the tracks, you run toward the oncoming train at an angle, not away from it. Running away keeps you in the path of the debris the collision throws forward.
• The Distance Trap: “As close as possible to see down the track” is wrong. Ten to fifteen feet is the minimum distance; the outer limit is fifty feet.