What does the railway crossbuck sign mean?

This sign stands at the crossing itself, with no gates and no flashing lights. What does it require?

Giving way to any train, because a train cannot stop or steer for you

This sign marks the crossing and gives the train the right of way at all times. With no gate to tell you, the checking is yours: look along the track both ways, and remember that a long train needs far more than a road length to stop.

This sign stands at the crossing itself, with no gates and no flashing lights. What does it require of you?

Giving way to any train, which means slowing enough to look and listen and being ready to stop

The crossbuck works like a yield sign for the railway, so the duty is to give way to a train rather than to stop by default. A train cannot give way to you: a loaded freight train needs far more distance to stop than any road vehicle, so the whole job of avoiding the crash belongs to the driver.

This sign stands beside the road right where the surface changes. What are you at?

A railway crossing

The crossed arms mark the railway crossing itself, not a warning some distance back. Slow ready to stop, look and listen both ways, and start across only once you can see that you will clear the tracks without stopping on them. A train cannot steer around you and needs a very long distance to stop.

You are at a rural crossing marked by this sign, with no lights and no gates, and a train is visible in the distance coming toward the crossing. What do you do?

Stop back from the rails and wait for the train to pass and the crossing to clear

A train is far bigger and closing far faster than it looks from a distance, and it cannot brake to avoid you. This sign marks the crossing itself, and it means you give way to the train every time, with or without lights and gates. Wait clear of the rails until the train has gone and you can see that the way is open.

At a Manitoba railway crossing this sign stands beside the track and a train is visibly approaching. What do you do?

Stop before the crossing and wait until you can cross safely

The railway crossing rule requires a stop when a train is dangerously close and visible. Do not enter unless you can clear the tracks safely.

This sign stands at a rural Saskatchewan rail crossing. A train is approaching, though its headlight still looks distant. What should you do?

Wait and let the train pass

The crossbuck marks the crossing and carries the same duty as a yield sign, so the train has the right of way. Wait clear of the tracks; a train needs far more distance to stop than a car.