A train can't swerve and can't stop quickly. At a level crossing, every bit of the job of not being hit falls on the driver. That's why the two level crossing signs are worth knowing cold: they tell you, before you can see the tracks, whether anything will stop you or whether it's all up to you.
A gate on the sign means there's a barrier. A train on the sign means there's no barrier, so slow right down, look both ways and listen.
With a barrier: the gate
Rail crossing with barrier (W.31) is a red-bordered triangle with a black gate or fence on it. The gate stands for a barrier that closes the road when a train is due.
What to do: slow down as you approach. Stop when the barrier is down or coming down, or when lights are showing. Go only when the barrier is fully up and the line is clear.
Without a barrier: the train
Rail crossing without barrier (W.32) shows a steam locomotive with smoke rising from it, and no gate. That's the whole message: nothing will come down to stop you.
What to do: slow down well before the crossing. Look both ways along the line, and look again, and listen, with the radio down if you need to. Cross only when you're sure no train is coming, and don't stop on the tracks.
Gate or train: the one thing to remember
The two signs are easy to mix up because they're about the same place. The difference is what's drawn:
- A gate means a barrier will warn you.
- A train means nothing will warn you but your own eyes and ears.
Getting them the wrong way round on the road could leave you waiting for a barrier that doesn't exist, or treating a guarded crossing too casually. Getting them the wrong way round in a test is an easy mark lost.
What the manual describes
The Ministry of Roads road signs manual sets out more level crossing signs than are on the chart, for different kinds of crossing:
- a crossing ahead that is not guarded by gates or lifting barriers,
- a crossing ahead that is guarded by gates or lifting barriers,
- a crossing ahead with lights and barriers,
- a "stop when red lights show" sign,
- and a sign asking drivers to slow down for an automatic crossing.
It says automatic crossings are equipped with half or full barriers and lights, and that the warning signs are placed at set distances before the crossing, so you get them in time to slow down. It also says changes to signs at a crossing should be agreed with the railway authority.
You may not meet every one of these. But the pattern holds: if a sign mentions lights, the lights are the order. When red lights show, stop, even if there's no barrier and no train in sight yet.
At the crossing
A few habits keep you safe whichever sign you passed:
- Never stop on the tracks. If the traffic ahead is queued, wait before the crossing until there's room for your whole vehicle on the far side.
- Don't weave around a barrier that's down. It's down because a train is coming.
- If a train has just passed, look again. On a line with more than one track, a second train can come from the other direction.
- Cross in a low gear and keep going. Changing gear on the rails is a common way to stall.
- If you break down on the crossing, get everyone out and well away from the line first, then call for help.
Practise them
Drill the two crossing signs next to Stop, since they often come together, until "gate" and "train" come out without thinking.
Sources
- Design Manual for Roads and Bridges, Part 5a: Road Signs, Ministry of Roads, draft of December 2009. Section 6.12 covers level crossing signs.