Rail Crossing Guidance Documents
The documents below provide guidance from the CPUC Rail Crossings and Engineering Branch regarding placement of Emergency Notification signs and YIELD or STOP signs.
Pedestrian Treatments for Rail Crossings
The CPUC Guidance on Pedestrian Treatments for Rail Crossings (2025) discusses pedestrian safety treatments for at-grade rail crossings in California. CPUC staff typically recommends safety treatments such as those described in this guidance as part of crossing modifications and new construction. Topics include pedestrian automatic gates, swing gates, fencing and other channelization, geometric considerations, markings, signage, and related topics.
Private Rail Crossings
Private Rail Crossings (2023) the guidance for Private Rail Crossings is a reference on regulatory provisions for private crossings.
Emergency Notification Signs
Information must be posted for road users at each rail crossing so that they can notify the railroad company about emergencies or malfunctioning warning devices at the crossing. The phone number to contact the railroad is part of a federally mandated Emergency Notification System (ENS).
The ENS Guidance (2022) discusses the mandated use of blue and white informational signs for the rail crossing Emergency Notification System.
The California rail crossing emergency phone list (2014) provides phone numbers to contact railroad or rail transit agencies about crossing issues such as malfunctioning warning devices at a rail crossing. If you are at a rail crossing, refer to the phone number posted on the blue and white signs.
YIELD or STOP Signs
The Guidance for Use of STOP signs (2014) discusses the mandated use of YIELD or STOP signs in conjunction with the Crossbuck (R15-1) sign at public, passive crossings.