Railroad signs · R15-1
Railroad Crossing Crossbuck sign
Archive file: R15-01 Grade Crossing (Crossbuck)/R15-01 Grade Crossing (Crossbuck) 48x9.svg
FHWA public-use information
What it means
The road crosses railway tracks at this location.
Source: FHWA MUTCD — MUTCD 11th Edition with Revision 1 (December 2025), Section 8B.03, paragraph 03, PDF page 1034.
.
Meaning
The railroad crossbuck marks the place where the road crosses tracks. PennDOT tells drivers to treat it as Yield: rail traffic has priority, and you must prepare to stop when a train can be seen or heard approaching. It is more than advance notice that tracks are somewhere ahead.
What to do
Reduce speed and check for a train. At a Pennsylvania crossing with active warnings, stop for the train’s signal, including flashing red lights, a lowered gate, a flagger or an audible warning. Do not drive around a gate or substitute your own timing estimate for those warnings.
Where it is used
The federal standard provides a crossbuck on each highway approach to a railway crossing, either on its own or with other controls. The position identifies the crossing itself. Read any accompanying Stop or Yield sign and active signals as part of the same crossing control.
A sign to tell apart
Railroad Crossing Ahead is the approach warning, placed early enough for a needed stop before the tracks. The crossbuck identifies the track crossing. Spotting the advance warning should begin your search for trains; reaching the crossbuck does not end your duty to check and yield.
Practice with explanations
These are original learning questions based on the cited handbooks. Read each answer and its explanation below.
1. How does PennDOT tell drivers to treat a railroad crossbuck?
- As a guide to the nearest station.
- As a yield sign, preparing to stop for an approaching train.
- As permission to cross before a train reaches the road.
Answer: B. As a yield sign, preparing to stop for an approaching train.
The crossbuck marks the crossing and requires yielding to rail traffic. Slow and prepare to stop when a train approaches.
2. Flashing red lights operate at a Pennsylvania railroad crossing. What must you do?
- Stop for the approaching train warning.
- Proceed if the gate has not fully lowered.
- Proceed if you cannot yet see the train.
Answer: A. Stop for the approaching train warning.
Flashing red lights are an approaching-train signal that requires a stop. Do not ignore the warning while waiting to see the train itself.
State source coverage
Handbook coverage and sample questions do not prove that a sign will appear on your exam. Even a published test scope cannot guarantee an individual exam question.
Pennsylvania
Handbook coverage
Pennsylvania’s driver manual explicitly discusses this sign. This establishes handbook coverage, without a promise about any individual exam.
Pennsylvania permit sources · Practice with Pennsylvania questions
State variations
State-specific variations have not been independently established for this study.
Verified question coverage
These free state-bank questions were independently verified. This does not establish complete state-bank readiness, app availability or what will appear on your permit exam.
No currently verified state-bank question is available for this sign.
The linked 20-question permit quizzes do not currently include this sign.
This meaning is a federal MUTCD reference. Check your state's handbook for its rules and sign coverage; this page does not establish what appears on a state permit exam.
Try the free road sign quiz or find your state's handbook.
