Railroad crossing rules — Maine Permit Test

Railroad crossing rules on the Maine permit test — 4 rules, each with the reason behind it and a question on it while it is fresh.

The rules

At crossings with more than one track the number of tracks may be posted, but not all such crossings have the sign, so always look for more than one track, train or railroad vehicle.

A driver who watches one train pass and goes is hit by a second train on the next track.

Not all crossings with more than one track have these signs so always look for more than one track, train, or railroad vehicle at each crossing.
Maine Driver’s License Manual, p.52

When crossing railroad tracks, look both ways and cross quickly, and do not stop on the tracks.

A car that stalls or waits on the tracks has nowhere to go when a train comes.

When crossing railroad tracks, look both ways and cross the tracks quickly.
Maine Driver’s License Manual, p.52

If a train is crossing, wait until the train is well down the track before you drive ahead.

A second train can be hidden behind the first, and a driver who goes too soon drives into it.

If a train is crossing, wait until the train is well down the track before you drive ahead.
Maine Driver’s License Manual, p.52

If you must stop for traffic or a signal near a railroad crossing, wait at the stop line before the tracks, not on them.

A driver who pulls onto the tracks to wait for a light is trapped there if a train comes.

If you must stop for traffic or a signal near a railroad crossing, wait at the stop line before the tracks (not on the tracks).
Maine Driver’s License Manual, p.52

On the test

At a railroad crossing, what should you always look for?

More than one track or train. A driver who watches one train pass and goes is hit by a second train on the next track. Maine Driver’s License Manual, p.52: “Not all crossings with more than one track have these signs so always look for more than one track, train, or railroad vehicle at each crossing.”

How this works

Most practice tests hand you a bank of questions and leave the manual somewhere else. This one puts them together.

You read one law and the reason behind it, then answer a question on that law while it is still fresh. Get it right and you move on; get it wrong and you have found the gap while it is cheap to fix, not on the morning of the exam.

Learning one rule at a time, and proving it immediately, is what turns a manual you skimmed into something you actually know — and it makes studying feel like getting somewhere rather than like waiting to find out.

What it costs

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Where these come from

Every rule here is checked against Maine Driver’s License Manual, published by the Maine Secretary of State, and against the state code itself. Last checked 2026-10-05.