Railroad Crossing Signs and Signals
Railroad crossings appear rarely in Hawaii compared with the mainland, which is exactly why the exam asks about them: unfamiliarity breeds hesitation at the worst possible moment. Items test the advance warning sign, the crossbuck, the multiple-track plaque, and what to do when a train has just passed. Learn these as fixed procedures rather than judgment calls.
The sign sequence
- A round yellow sign with a black X and RR letters is the advance warning, placed well before the crossing.
- A white X-shaped crossbuck with RAILROAD CROSSING lettering marks the crossing itself and has the same meaning as a yield sign: slow, look, listen, and stop if a train is coming.
- A plaque beneath the crossbuck reading 2 TRACKS or 3 TRACKS warns that more than one set of rails is present.
- Flashing red lights, a bell, and gates mean stop. A lowered gate is an absolute barrier; never drive around it.
Stopping and clearing
Stop no closer than 15 feet from the nearest rail and no farther back than the stop line if one is painted. Never stop on the tracks or on the striped area beyond them - traffic ahead can trap you. If your vehicle stalls on a crossing, get everyone out and move away from the tracks, then call for help. Do not shift into a panic U-turn in front of the gate.
Worked example
You stop at a crossbuck with a 2 TRACKS plaque. A freight train passes from left to right toward you and the last car clears. Reasoning: the plaque warns that a second train can follow on the other track, traveling in either direction, and the first train's noise can mask it. You wait until the red lights stop flashing, the gate is fully raised, and you can see both directions clear before crossing.
Traps that cost marks
- Moving as soon as the visible train clears instead of checking the second track.
- Stopping on the tracks because traffic ahead is backed up.
- Treating the crossbuck as informational rather than as a yield requirement.
- Driving around a lowered gate or around a gate that is still descending.
- Stopping closer than 15 feet to the nearest rail.