Crossing Treatment Procedures

State Laws and Regulations

1201. Permission to construct

No public road, highway, or street shall be constructed across the track of any railroad corporation at grade, nor shall the track of any railroad corporation be constructed across a public road, highway, or street at grade, nor shall the track of any railroad corporation be constructed across the track of any other railroad or street railroad corporation at grade, nor shall the track of a street railroad corporation be constructed across the track of a railroad corporation at grade, without having first secured the permission of the commission. This section shall not apply to the replacement of lawfully existing tracks. The commission may refuse its permission or grant it upon such terms and conditions as it prescribes.

Cal. Pub. Util. Code § 1201

1202. Powers of commission

The commission has the exclusive power:

(a) To determine and prescribe the manner, including the particular point of crossing, and the terms of installation, operation, maintenance, use, and protection of each crossing of one railroad by another railroad or street railroad, of a street railroad by a railroad, of each crossing of a public or publicly used road or highway by a railroad or street railroad, and of a street by a railroad or of a railroad by a street.

(b) To alter, relocate, or abolish by physical closing any crossing set forth in subdivision (a).

(c) To require, where in its judgment it would be practicable, a separation of grades at any crossing established and to prescribe the terms upon which the separation shall be made and the proportions in which the expense of the construction, alteration, relocation, or abolition of crossings or the separation of grades shall be divided between the railroad or street railroad corporations affected or between these corporations and the state, county, city, or other political subdivision affected.

(d) To authorize on an application-by-application basis and supervise the operation of pilot projects to evaluate proposed crossing warning devices, new technology, or other additional safety measures at designated crossings, with the consent of the local jurisdiction, the affected railroad, and other interested parties, including, but not limited to, represented railroad employees.

Cal. Pub. Util. Code § 1202

Blocked Crossings

State Laws, Regulations, and Penalties

No applicable statute related to this topic.

Warning Devices-Passive

State Laws and Regulations

7538. Farm and private crossings; stop signs

At every farm or private grade crossing of a railroad where no automatic grade crossing protective device is in place there shall be installed, as a means of protecting the crossing, one or more stop signs of the type described in Section 21400 of the Vehicle Code or of such other design as the commission may prescribe unless, after a hearing, the commission shall find that the installation of such sign or signs at a particular crossing would create a hazard or dangerous condition that would not otherwise exist. At any grade crossing where stop signs are installed or in place, before traversing such crossing the driver of any vehicle shall stop such vehicle not less than 10 nor more than 50 feet from the nearest rail of the track and while so stopped shall listen, and look in both directions along the track, for any approaching train or other equipment using such rails. The vehicle shall remain standing while any train or other equipment using such rails is approaching the crossing and is close enough to constitute a hazard. A driver of any vehicle who fails to keep his vehicle standing while any train or equipment using such rails is approaching the crossing and which is so close as to constitute a hazard is guilty of a misdemeanor.

Cal. Pub. Util. Code § 7538

Warning Devices- Train Borne

State Laws, Regulations, and Penalties

7605. Automatic bell ringer; violation; penalty

Every railroad corporation, or receiver or lessee thereof, operating any line of railroad in this State by steam locomotives, shall equip all steam locomotives used or to be used in the hauling or propelling of trains over the railroad with a bell ringer apparatus or device which, when set in operation, will ring and continue to ring the locomotive bell automatically, and which is so constructed that it may be set in operation from either or both sides of the locomotive cab.

Any railroad company, receiver or lessee thereof, operating any line of railroad within this State by steam locomotives, violating this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100) or more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each offense.

