RR Crossing clarification.......

Hauling crude at night, I cross two railroads crossings... always stop with my 4 ways on. The local sheriff likes to park beside the river, and I watched him pull over a production water truck that was placard, and did not even stop for the crossing... At night it is us oil field workers, and a few antelope on the roads.

 

If one chooses to stop for safety reasons thats fine. But just so people know the facts, the law does read " A railroad grade crossing controlled by a functioning highway traffic signal transmitting a green indication which, under local law, permits the commercial motor vehicle to proceed across the railroad tracks without slowing or stopping." The only thing that bothers me with the way its written is the "under local law" part. There is one of these on rt. 4 in Rutland Vermont that we dont stop at and havent for 20 years because we know you dont have to but if I were in a town I am not familiar with I would.

 

§397.3: State and local laws, ordinances, and regulations.

Every motor vehicle containing hazardous materials must be driven and parked in compliance with the laws, ordinances, and regulations of the jurisdiction in which it is being operated, unless they are at variance with specific regulations of the Department of Transportation which are applicable to the operation of that vehicle and which impose a more stringent obligation or restraint.

§392.11: Railroad grade crossings; slowing down required.

Every commercial motor vehicle other than those listed in § 392.10 shall, upon approaching a railroad grade crossing, be driven at a rate of speed which will permit said commercial motor vehicle to be stopped before reaching the nearest rail of such crossing and shall not be driven upon or over such crossing until due caution has been taken to ascertain that the course is clear.

§392.10: Railroad grade crossings; stopping required.

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, the driver of a commercial motor vehicle specified in paragraphs (a) (1) through (6) of this section shall not cross a railroad track or tracks at grade unless he/she first: Stops the commercial motor vehicle within 50 feet of, and not closer than 15 feet to, the tracks; thereafter listens and looks in each direction along the tracks for an approaching train; and ascertains that no train is approaching. When it is safe to do so, the driver may drive the commercial motor vehicle across the tracks in a gear that permits the commercial motor vehicle to complete the crossing without a change of gears. The driver must not shift gears while crossing the tracks.
(1) Every bus transporting passengers,
(2) Every commercial motor vehicle transporting any quantity of a Division 2.3 chlorine.
(3) Every commercial motor vehicle which, in accordance with the regulations of the Department of Transportation, is required to be marked or placarded with one of the following classifications:
(i) Division 1.1
(ii) Division 1.2, or Division 1.3
(iii) Division 2.3 Poison gas
(iv) Division 4.3
(v) Class 7
(vi) Class 3 Flammable
(vii) Division 5.1
(viii) Division 2.2
(ix) Division 2.3 Chlorine
(x) Division 6.1 Poison
(xi) Division 2.2 Oxygen
(xii) Division 2.1
(xiii) Class 3 Combustible liquid
(xiv) Division 4.1
(xv) Division 5.1
(xvi) Division 5.2
(xvii) Class 8
(xviii) Division 1.4
(4) Every cargo tank motor vehicle, whether loaded or empty, used for the transportation of any hazardous material as defined in the Hazardous Materials Regulations of the Department of Transportation, parts 107 through 180 of this title.
(5) Every cargo tank motor vehicle transporting a commodity which at the time of loading has a temperature above its flashpoint as determined by § 173.120 of this title.
(6) Every cargo tank motor vehicle, whether loaded or empty, transporting any commodity under exemption in accordance with the provisions of subpart B of part 107 of this title.
(b) A stop need not be made at:
(1) A streetcar crossing, or railroad tracks used exclusively for industrial switching purposes, within a business district, as defined in § 390.5 of this chapter.
(2) A railroad grade crossing when a police officer or crossing flagman directs traffic to proceed,
(3) A railroad grade crossing controlled by a functioning highway traffic signal transmitting a green indication which, under local law, permits the commercial motor vehicle to proceed across the railroad tracks without slowing or stopping.
(4) An abandoned railroad grade crossing which is marked with a sign indicating that the rail line is abandoned,
(5) An industrial or spur line railroad grade crossing marked with a sign reading “Exempt.” Such “Exempt” signs shall be erected only by or with the consent of the appropriate State or local authority.

 

If only some people would learn crossing RR tracks is not some sort of race where safety should be dependent on a few seconds of elapsed time.

 

i may be wrong but hasn't PA made it law there that all trucks must stop at RR crossings

 

Nope not talking about racing at all if that's what you're insinuating, but as you know coming to a full stop you lose all momentum as opposed to SLOWLY gliding across, especially if the RR crossings are uneven. Been there too.

 

I agree, and some crossings are on some pretty good hills. Here is a little trivia question. Any of the older members on here ever see a grade crossing on an interstate. There use to be one near me here on I87 just north of Albany right before you cross over the Mohawk river. It was only there for a short time after they built the highway and then the line was abandoned. Gone before I was born but I have seen pictures and you can see where it use to be.

 

I have never seen a railroad crossing with a green light, may be some but I've never seen one. When I was an instructor at a CDL school we taught students to stop with a hazmat load on.

Another thing I have only seen one time is a RR crossing in Michigan on a Federal Hwy that is an at grade crossing that has signs about a half mile before you get to the crossing that says DO NOT STOP UNLESS THE RED SIGNALS ARE FLASHING. It is a four lane divided hwy. Only one I've ever seen like that, talk about blowing a students mind, we never warned them about it before getting there. Good way to see if they are paying attention.

 

NO, but you do have to slow down. It was like that when I was driving anyway. Funny story, I took a road test for a job in a gasoline tanker with the terminal manager and we had a set of tracks that had a controlled light on one side and not on the other side. I slowed down on the first and went ahead and he told me to go ahead and take it back to the yard. On the way back I slowed and stopped and then went ahead. Back at the yard he said he wish he could hire me but a major safety violation at the RR crossing prevented him from doing so. Of course I asked what was that and then I showed him my little green handbook and then he walked away scratching his head saying your locker is right over there.

 

Sorry, exempt does not mean that the tracks are no longer in use. We have a set of exempt tracks get my town that are used once or twice a week.