I’ve always thought it was illegal to cross tracks while the red lights are flashing (at a crossing that does not have gates) but today I read the PA vehicle code and it seems to say that you can indeed cross after you have have stopped and determined you can cross safely. What’s the deal? Can some one cross or not? I guess the argument could be made that if the lights are flashing, the trains are too close to cross safely. Here is the text of the code:
§ 3341. Obedience to signal indicating approach of train.
(a) General rule.–Whenever any person driving a vehicle approaches a railroad grade crossing under any of the circumstances stated in this section, the driver of the vehicle shall stop within 50 feet but not less than 15 feet from the nearest rail of the railroad and shall not proceed until it can be done safely. The foregoing requirements shall apply upon the occurrence of any of the following circumstances:
(1) A clearly visible electric or mechanical signal device gives warning of the immediate approach of a railroad train.
(2) A crossing gate is lowered or a flagman gives or continues to give a signal of the approach or passage of a railroad train.
(3) A railroad train approaching within approximately 1,500 feet of the highway crossing emits a signal audible from that distance and the railroad train, by reason of its speed or nearness to the crossing, is a hazard.
(4) An approaching railroad train is plainly visible and is in hazardous proximity to the crossing.
(b) Compliance with crossing gate or barrier.–
(1) No person shall drive any vehicle through, around or under any crossing gate or barrier at a railroad crossing while the gate or barrier is closed.
(2) No person shall start to drive a vehicle through, around or under a gate or barrier at the
What I’ve always have been told is that it is legal to do so once you have stopped at the crossing, determined that a near train is stopped or that the lights are malfunctioning (no train in sight), and determined that no other train is approaching.
I have always been told that if the lights are flashing, that you never go thru. I know that school bus drivers are required to not go thru any crossing with lights activated. Basically if the lights are malfunctioning, then you back up and find another way. Granted this is not always possible. But, if the light are flashing, and the gates are down you never drive around the gates. I would suggest calling the emergenct # on the box next to the crossing and advice who ever answers that the crossing is malfunctioning. If the lighs are activated and you hear the horn it is totally illegal for you to go thru the crossing, but some people still do.
I’ve always thought it was illegal to cross tracks while the red lights are flashing (at a crossing that does not have gates) but today I read the PA vehicle code and it seems to say that you can indeed cross after you have have stopped and determined you can cross safely. What’s the deal? Can some one cross or not? I guess the argument could be made that if the lights are flashing, the trains are too close to cross safely. Here is the text of the code:
§ 3341. Obedience to signal indicating approach of train.
(a) General rule.–Whenever any person driving a vehicle approaches a railroad grade crossing under any of the circumstances stated in this section, the driver of the vehicle shall stop within 50 feet but not less than 15 feet from the nearest rail of the railroad and shall not proceed until it can be done safely. The foregoing requirements shall apply upon the occurrence of any of the following circumstances:
(1) A clearly visible electric or mechanical signal device gives warning of the immediate approach of a railroad train.
(2) A crossing gate is lowered or a flagman gives or continues to give a signal of the approach or passage of a railroad train.
(3) A railroad train approaching within approximately 1,500 feet of the highway crossing emits a signal audible from that distance and the railroad train, by reason of its speed or nearness to the crossing, is a hazard.
(4) An approaching railroad train is plainly visible and is in hazardous proximity to the crossing.
(b) Compliance with crossing gate or barrier.–
(1) No person shall drive any vehicle through, around or under any crossing gate or barrier at a railroad crossing while the gate or barrier is closed.
(2) No person shall start to drive a vehicle through, around or under a
CVC 22451. (a) The driver of any vehicle or pedestrian approaching a
railroad or rail transit grade crossing shall stop not less than 15
feet from the nearest rail and **shall not proceed until he or she can**
**do so safely**, whenever the following conditions exist:
(1) A clearly visible electric or mechanical signal device or a
flagman gives warning of the approach or passage of a train or car.
(2) An approaching train or car is plainly visible or is emitting
an audible signal and, by reason of its speed or nearness, is an
immediate hazard.
(b) No driver or pedestrian shall proceed through, around, or
under any railroad or rail transit crossing gate while the gate is
closed.
(c) Whenever a railroad or rail transit crossing is equipped with
an automated enforcement system, a notice of a violation of this
section is subject to the procedures provided in Section 40518.
If you get hit, you are in violation and possibly the morgue.
You know, folks… it may be legal to do it, but just being legal doesn’t make it safe. It’s also legal to travel at the speed limit on a road covered with solid ice.
IIRC, it’s also legal to go around the gates/ignore the lights if you are directed to do so by a railroad employee or police officer.
It’s amazing, considering how much we talk about people running the gates, that when I’m standing by (flag in hand, but out of the road) to flag a train or locomotive over the crossing next to the station people will stop and ‘ask’ if it’s OK to cross…
As has been noted, the laws are similar from state to state, but they’re subject to interpretation by a court of law. What this means is that if a police officer cites you for crossing against the signal, or if you are hit by a train, a court will decide if you are wrong.
