Never Race a Train to a Crossing.  Never attempt  to race a train to a crossing. It is extremely difficult  to judge the speed of an approaching train.  Reduce Speed. Speed must be reduced in  accordance with your ability to see approaching  trains in any direction, and speed must be held to a  point which will permit you to stop short of the  tracks in case a stop is necessary.  Don't Expect to Hear a Train. Because of noise  inside your vehicle, you cannot expect to hear the  train horn until the train is dangerously close to the  crossing.  Don't Rely on Signals. You should not rely solely  upon the presence of warning signals, gates, or  flagmen to warn of the approach of trains. Be  especially alert at crossings that do not have gates  or flashing red light signals. There is also a no passing zone sign on two-lane  roads. There may be a white stop line painted on  the pavement before the railroad tracks. The front  of the school bus must remain behind this line while  stopped at the crossing.  Crossbuck Signs. This sign marks the grade  crossing. It requires you to yield the right-of-way to  the train. If there is no white line painted on the  pavement, you must stop the bus before the  crossbuck sign. When the road crosses over more  than one set of tracks, a sign below the crossbuck  indicates the number of tracks. See Figure 2.17.  Gates. Many railroad-highway crossings have  gates with flashing red lights and bells. Stop when  the lights begin to flash and before the gate lowers  across the road lane. Remain stopped until the  gates go up and the lights have stopped flashing.  Proceed when it is safe. See Figure 2.18.  Pavement Markings. Pavement markings mean  the same as the advance warning sign. They  consist of an “X” with the letters “”RR” and a no- passing marking on two-lane roads. See Fig. 2.16.  Flashing Red Light Signals. At many highway-rail  grade crossings, the crossbuck sign has flashing  red lights and bells. When the lights begin to flash,  stop! A train is approaching. You are required to  yield the right-of-way to the train. If there is more  than one track, make sure all tracks are clear  before crossing. See Figure 2.18.  2005 Model Commercial Driver’s License Manual Figure 2.18  2.15.3 – Driving Procedures  Figure 2.16  Figure 2.17  Section 2 – Driving Safely  Section 2 – Driving Safely Page 2-28