Trains have the right-of-way because they cannot quickly stop for a motorist at crossings or for trespassers on the tracks. The average freight train, traveling at 55 MPH, takes anywhere from 1 to 1½ miles to stop.

The stopping distance for a train is vastly different from a car due to the immense mass and the low friction between steel wheels and steel rails. A typical freight train weighing approximately 12 million pounds (roughly 6,000 tons) traveling at 55 mph requires at least 1 mile (5,280 feet) to come to a complete stop once the emergency brakes are applied. In some conditions, this distance can extend to 1.5 miles. For a lighter passenger train traveling at the same speed, the distance is shorter but still significant, often requiring 2,000 to 3,000 feet. Unlike motor vehicles, trains cannot swerve to avoid obstacles, and the kinetic energy involved means that even a rapid braking response takes several minutes to dissipate. This physical reality is why rail safety campaigns emphasize that by the time a locomotive engineer sees an obstruction on the tracks, it is usually mathematically impossible to stop the train before impact.