Driving Test Practice

Maryland: Railroad crossings Practice Test

Railroad signs and signals, where to stop, and which vehicles must stop at every crossing.

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14 questions · About 6 min

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Questions are original and based on the official manual "Maryland Driver’s Manual" (October 2025 Edition (DL-002 10-25)), Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration.

All 14 questions in this practice test

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  1. What is a railroad grade crossing?

    • A bridge that carries a road over railroad tracks
    • A tunnel that carries railroad tracks under a road
    • Where the railroad tracks are level with the road
    • A signal that lowers a gate across the road
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    Correct answer: Where the railroad tracks are level with the road

    A railroad grade crossing is where the railroad tracks are level with the road.

    Source: Maryland Driver’s Manual (October 2025 Edition (DL-002 10-25)), page 14

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  2. A flashing red signal is located at a railroad crossing. What must you do?

    A white RAILROAD CROSSING crossbuck sign with a bell and a pair of red signal lights, one of them lit
    • Stop only if you see a train coming
    • Stop completely, even if you do not see a train
    • Slow down and cross if no train is in sight
    • Stop only if other vehicles are waiting
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    Correct answer: Stop completely, even if you do not see a train

    At a flashing red signal at a railroad crossing you must come to a complete stop, even if you do not see a train, and proceed when it stops flashing and the way is clear.

    Source: Maryland Driver’s Manual (October 2025 Edition (DL-002 10-25)), page 18

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  3. What should you remember about trains when you approach a railroad crossing?

    A blue car driving toward a rural railroad crossing marked only by RAILROAD CROSSING crossbuck signs, as a freight train sounding its horn approaches from the left
    • Trains cannot stop quickly
    • Trains stop as fast as cars do
    • Trains slow down at every crossing
    • Trains stop quickly when gates are down
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    Correct answer: Trains cannot stop quickly

    The manual reminds drivers that trains cannot stop quickly, so extra caution is needed at railroad crossings.

    Source: Maryland Driver’s Manual (October 2025 Edition (DL-002 10-25)), page 30

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  4. Which of these vehicles must stop before every railroad crossing?

    Four vehicles in separate lanes before railroad tracks: a motorcycle, a small red car, a green pickup pulling a trailer and a yellow bus with black stripes.
    • A passenger car pulling a trailer
    • A motorcycle
    • A truck carrying hazardous materials
    • A bicycle
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    Correct answer: A truck carrying hazardous materials

    The manual says buses, school buses, and trucks carrying hazardous materials must stop before every railroad crossing.

    Source: Maryland Driver’s Manual (October 2025 Edition (DL-002 10-25)), page 30

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  5. When should you look for a train near a railroad crossing?

    A blue car approaches a railroad crossing marked only by crossbuck signs, where trees, a hedge and a barn beside the tracks hide the view along the line.
    • Only when warning lights flash
    • At any time
    • Only when you hear a horn
    • Only at night
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    Correct answer: At any time

    The manual says to look for a train at any time.

    Source: Maryland Driver’s Manual (October 2025 Edition (DL-002 10-25)), page 30

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  6. From which direction can a train come at a railroad crossing?

    Top view of a two-lane road crossing two railroad tracks, with a RAILROAD CROSSING crossbuck sign and a 2 TRACKS plate beside the tracks, a round yellow RR sign on the approach and your blue car approaching; no train is in sight.
    • Only from the left
    • Only from the right
    • Only from the side with the gates
    • Either direction
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    Correct answer: Either direction

    The manual says trains can come from either direction.

    Source: Maryland Driver’s Manual (October 2025 Edition (DL-002 10-25)), page 30

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  7. How may an approaching train differ from how it looks?

    A blue car driving toward a rural railroad crossing marked only by RAILROAD CROSSING crossbuck signs, as a freight train sounding its horn approaches from the left
    • It is always farther away and slower
    • It is always at the posted limit
    • It is always on the nearest track
    • It may be closer and moving faster
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    Correct answer: It may be closer and moving faster

    The manual says trains may be closer and traveling faster than they appear.

