Railroad and School Bus Signs and Signals
Railroad crossings
A round yellow sign with a black RXR and crossbuck symbol is an advance warning of a railroad crossing. At the crossing, a white X-shaped crossbuck means yield to trains. A stop line, flashing red lights, gates, or a 2 TRACKS plaque add information. Flashing red lights and lowered gates mean stop; do not go around or under a gate.
Core rules
- Treat a crossbuck as a yield sign. If there are no lights or gates, slow down, look both ways, and listen before crossing.
- A 2 TRACKS plaque means a second train may follow; wait until you can clear the crossing before moving.
- Never stop on the tracks. If traffic is backed up, stop before the tracks and wait for space on the far side.
- School buses are yellow with black lettering and use red flashing lights and a stop arm when loading or unloading children. On an undivided road, traffic in both directions must stop. On a divided highway, traffic moving in the opposite direction is generally not required to stop unless a median or barrier does not separate the directions.
- School crossing signs are fluorescent yellow-green pentagons; slow and watch for children and crossing guards.
Worked example
You approach a crossbuck with flashing red lights and a 2 TRACKS plaque. Reasoning: the crossbuck identifies the crossing; the flashing red lights require a stop; the plaque warns that a second train may come from either direction. Stop before the stop line, look and listen, and proceed only after the lights stop flashing and you can clear both tracks without stopping on them.
Traps
Trying to beat a train because the gate is still rising. Stopping on the tracks in traffic. Ignoring a second track after one train passes. Passing a school bus with red lights flashing on an undivided road. Treating a crossbuck as a warning sign rather than a yield requirement.