Cal. Pub. Util. Code § 7605

7604. Audible warning devices; sounding of devices; penalty for violation; liability for damage

(a)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (3), a bell, siren, horn, whistle, or similar audible warning device shall be sounded at any public crossing in accordance with Section 222.21 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

(2) Except as provided in paragraph (3), a bell, siren, horn, whistle, or similar audible warning device shall be sounded, consistent with paragraph (1), at all rail crossings not subject to the requirements of Subpart B (commencing with Section 222.21) of Part 222 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

(3) A bell, siren, horn, whistle, or similar audible warning device shall not be sounded in those areas established as quiet zones pursuant to Subpart C (commencing with Section 222.33) of Part 222 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

(4) This section does not restrict the use of a bell, siren, horn, whistle, or similar audible warning device during an emergency or other situation authorized in Section 222.23 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

(b) Any railroad corporation violating this section shall be subject to a penalty of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) for every violation. The penalty may be recovered in an action prosecuted by the district attorney of the proper county, for the use of the state. The corporation is also liable for all damages sustained by any person, and caused by its locomotives, train, or cars, when the provisions of this section are not complied with.

Cal. Pub. Util. Code § 7604

1202. Powers of commission

The commission has the exclusive power:

(b) To alter, relocate, or abolish by physical closing any crossing set forth in subdivision (a).

Cal. Pub. Util. Code § 1202

7607. Headlights; exemptions; violation; penalty

Every railroad corporation, or receiver or lessee thereof, operating any line of railroad in this State, shall equip all locomotive engines used in the transportation of trains over the railroad with electric or other headlights which will project sufficient light to enable the locomotive engineer to observe clearly a dark object the size of an average man, at a distance of not less than 800 feet on a dark, clear night while his train is running at a rate of speed not less than 30 miles per hour.

This section shall not apply to locomotive engines regularly used in the switching of cars or trains or used exclusively between sun up and sun down, or going to or from repair shops when ordered in for repairs, nor to locomotive engines used on short lines or local lines where in the judgment of the commission, the headlight required by this section is not necessary for the preservation of public safety.

Any railroad company, or receiver or lessee thereof, who violates this section, is liable to the State for a penalty of not less than one hundred dollars ($100), nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), for each offense. Suit shall be brought to recover the penalty in a court of competent jurisdiction, in the name of the people of the State of California, by the Attorney General or by the district attorney of any county in or through which the railroad is operated.

Cal. Pub. Util. Code § 7607

Warning Devices- Active

State Laws and Regulations

1202.2. Apportioning cost of maintenance of automatic grade-crossing protection

In apportioning the cost of maintenance of automatic grade-crossing protection constructed or altered after October 1, 1965 under Section 1202, as between the railroad or street railroad corporations and the public agencies affected, the commission shall divide such maintenance cost in the same proportion as the cost of constructing such automatic grade-crossing protection is divided. The liability of cities, counties and cities and counties to pay the share of maintenance costs assigned to such local agencies by the commission shall be limited to funds set aside for allocation to the commission pursuant to Section 1231.1. The railroad or street railroad corporations and the public agencies affected may agree on a different division of maintenance costs. If the public agency affected agrees to assume a greater proportion of the cost of maintenance than the apportionment of the cost of construction, the difference shall be paid by the public agency from funds other than the State Highway Fund or any other state fund.

Cal. Pub. Util. Code § 1202.2

Private Crossings

State Laws and Regulations

7537. Farm and private crossings; construction and maintenance; authority of commission

The owner of any lands along or through which any railroad is constructed or maintained, may have such farm or private crossings over the railroad and railroad right of way as are reasonably necessary or convenient for ingress to or egress from such lands, or in order to connect such lands with other adjacent lands of the owner. The owner or operator of the railroad shall construct and at all times maintain such farm or private crossing in a good, safe, and passable condition. The commission shall have the authority to determine the necessity for any crossing and the place, manner, and conditions under which the crossing shall be constructed and maintained, and shall fix and assess the cost and expense thereof.

Cal. Pub. Util. Code § 7537

369d. Private railroad crossing; failure to close gates

Any person who enters upon or crosses any railroad, at any private pass way, which is enclosed by bars or gates, and neglects to leave the same securely closed after him, is guilty of a misdemeanor.

Cal. Penal Code § 369d

Vegetation Clearance

State Laws, Regulations, and Penalties

No applicable statute related to this topic.