Railroad and Light Rail Signs and Signals (crossbucks, advance warning, pavement markings, gates and lights)
What this domain tests
Railroad crossings use a distinct set of signs, pavement markings, and signals. The exam tests the crossbuck, the round yellow advance-warning sign, pavement markings, and active warnings such as flashing red lights and gates. Maine has many rural passive crossings marked only by crossbucks, so the difference between passive and active warnings matters.
Core rules
- A crossbuck is a white X with the words RAILROAD CROSSING; it means yield to trains.
- A round yellow sign with an X and RR warns of a crossing ahead; a supplemental plaque may give the distance.
- Pavement markings, often RXR or an X, mark the crossing area and warn drivers not to stop on the tracks.
- Flashing red lights mean stop; gates mean stop and remain stopped until the gate rises and the lights stop.
- Never drive around a lowered gate or stop on tracks in traffic; wait until there is room to clear the crossing completely.
Worked example
A driver sees a round yellow advance-warning sign, then a crossbuck, then flashing red lights and a lowering gate. The advance sign warned of the crossing; the crossbuck established the yield requirement; the lights and gate converted it to a mandatory stop. The driver stops before the stop line and waits until the gate is fully raised and the lights stop flashing. The crossbuck alone would require yielding to an approaching train, but the active signal requires a stop regardless.
Traps that cost marks
- Treating a crossbuck as a stop sign at all times; it requires yielding to trains.
- Driving around a lowered gate because no train is visible.
- Stopping on the tracks when traffic ahead is backed up.
- Ignoring pavement markings that show the limited space before the crossing.