Road signs/Railroad Crossing Ahead Sign
Railroad Crossing Ahead Sign: what it means and what to do
A railroad crossing ahead sign means a railroad crossing is coming up. Start looking and listening for a train and be ready to stop before the tracks.
What it looks like
A round yellow sign with a black X and the letters RR. It is the only round warning sign, and it stands far enough back for you to stop.
What to do
- Slow down and look both ways for a train as you approach.
- Stop at least 15 feet from the tracks when lights are flashing, bells are ringing or gates are lowering or down: a train is coming.
- Never try to beat a train, and never stop on the tracks.
Quick check: Railroad Crossing Ahead Sign
Two questions to test what you just read.
What does the railroad crossing ahead sign mean?
On the permit test
Tests ask the shape (round) and the colour, and what to do when approaching a crossing.
Where it shows up on state tests
4 questions across our state banks show this sign. Here is how many each bank has, and what each state's own test rules say about road signs.
| State | Questions showing it | What the state says about signs |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | 1 | No separate sign section published. |
| Illinois | 1 | 15 of the 35 questions are traffic-sign identification; the other 20 are multiple-choice or true/false. |
| North Carolina | 1 | Separate road-signs test: identify at least 9 of 12 signs. |
| Virginia | 1 | Part one is 10 traffic-sign questions and you must answer all 10 correctly before part two opens. |
How it differs from similar signs
| Sign | How to recognise it | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Railroad Crossing Ahead Sign | Round yellow sign with a black X and the letters R R | A railroad crossing ahead sign means a railroad crossing is coming up. |
| Railroad Crossing Sign (Crossbuck) | White X-shaped crossbuck sign reading RAILROAD CROSSING | A railroad crossbuck marks the crossing itself. |
| Stop Ahead Sign | Yellow diamond warning sign with a red stop sign symbol and an arrow | A stop ahead sign means a stop sign is coming up that you may not be able to see yet, because of a curve, a hill or something blocking the view. |
| Signal Ahead Sign | Yellow diamond warning sign with a traffic signal symbol | A signal ahead sign means a traffic signal is coming up that you may not see in time because of a curve or hill. |
See them side by side
Common questions
Round and yellow, with a black X and the letters RR. It is the only round road sign and is placed before the crossing.
Slow down, look and listen for a train, and be ready to stop before the tracks.
All road signs Practice your state’s permit test free
Sources, checked 2026-10-08: Pennsylvania Driver's Manual (PUB 95), Chapter 2: Signals, Signs and Pavement Markings; New Jersey Driver Manual (rev. 09/25); New York State Driver's Manual (MV-21); Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (FHWA). Written in our own words; follow your state’s manual for the exact wording.