Railroad crossing warnings — Louisiana Permit Test

The pavement before a railroad crossing marked with a large X and two R's is a no passing zone.

Passing near a crossing puts you in the wrong lane at the tracks, where you may not see a train or the gate.

The pavement is marked with a large “X” and two “R’s”.

At a crossing with more than one track, a sign below the cross buck shows the number of tracks.

After one train passes, another may be coming on a second track. Knowing how many tracks warns you.

If there is more than one track, a sign below the cross buck indicates the number of tracks.

Always stop when the lights at a railroad crossing are flashing, because a train is coming.

You may not see the train yet, but the lights mean it is near. Trains move faster than they seem.

Always stop when the lights are flashing because a train is coming from the other direction.

Always look both ways at a railroad crossing, even if the warning lights are not flashing, because they may not be working.

Signals can break. Your own eyes are the last check before you drive onto the rails.

Always look both ways as you approach a railroad crossing, even if the warning lights are not flashing.

With a manual transmission, shift before reaching the tracks and do not change gears while crossing.

A missed shift can stall the car right on the rails. Picking your gear first avoids that.

If your vehicle has a manual transmission, shift before reaching the tracks and do not change gears while crossing the tracks.

At a crossing with gates, stop when the lights begin flashing, before the gates are lowered, and stay stopped until the gates are raised.

Gates come down because a train is close. Waiting until they rise means the train has passed.

Stop when the light begins flashing and before the gates are lowered.

It is against the law to drive through or around any crossing gate at a railroad crossing.

Drivers who go around gates are hit by trains they did not see or judged wrong.

It’s against the law to drive through or around any crossing gate at a railroad crossing.

Expect a train on any track at any time; freight trains do not travel at fixed times and schedules.

You cannot count on a schedule to keep you safe. A train can come by day or night.

Freight trains do not travel at fixed times and schedules.

Near railroad tracks, do not use cell phones, headphones or other distractions that would keep you from hearing a train.

Hearing the horn may be your first warning a train is near. Earbuds and calls can block it.

Do not use cell phones, headphones, or other distractions that would prevent you from hearing an approaching train.

Each crossing has an Emergency Notification System sign listing a phone number and a US DOT number.

The number lets you reach the railroad fast, and the DOT number tells them which crossing you mean.

This is a sign, posted at or near at crossing, that lists a telephone number long with a US DOT number.

The Emergency Notification System is used to tell the railroad about an emergency or a broken warning device.

If a car is stuck on the tracks or a gate is broken, a quick call can let the railroad slow its trains.

The ENS is used to notify the railroad of an emergency or warning device malfunction.

What does the large X with two R's painted before a railroad crossing mean for passing?

It is a no passing zone. Passing near a crossing puts you in the wrong lane at the tracks, where you may not see a train or the gate. Class D & E Driver's Guide, p.95: “The pavement is marked with a large “X” and two “R’s”.”