Car Stalled on Railroad Tracks? Get Everyone Out Before You Try to Save the Vehicle

Treat the crossing as an evacuation, not a roadside repair

1. 01
   Get everyone out immediately

   Unbuckle passengers and move away from the vehicle and tracks. Do not spend the first minutes cycling the ignition, checking under the hood, or unloading luggage.

2. 02
   Move to a safer location away from the railroad right-of-way

   Keep people together and away from the crossing equipment, rails, and vehicle. Children and pets should be physically controlled so nobody returns to the car.

3. 03
   Call 911

   Tell the dispatcher that a vehicle is on the tracks and give the road, crossing, nearby landmarks, and direction of travel if known. Follow emergency instructions.

4. 04
   Find the blue-and-white ENS sign when it is safe to do so

   The Emergency Notification System sign provides the railroad contact number and crossing identification number. Give both the location identifier and the nature of the emergency so the railroad can act on the correct crossing.

Do not lose evacuation time on these common instincts

• Do not stay seated in the vehicle while calling for roadside assistance
• Do not wait for flashing lights or crossing gates before deciding the situation is dangerous
• Do not send one person back to retrieve bags, phones, documents, or cargo if a train may be approaching
• Do not stand between the stalled vehicle and the trackside equipment
• Do not attempt to push or tow the vehicle until emergency responders or the railroad have addressed train traffic and the recovery can be done safely
• Do not assume a train can stop quickly after the engineer sees the crossing

The blue Emergency Notification System sign matters because it identifies the exact crossing

U.S. highway-rail crossings use Emergency Notification System signs so motorists and emergency dispatchers can contact the railroad responsible for the track. The sign includes a phone number and a crossing identification number. That identifier helps the railroad locate the problem faster than a description such as ‘the tracks near the gas station.’

The railroad contact does not replace 911 when people are in danger. Think of the two calls as serving different jobs: emergency services manage the immediate public-safety response, while the railroad needs the crossing information so train operations can be addressed.

Once occupants are safe, let trained responders decide how and when the vehicle should be recovered. A stalled car can be replaced. A last-second attempt to save it can turn a mechanical problem into a fatal emergency.