School Bus at a Passive Railroad Crossing
At 3:45 p.m. you are westbound on a two-lane Arkansas county road approaching a passive railroad crossing. A crossbuck stands at the crossing, but there are no gates or flashing lights. The pavement has a white stop bar and a large white X with RR beyond it. A school bus ahead of you slows, stops before the stop bar, and switches on its red lights and stop arm. The bus driver opens the door and looks both ways. A train is not visible, but tall corn on the right blocks the view for about 300 feet. The speed limit is 55 mph; you are 100 feet behind the bus.
1. Must you stop for the school bus here, and does the railroad crossing change that duty?
Read the worked answer
Yes. On a two-lane road, when a school bus displays flashing red lights and extends its stop arm, traffic behind it must stop and remain stopped until the red lights are turned off and the stop arm is retracted. The railroad crossing does not create an exception; if anything, it reinforces the need to stop because the bus is checking for a train. The white stop bar and the X-RR marking also tell you where to stop. Do not pass the bus while its reds are on, even if you see no train and even if the bus has not yet crossed the tracks. The bus driver’s open door and look both ways are part of the crossing procedure, not a signal for you to go around.
2. What does the crossbuck mean, and what must you do after the bus moves before you cross the tracks?
Read the worked answer
A crossbuck means yield to trains; at a passive crossing it is the primary warning device. It does not mean the track is clear, and the lack of gates or lights does not make the crossing safe. After the bus moves and its reds are off, you should approach the stop bar, stop, open your window, look and listen in both directions, and proceed only when you are certain no train is approaching. Because tall corn blocks the view for about 300 feet, you may need to creep forward slowly to see past it, but do not foul the track until you have a clear view. If there are multiple tracks, check each one separately.
3. How should the corn obstruction and the absence of gates affect your decision to follow the bus?
Read the worked answer
The corn obstruction and the absence of gates should make you more cautious, not more willing to follow closely. Without gates, nothing physically blocks you from entering the crossing, so your own stop, look, and listen are the only protection. Tall corn can hide an approaching train until it is very close, and sound may be muffled. Do not use the bus as a shield or assume that because the bus crossed, the track is clear for you. After the bus clears, make your own independent check. If you cannot see far enough down the track from the stop bar, stop again after creeping forward, and do not enter the crossing until you have enough sight distance to know it is safe.