What to Do If Your Event Crosses Railroad Tracks and Crossings

Planning an event is a complex process, especially when your designated route includes railroad tracks or crossings. Whether it’s a parade, marathon, charity run, or other community event, ensuring the safety of participants and maintaining situational awareness around tracks and crossings is critical. Here are steps you may take as an event organizer on how to handle these situations effectively.

1. Understand the Importance of Safety Around Railroad Tracks

Railroad tracks are active and can pose serious safety risks if not properly managed. Trains cannot stop quickly, and an unexpected encounter with a train can have catastrophic consequences. Additionally, disrupting train operations can lead to legal liabilities and fines for your event.

2. Research the Railroad Ownership

Determine which company owns and operates the tracks in your event area. Common rail companies include Union Pacific, BNSF Railway, Norfolk Southern, and CSX. Ownership information can often be found through local government offices, online maps or on the Blue Emergency Notification sign at the crossings your event will cross.

3. Contact the Railroad Company Early

Once you’ve identified the railroad operator, reach out to them as early as possible. Many railroads require notification months in advance for events that will cross or run alongside their tracks. Be prepared to provide the following details:

• Date and time of the event
• ​Estimated number of participants
• ​Specific locations of crossings​Nature of the event (e.g., running, walking, vehicles involved)
• ​Railroad Owner Websites:
  • BNSF - Contact Us
  • CSX - Contact Us
  • Northfolk Southern - Upcoming Event Notification
  • Union Pacific - Upcoming Event Notificaiton

4. Develop a Safety Plan

Collaborate with the railroad operator and local authorities to create a comprehensive safety plan. Key considerations include:

• Scheduling event activities to avoid peak train times
• Deploying trained flaggers or law enforcement at crossings
• Installing temporary barriers or signage to guide participants
• ​Educating participants about railroad safety, emphasizing that tracks are always active and should never be assumed to be clear

Inform local police, fire, and medical services about the event and the involvement of railroad crossings. Ensure that emergency access routes are maintained and that first responders are familiar with your event’s layout.

5. Train Your Volunteers and Staff

Conduct safety training for all event volunteers and staff, particularly those stationed near railroad crossings. They should know how to:

• Recognize the warning signs of approaching trains
• Direct participants safely
• ​Communicate effectively with railroad personnel and emergency responders

6. Pre-Event Communication

Educate participants and attendees about the presence of railroad tracks and crossings well before the event. Share maps, guidelines, and safety tips via email, social media, and your event website.

Conclusion

Managing events that cross railroad tracks or crossings requires planning, proactive communication, and unwavering attention to safety. By following these steps, you can ensure a smooth, compliant, and safe experience for all involved. Remember, the key to success lies in preparation and partnership with the railroad operators and local authorities.

Union Pacific Communtiy Event Tip Sheet

Understanding the Information on a Railroad Bungalow Not Located at a Crossing

If you are out in nature and see a railroad emergency but are unable to find a crossing nearby with a Blue ENS sign, there is another place to get information that will help the railroad in understanding your location. A crossing control cabin, also known as a bungalow, can provide location information to the railroad.

First, look for a signal bungalow that may look like this:

On a railroad bungalow (a small structure used for housing signal equipment and other railway infrastructure), the markings like "CP RV265 THISBE" can be decoded as follows:

1. CP: This typically stands for Control Point. A control point is a designated location on a railroad where signals and switches are controlled, often remotely, to manage train movements.

2. RV265: This is likely the specific identifier for the control point.

   • RV denotes the subdivision, district, or rail line name where the bungalow is located. In this case, "RV" refers to "Roseville".
   • 265 denotes the milepost indicating the location along the rail line.

3. THISBE: This is the name of the control point or a nearby geographic location. The railroad often adopts names from nearby towns, landmarks, or historical references.

The entire marking helps railroad employees, maintenance crews, and dispatchers quickly identify and reference the specific location in the rail network.

Watch the Public Service Message and learn more about the bungalow and markings.

Why You Should Never Go Around Railroad Crossing Gates

In light of the recent accident in Florida, where a fire truck bypassed the crossing gates after a freight had passed and was subsequently struck by an oncoming train from the opposite direction, the Rail Auxiliary Team of Washoe County, Nevada, would like to remind everyone to NOT go around lowered crossing gates at a railroad crossing. You cannot be certain of what may be approaching on another track.

​Railroad crossings are designed to keep people safe, yet accidents at crossings lead to preventable injuries and fatalities. One common and dangerous mistake is driving or walking around lowered railroad crossing gates. Despite the temptation to save a few minutes, this decision can have devastating and lifetime consequences. Here are the main reasons why you should never go around railroad crossing gates when they are down.