For that reason, I never cross against a light, even if I have to go out of the way.
It does seem to say that, but the joker is the word safely. It could be defined as the enumerated conditions cease to exist. Personally, I’d probably go find another way.
Uh-uh, not in Arizona (yes, a good portion of the state is subject to ice in winter, unlike what some may have heard) - where the law is ‘reasonable and prudent’ and not ‘posted limit’.
Here, if you had an ice-covered road that was posted 35MPH, you could get a ticket for speeding if you’re doing 20 and the road has black ice.
Also, here, the law is that if there is red lights but no gates, and it is safe to do so, you may proceed after stopping. If there are gates, you must stop and not proceed until the gates lift.
Kinda like the difference between a stop sign and a red light.
when ever i railfan in fond du lac & when im at the lake shore crossing & it does have gates but since theirs 6 tracks in one crossing it has one comming from one direction & one from the other plus another crossing which has 2 tracks. so if their is nothing & the gates are down people go go aorund the gates.
I was curious about this same question a couple years ago and called the highway patrol to ask them. I had assumed that the red lights were absolutely restrictive to pass, but it seemed that there would need to be some provision for the malfunction of lights stuck on. The officer I talked to said it was OK to cross after stopping if the lights were stuck on, or in other situations involving stopped trains, etc. He said to use common sense.
There is nothing wrong with common sense, but it seems a little fuzzy when controlling something as dangerous as a grade crossing. I believe that this discretionary or common sense aspect of yielding to trains is involved in the risk-taking aspect of many grade crossing accidents. If people believe they are allowed to rely on their own discretion for the ultimate decision of whether it is safe to cross, they may decide that it is safe if they believe they can successfully beat the train. This stretching of common sense can take a driver into an area of risk that allows no margin for the added error in judgment arising from the fact that trains are usually moving faster than they appear to be moving.
I’ve always thought it was illegal to cross tracks while the red lights are flashing (at a crossing that does not have gates) but today I read the PA vehicle code and it seems to say that you can indeed cross after you have have stopped and determined you can cross safely. What’s the deal? Can some one cross or not? I guess the argument could be made that if the lights are flashing, the trains are too close to cross safely. Here is the text of the code:
§ 3341. Obedience to signal indicating approach of train.
(a) General rule.–Whenever any person driving a vehicle approaches a railroad grade crossing under any of the circumstances stated in this section, the driver of the vehicle shall stop within 50 feet but not less than 15 feet from the nearest rail of the railroad and shall not proceed until it can be done safely. The foregoing requirements shall apply upon the occurrence of any of the following circumstances:
(1) A clearly visible electric or mechanical signal device gives warning of the immediate approach of a railroad train.
(2) A crossing gate is lowered or a flagman gives or continues to give a signal of the approach or passage of a railroad train.
(3) A railroad train approaching within approximately 1,500 feet of the highway crossing emits a signal audible from that distance and the railroad train, by reason of its speed or nearness to the crossing, is a hazard.
(4) An approaching railroad train is plainly visible and is in hazardous proximity to the crossing.
(b) Compliance with crossing gate or barrier.–
(1) No person shall drive any vehicle through, around or under any crossing gate or barrier at a railroad crossing while the gate or barrier is closed.
(2) No person shall start to drive a vehicle through, around or under a
I have always looked upon railroad grade flashing lights as the same as a general traffic flashing red light at any highway intersection. You must stop and only proceed when the way is clear. I have seen dual-lane highways have 4 flashing stop lights (one for each lane in each direction) and the two visible from either direction sometimes flash alternately just like RR grade crossing lights. You do not have to wait for those lights to stop flashing (you’d have a really long wait!).
When there are gates, I have always seen three lights along its length… the two near the middle flash in sequence with the main lights, but the outer end light is always on solid… thus, just like a full red/yellow/green traffic light, you have to stop and wait for it to no longer be red (i.e.: you cannot go around the gates because there is a solid red light at that point).
Here in Illinois it Not legal to cross any RR warning device that’s working with gated or not, as far as I know and has been for a few years now. If you do and they catch you, you can be fine. 98% of the time it’s not enforced though, I’ve even seen the cops do it.
I do know one guy that got caught and it cost him a $100, but he was in trouble anyway with the law for speeding
Another thing I always found amazing: as my train approaches a crossing at anywhere from 30 to 70 mph, cars will keep crossing in front of me by going around gates, or running the red lights (as discussed here); but when my train is only going 10mph, cars will sit and wait for the longest time without even attempting to cross in front of the train. Not all cars of course, but a much much higher percentage than when I’m going faster.
the 2 types of lights in question here are flashing and steady burn. the steady burn such as intersections mean just that dont move stay bla bla bla… the other is flashing and flashing means stop look if clear go… this is stop signs and railroads even drawbridges. there is nothing in the law books that says you must stay …