What do the lights at a train crossing mean?

Railroad crossing gates and lights The lights are usually accompanied by a bell signal. Safety gates may or may not be present at the crossing. Flashing red traffic lights mean that a train is approaching. Motorists must not attempt to cross railway tracks when a red traffic light or bell signal is active.



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If there isn't a stop line the driver must stop no closer than 15 feet and no farther than 50 feet from the closest rail. A passive crossing is one that does not have flashing lights or automatic gates. The crossbuck sign, the white X sign, is a regulatory sign that means Yield.

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  • 2.1 Train headlights.
  • 2.2 Classification lights.
  • 2.3 Emergency lights.
  • 2.4 Ditch lights.
  • 2.5 Strobe lights.
  • 2.6 Door indicator lights.
  • 2.7 Train rearlights.
  • 2.8 End-of-train device.


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Active Grade Crossings have active warning and control devices such as bells, flashing lights, and gates, in addition to passive warning devices such as crossbucks (the familiar x-shaped signs that mean yield to the train), yield or stop signs and pavement markings.

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Just as cabooses were variously called hacks, crummies, cabins, etc., end-of-train devices go by a variety of names. Besides ETD, there's EOT, marker, FRED or Freddy (flashing rear-end device), and even Billy and Redman. The simplest ETDs are merely darkness-actuated flashing lights that serve only as markers.

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They're called ditch lights. Quoted from here: To increase train conspicuity, many railroads have equipped their locomotives with external auxiliary alerting devices such as strobe lights, ditch lights, crossing lights, oscillating devices, paint schemes, and reflective materials.

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Level crossing signals are the electronic warning devices for road vehicles at railroad level crossings.

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Railroad signals are categorized into two levels: Permissive and Absolute. Both serve a specific function of either protection or control.

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