How close is too close to a railroad?

Fact #7: Trains Are Bigger than Tracks People may think they can stand alongside tracks and be safe from a train, but the truth is trains are wider than the tracks. A train can extend three or more feet on either side of the steel rail, so the safe zone for pedestrians is well beyond three feet on either side.



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In one study conducted at the BNSF Railway Hobart Railyard in Los Angeles, the California Environmental Protection Agency estimated that residents living near a railyard experienced a higher risk of carcinogen exposure.

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Stop at least 15 feet, but not more than 50 feet, from nearest rail. Look both ways and listen carefully. Bend forward to see around mirrors and A-pillars.

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Stop at least 15 feet, but not more than 50 feet, from nearest rail. Look both ways and listen carefully. Bend forward to see around mirrors and A-pillars.

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Driver Traffic Laws on the Tracks Whenever any person driving a vehicle approaches a railroad grade crossing and signals indicate an approaching train, the driver of such vehicle shall stop within fifteen feet from the nearest rail of such railroad and shall not proceed until he can do so safely.

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No, train vibrations do not cause cracking in houses (sheetrock, stucco, etc) that are more than 20 to 30 feet away from the tracks.

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It is suggested in general that vibrations are not noticeable at distances over 300 m from the railway [23].

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The easiest ways to reduce these noises is by installing sound blocking products at the source of entry into your home.
  • Soundproof curtains are one of the easiest ways to combat train noise. ...
  • You can also abate noise by creating outdoor barriers. ...
  • Check your exterior doors, as well as any outlets and openings.


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With a quiet background (countryside night time) 6–8 miles. Suburban, 2–3 miles. Loud city, 1 mile if you're listening for it.

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Slow Down Firstly, you should slow down when approaching a railroad grade crossing. You must look around for clues that a train is on its way. Of course, you have built-in signals at the crossing. Most tracks come with lights and perhaps a bell to let you know that you have to stop.

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This can be caused by the road settling or th tracks becoming higher because of trackwork, including placing more ballast to the railbed. This condition could cause a car or truck to get hung up on the rails, unable to move. Railroad crossings have an identifying number on them and a phone number to call.

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Stop, look and listen – Stop no closer than 15 feet and no farther than 50 feet from the crossing. Open windows and doors, look both ways carefully and look and listen for a train.

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The parallel lines of the rails converge toward the horizon and fool our minds into thinking the train is farther away than it actually is. It is virtually impossible to accurately judge the speed of a train when these combinations of illusions are present.

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Parking near an intersection As a quick point of reference, that's about 25 paces from your front bumper to the intersection curb. If you're within that distance, you could be ticketed or towed.

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