Green Light at a Light Rail Crossing
You are driving in a Maine city at 5:15 PM. A light rail line crosses the street at a signalized intersection. You have a green light, but traffic on the far side of the tracks is queued and not moving. A white DO NOT STOP ON TRACKS sign is mounted beside the tracks, and the pavement shows a white X and RR. A crossbuck stands at the crossing. As you approach, red lights begin to flash and a gate starts down. Your light is still green. You are 60 feet from the tracks. The car ahead has stopped beyond the tracks, leaving you no clear space. You need to decide whether to enter the intersection, stop before the tracks, or proceed around the gate.
1. What should you do when the red lights begin and the gate lowers, even though your traffic light is green?
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Stop before the tracks. The flashing red lights and lowering gate are active railroad warning devices; they override your green traffic signal. A green light means the intersection is open for the signalized movement, but it does not mean the tracks are clear. Never drive around a lowered gate or through flashing red lights, even if the train appears to have passed or the gate seems slow. Stop at the stop line, leave the crossing clear, and wait until the gate is fully raised and the lights stop flashing. If the gate is stuck down or the lights malfunction, use a phone to report it and find another route.
2. Why does the DO NOT STOP ON TRACKS sign matter even after the train passes?
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The DO NOT STOP ON TRACKS sign warns you not to enter the crossing unless you can clear it completely. Even after a train passes, traffic beyond the tracks may be queued; if you enter and the light changes or traffic stops, your vehicle could be stuck on the tracks. Because the car ahead has stopped beyond the tracks with no clear space for you, you should stop before the tracks and wait until there is room on the far side. If your vehicle stalls on the tracks, get everyone out and move away from the tracks immediately, then call 911. Do not remain in the vehicle.
3. What do the crossbuck and pavement markings tell you?
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The crossbuck is a yield sign at a railroad crossing: you must yield to trains. The white X and RR pavement markings are advance warnings that you are approaching tracks. Together they tell you to look and listen, not to rely only on gates or lights. At a light rail crossing, trains can be quiet and may approach from either direction, so a quick glance is not enough. Open a window, turn down the radio, and check both directions. The markings and crossbuck remain important even when active devices are present, because they mark the exact location of the tracks and the zone you must keep clear.