Railroad crossing signs and rules

Key points

1. Never try to beat a train, and never start across unless there is room for your vehicle on the far side.

   Source: Handbook p. 5

   “Never try to beat a train across the tracks. Never start to cross if there is not enough room for your vehicle on the far side”
   New Mexico Driver Manual, Handbook p. 5

2. A round yellow sign with an X and RR is placed before you reach a railroad crossing.

   Source: Handbook p. 5

   “A round yellow warning sign with an “X” symbol and black “RR” letters is placed along the road before you get to a railroad crossing.”
   New Mexico Driver Manual, Handbook p. 5

3. The white X shaped crossbuck means the same as a yield sign: you must yield to trains.

   Source: Handbook p. 5

   “This sign has the same meaning as a “Yield” sign. You must yield to crossing trains.”
   New Mexico Driver Manual, Handbook p. 5

4. When the side by side lights flash, you must stop; do not drive around a lowered gate.

   Source: Handbook p. 6

   “When the lights are flashing, you must stop. At some crossings there is also a crossing gate that will lower when a train is coming. Do not drive around the gate.”
   New Mexico Driver Manual, Handbook p. 6

5. A sign showing the number of tracks warns that more than one train may be crossing.

   Source: Handbook p. 6

   “These signs warn you that there is more than one track and there may be more than one train crossing.”
   New Mexico Driver Manual, Handbook p. 6

6. School buses, passenger vehicles for hire and trucks carrying hazardous loads must stop at least 15 feet from a crossing.

   Source: Handbook p. 6

   “School buses, taxis and other vehicles for hire that carry passengers and trucks that transport explosives, gasoline or other dangerous materials must stop at least 15 feet from a railroad crossing before proceeding.”
   New Mexico Driver Manual, Handbook p. 6

7. It is wise not to shift gears while crossing tracks, in case you stall.

   Source: Handbook p. 5

   “It is wise not to shift gears when crossing railroad tracks, just in case you might stall.”
   New Mexico Driver Manual, Handbook p. 5

Numbers to know

Recognize these signs

3 questions from the New Mexico practice test

1. 1. What does the railroad crossbuck require at the tracks?

   
   1. Drive around a lowered gate if the crossing looks clear
   2. Stop 100 feet before every track even when no train is present
   3. Yield to crossing trains
   4. Shift gears while crossing to gain speed
   Show answer

   Yield to crossing trains. The white X-shaped crossbuck is located at the railroad crossing and has the same meaning as a yield sign. A driver must yield to crossing trains. The manual also warns never to beat a train, never to start across without room on the far side, and advises against shifting gears on the tracks. Those additional precautions explain why the fixed 100-foot stop and gear-shifting choices are unsafe. The essential cue is to look and wait for a clear crossing with room beyond the rails.

2. 2. What does the round yellow railroad warning sign indicate?

   
   1. A school bus stop is on the next block
   2. A mandatory circular traffic pattern begins immediately
   3. A no-passing zone ends at the sign
   4. A railroad crossing is ahead
   Show answer

   A railroad crossing is ahead. The round yellow sign with a black X and RR letters is placed along the road before a railroad crossing. It gives advance notice, so the driver has time to slow, look in both directions, and confirm that the vehicle can clear the tracks. It is not a roundabout instruction, a passing-zone message, or a school-bus marker. The strongest cue is the RR lettering paired with the X. Treat the approach as a rail crossing even before the crossbuck or tracks come into view.

3. 3. What is the usual shape of the advance warning sign before a railroad crossing?

   1. A round yellow sign with an X and black RR letters
   2. An eight-sided red sign
   3. A blue rectangle with a white hospital symbol
   4. A green rectangle showing a route number
   Show answer

   A round yellow sign with an X and black RR letters. The advance railroad warning is a round yellow sign marked with an X and black RR letters. It alerts drivers before the tracks, while the white crossbuck is located at the crossing itself and carries a yield meaning. An octagon identifies a stop sign, blue identifies services, and green route panels guide travel. Seeing the round railroad symbol should prompt a slower approach, a check up and down the tracks, and confirmation that there is room on the far side before entering.

Source: the New Mexico Driver Manual, Rules of the Road. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.