Do You Know What These Signs Are For?

I've sat at a railroad crossing that was malfunctioning for over twenty minutes and had no idea what to do. I thought you called non-emergency until I saw this! Recently MNDOT put out a news release letting drivers know that they can report emergencies, malfunctions, or blockages using the blue and white signs that are posted at every railroad intersection.

The blue and white signs are posted near the crossing on both sides of the road and should be clearly visible to the road user. The emergency notification system sign includes the railroad’s emergency contact number and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s national crossing number, which identifies the exact location of the crossing to the railroads.

You don't even have to know the name of the road you are on to report something! According to Jim Weatherhead, state rail program coordinator, the seven number and letter crossing code and the railroad phone number are the only two things a motorist needs to know when reporting an issue.

Motorists can call the phone number listed on the sign to report an emergency or dangerous situations such a signal malfunction, if someone or something is on the tracks or if the crossing is blocked for more than 10 minutes.  The Federal Railroad Administration requires each railroad to have emergency notification system signs at all public crossings.