How fast should you cross a railroad track?

The speed limit is 15 mph when you come within 100 feet of a railroad crossing and you cannot see the tracks for 400 feet in both directions. You may go faster than 15 mph if the crossing is controlled by gates, a warning signal, or a flagman.



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Never try to make it across a railroad crossing if you see a train coming. The main reason is that it can take a train moving 55 mph over a mile to come to a complete stop if they pull the emergency brake. So there's no chance they can stop if you hit some bad luck and break down on the tracks.

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Railroad tracks are private property, not public trails. It's illegal to walk on the tracks unless you're at a designated crossing. It's extremely dangerous to walk, run, or drive down the railroad tracks or even alongside them.

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Cross tracks only at designated pedestrian or roadway crossings. Do not walk, run, cycle or operate all terrain vehicles (ATVs) on railroad tracks, rights-of-way or through tunnels. The only safe place to cross railroad tracks is at a designated public crossing. Do not cross the tracks immediately after a train passes.

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Look both ways, lean forward to see around mirrors to get the best view of the tracks in both directions. Using the highest gear allowed, cross with care and without shifting gears. Time your crossing safely and account for the extra length of your vehicle to cross all of the tracks safely.

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Do not walk, run, cycle or operate all terrain vehicles (ATVs) on railroad tracks, rights-of-way or through tunnels. The only safe place to cross railroad tracks is at a designated public crossing. Do not cross the tracks immediately after a train passes. A second train might be blocked by the first.

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Walking on or beside railroad tracks is illegal. The only safe place to cross tracks is at designated public crossings with a crossbuck, flashing red lights or a gate. Crossing anywhere else is illegal.

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Dedicated Infrastructure Is Wasted But high-speed rail lines can only move people, making them far less cost-effective. To save energy, high-speed rail cars are far lighter than conventional rail cars and cannot be safely used on the same tracks as frequent heavy freight trains.

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High-speed rail is generally regarded as the pinnacle of attractive and green transportation. But all too often, it makes train travel more expensive and less flexible. In the end, costly high-speed lines may just push more people into cars.

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Long trains take longer time to stop than a single car because the braking effort is not synchronized.

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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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Figures from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) state that approximately 60% of all railroad crossing fatalities occur at unprotected or passive crossings.

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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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7 Steps for Safety - Highway-Rail Grade Crossings (Visor Card)
  1. Approach with care. Warn others that you are slowing down. ...
  2. Prepare to stop. ...
  3. Look both ways and listen carefully. ...
  4. If it won't fit, don't commit. ...
  5. Look again. ...
  6. Cross tracks with care. ...
  7. Keep going once you start, even if lights start to flash or gates come down.


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