1. Trains Cannot Stop Quickly

Trains are massive machines that can weigh thousands of tons. Even when traveling at moderate speeds, a train requires a mile or more to come to a complete stop. If a vehicle or pedestrian is on the tracks, the train crew has little to no ability to prevent a collision. By ignoring the gates, you place yourself directly in harm’s way.

2. You May Misjudge Train Speed

Trains often appear to be moving slower than they actually are due to their size and the lack of nearby visual reference points. This optical illusion can lead people to underestimate how quickly a train is approaching, making an attempt to cross even more dangerous.

3. A Second Train May Be Coming

Many crossings are equipped with multiple tracks, and a stopped or passing train may obscure a second train coming from the opposite direction. Crossing the tracks prematurely can result in being hit by a train you didn’t see.

4. Technological Failures Are Rare but Possible

While modern railroad crossing systems are highly reliable, some people assume gates may be malfunctioning when they don’t immediately see a train. However, gate malfunctions are rare, and it’s safer to wait until you are certain the tracks are clear and the gates are fully raised.

5. It’s Illegal

In most jurisdictions, driving or walking around lowered crossing gates is a violation of traffic laws. Penalties can include fines, points on your driving record, and even license suspension. Beyond the legal risks, this reckless act endangers your life and the lives of others.

6. Your Actions Impact Others

An accident at a railroad crossing doesn’t just affect the person involved. It can traumatize train operators, first responders, and witnesses. Additionally, it causes delays and disruptions for other travelers and the rail system.

7. You’re Not Just Risking Your Life

If you have passengers in your car, you’re also putting their lives at risk. Furthermore, debris from a collision can harm bystanders and nearby vehicles.

What Should You Do Instead?

When you approach a railroad crossing with lowered gates:

• Stop and Wait: Remain patient and wait for the train to pass and the gates to rise. Most delays are brief.

• Observe All Signals: Pay attention to flashing lights and warning bells in addition to the gates.

• Stay Alert: Avoid distractions like texting or talking on the phone while waiting at a crossing.

Conclusion

No amount of time saved is worth risking your life or the lives of others. Railroad crossing gates are there for a reason—to protect you. Respect the warnings, stay vigilant, and make safety your top priority. Remember: when it comes to trains, the best choice is always to stop, look, and listen.

What’s A Rail Team To Do?

First off, KUDOS to the Reno Area Dirt Bike Group (RADs) for their excellent cleanup of the offroad area along Peavine Mountain on September 7, 2024. Their herculean efforts brought out at least 7 vehicles, trailers filled with discarded tires and tons of other trash from not so eco-friendly other people.

Several RATs (Rail Auxiliary Team members) gathered at the previously designated briefing location and discussed what the goal of the morning was to be: Check the area around the Peavine rail crossing (Crossing # 833572C) and educate any members of the public about train safety around tracks and trains.

Boy were we in for a surprise! Here is what we encountered.

• When we arrived at the crossing, we saw that there were items near and on the tracks.  A trailer, snowblower and plastic garbage bins were next to the tracks, while there was a large burlap bag in the middle of the tracks. A call was made to RMCC, and they were notified about the large burlap bag in the middle of the tracks. Come to find out later, these items had all been stolen. They were reclaimed by the owner. The Washoe County Sheriff arrived, kicked the burlap bag, then put his gloves on and removed it from the tracks. After the sheriff removed the large stuffed burlap bag, RMCC was notified that the hazard no longer existed, but that there was still a tremendous amount of activity at the crossing. We were able to share with the Washoe County Sheriff what the RAT team purpose was and some safety tips for being around the tracks.
   
• While watching the activity around the crossing, a bulldozer and trucks brought 7 abandoned and damaged cars across the tracks to be picked up later and put on flatbeds. That was interesting to watch as several of the cars were literally dragged across the tracks. According to the Sheriff, all vehicles had VIN numbers, and they were tracking down the owners. We were also able to talk with the bulldozer operator about operating equipment around the tracks and what to look for. He was surprised to learn about the Blue ENS sign at each crossing and what to do if your equipment/vehicle gets stuck on the tracks. The RATS got to educate one more person!
   
• A dirt bike rider approached the crossing to talk with us. We were able to share with him some safety tips while around train tracks and trains.
   
• ​And then here comes the train, blasting its horns. The one comment that stuck with us came from one of the Reno Area Dirt Bike group was, “This answers the question of if this is a live track?” Yup. Once again, we were able to educate several people.
   
• We also talked with a sportswriter that covers dirt bike racing and was able to inform him about the RATS, our purpose and some basic train safety. We even suggested he write an article about the RATs. We’ll see!

What we anticipated as being a quiet day at the crossing, ended up being a busy day with lots of safety information imparted to the public, while keeping the RAD volunteers safe. So, what’s a RAT supposed to do? Always be prepared and expect the unexpected.

Below is a link to the video of our unexpected day:

https://www.udrop.com/Mt5U/Peavine_Clean_Up-2.mp4