Railroad crossing devices — Texas Permit Test

At a railroad crossing with a gate and flashing light a driver stops when the lights begin to flash, before the gate lowers across their side of the road.

The lights come on first and the gate follows. Waiting for the gate is waiting too long.

Stop when the lights begin to flash before the gate lowers across your side of the road

A driver must remain stopped at a gated crossing until the gates are raised and the lights stop flashing.

Gates lift for the last train, not the first. Both signals ending together is what says the tracks are clear.

Remain stopped until the gates are raised and the lights stop flashing

An Emergency Notification System sign is posted at a crossing so the public can report unsafe situations such as a stalled vehicle on the tracks.

A stalled car on the tracks needs the railroad, not the police. The number on the sign reaches the people who can stop the train.

Emergency Notification System signs are posted so the public may report unsafe situations and for railroads to respond to malfunctioning warning signals, vehicles stalled on the tracks or other emergency situations

The crossing inventory number on an Emergency Notification System sign identifies the exact location of the crossing.

One crossing looks much like another to somebody phoning it in. The number removes the guesswork.

National Crossing Inventory Number. The inventory number identifies the exact location of the crossing

When must a Texas driver stop at a crossing with gates and lights?

When the lights begin to flash. The lights come on first and the gate follows. Waiting for the gate is waiting too long. Texas Driver Handbook, p.33: “Stop when the lights begin to flash before the gate lowers across your side of the road”