    Source: Maryland Driver’s Manual (October 2025 Edition (DL-002 10-25)), page 30

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  8. What does it mean when the gates are down or warning lights are flashing at a railroad crossing?

    A red car waits at the stop line of a railroad crossing; two gates are lowered across the road, red lights flash beside a crossbuck, and a blue locomotive with its headlights on comes from the left.
    • A train is stopped on the tracks
    • The road is temporarily closed
    • You may cross if no train is seen
    • The crossing is out of service
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    Correct answer: The road is temporarily closed

    The manual says the road is temporarily closed if gates are down or warning lights are flashing.

    Source: Maryland Driver’s Manual (October 2025 Edition (DL-002 10-25)), page 30

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  9. The gates are down and the warning lights are flashing at a crossing. How long must you wait?

    The last boxcar of a freight train clears a single-track crossing, gates down and red lights flashing, while a blue car and a white car wait behind the stop line.
    • Until you can no longer see the train
    • Until the gates go up, even if lights flash
    • Until the gates go up and the lights stop
    • Until the train horn stops sounding
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    Correct answer: Until the gates go up and the lights stop

    The manual says to stop and wait until the gates go up and the warning lights stop flashing.

    Source: Maryland Driver’s Manual (October 2025 Edition (DL-002 10-25)), page 30

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  10. After a train passes, what should you do before starting over the tracks?

    A blue car waiting behind lowered gates with flashing red lights while a freight train passes on the nearer of two railroad tracks
    • Look both ways and make sure the tracks are clear
    • Start across right away
    • Look only in the direction the train went
    • Sound your horn and then start across
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    Correct answer: Look both ways and make sure the tracks are clear

    The manual says to look both ways and make sure the tracks are clear, because another train may be coming on another track.

    Source: Maryland Driver’s Manual (October 2025 Edition (DL-002 10-25)), page 30

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  11. When should you start to cross railroad tracks?

    A blue car approaches a railroad crossing on a two-lane road, with a crossbuck sign on each side of the tracks, as a yellow car drives along the other lane on the far side.
    • Only when you can get completely over the tracks
    • When the approaching train still looks far away
    • As soon as the gates begin to rise again
    • Whenever the warning lights are not flashing
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    Correct answer: Only when you can get completely over the tracks

    The manual says never to start to cross the tracks unless you can get completely over before the train comes.

    Source: Maryland Driver’s Manual (October 2025 Edition (DL-002 10-25)), page 30

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  12. Before you cross railroad tracks, what should you make sure of on the other side?

    A blue car approaches a railroad crossing on a two-lane road, with a crossbuck sign on each side of the tracks, as a yellow car drives along the other lane on the far side.
    • The road there has a shoulder
    • No vehicle is following you
    • There is room for your vehicle
    • The pavement there is dry
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    Correct answer: There is room for your vehicle

    The manual says to make sure there is room for your vehicle on the other side of the tracks before crossing.

    Source: Maryland Driver’s Manual (October 2025 Edition (DL-002 10-25)), page 30

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  13. What should you do if you have an emergency on or near a railroad crossing?

    A car stuck on railroad tracks behind stopped traffic, with the gates down and a train approaching
    • Stay inside and wait for help to arrive
    • Get out of the vehicle and move away from the tracks
    • Try to push the vehicle off the tracks alone
    • Back up along the tracks to the road
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    Correct answer: Get out of the vehicle and move away from the tracks

    The manual says to get out of the vehicle and move away from the tracks.

    Source: Maryland Driver’s Manual (October 2025 Edition (DL-002 10-25)), page 30

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  14. Where can you find the information to report an emergency or safety problem at a railroad crossing?

    • On the round yellow Railroad Warning sign ahead of it
    • On the red-and-white gate arm at the crossing
    • On the traffic signal pole nearest the crossing
    • On the blue and white Emergency Notification sign
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    Correct answer: On the blue and white Emergency Notification sign

    The manual says to report emergencies and safety problems using the information on the blue and white Emergency Notification System (ENS) sign.

    Source: Maryland Driver’s Manual (October 2025 Edition (DL-002 10-25)), page 30

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