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RAILROAD CROSSING GATES CANNOT TRAP YOU OR YOUR VEHICLE drive through the gate. It is flexible and will not block you in. If you stop and try to back up, your vehicle may stall; 

• Crossing gates will not trap you, but stopping traffic might. Be sure the traffic ahead of you will not stop and block you in on the tracks; 

## Railroad related emergencies: What you need to know. 

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Emergency Notification Sign (Blue Sign) and its location is depicted in the red circle on the illustration below. 

• All highway-railroad crossings in North Carolina are required to have an Emergency Notification System (ENS) sign posted in each traffic direction. The ENS sign, known as the “Blue sign,” contains the railroad crossing identification number, name of the railroad company and an emergency telephone number to report emergencies, 

hazardous conditions or issues with railroad crossing lights or gates directly to the railroad company. Familiarize yourself with the “Blue Sign “locations at railroad crossings during your travels. 

Railroad Emergency Notification System sign, also known as the Blue Sign. 

Knowing how to use the Blue Sign to directly contact the railroad company is the quickest method to stop a train in the event of a railroad related emergency. 

An example (above) of the railroad 

<img src='content_image/723726.jpg'>

• Each railroad company has its own emergency telephone number and each railroad crossing has a unique USDOT crossing identification number. 

• If your vehicle stalls on or near the tracks GET OUT IMMEDIATELY. A train, which may weigh several thousand tons traveling at 55 mph may take more than a mile to stop. By the time the engineer on the train sees you, it is too late to stop the train. 

• Move away from your vehicle and the tracks. Walk quickly along the roadway to a safe location away from the railroad tracks. 

• When safely away from the tracks, find the blue sign at or near the railroad crossing and report the emergency/safety concern using the information on the ENS sign. For damaged or missing signs, contact the USDOT Federal Railroad Administration at 1-800-232-0144. 

When a train hits a 4,000-lb. car, it is like your car running over a soda can. No vehicle is worth a life. 

With rail traffic increasing throughout North Carolina, it is more important than ever to practice safety at railroad crossings. Trains cannot stop quickly, but your vehicle can. 

## Bicycle Lanes 

When a bicycle lane or bike path travels on or adjacent to the roadway, please pay special attention to bicyclists as you approach and move through an intersection. Because bicyclists ride to the right of motor vehicle traffic, the 

