Rail Safety and Education

Rail Safety Information

Rail Grade Crossing Safety report identifies new project selection model

MnDOT's Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations is requesting local participation in funding railroad crossing projects. You can view a solicitation letter and safety data below:

• Solicitation Letter (PDF)

Due to the volume of crossings ranked as a "6", we broke the list into parts. Remaining 6s will be evaluated for eligibility next year.

The safety of people who use the roads at Minnesota's 4,000-plus railroad grade crossings has improved in recent decades. In the early 1990s, over 100 automotive crashes and 10 fatalities per year occurred at rail crossings in Minnesota. Currently, the state records about 36 crashes per year, of which five involve fatalities. 2020 was the first time in over a decade where there was one fatality. MnDOT oversees crossings on all public roadways, though. Only four percent of crossings are on state highways.

Investigators created a new model for selecting railroad grade crossings for safety upgrades. The risk-based strategy, adapted from MnDOT's innovative approach to highway safety, allowed MnDOT to create a rail crossing upgrade plan based on risks of injury and death at crossings throughout Minnesota. See Rail Grade Crossing Safety Project Selection report (PDF).

For more information, and if you would like to discuss a particular crossing, please contact Amy Johnson at 651-366-3709.

U.S. DOT launches railroad crossing safety ad

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) launched the “Stop! Trains Can’t” ad targeting young male motorists and encouraging them to act cautiously at railroad crossings. The campaign is the latest in a two-year effort by DOT to reduce accidents and fatalities at railroad crossings around the country. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) have partnered in the nationwide effort.

For more information, take a look at the press release and watch the video.

Safe driving, biking and walking spares lives!

• At 50 mph, it takes a fully-loaded freight train 1.5 miles to come to a full stop. By the time the train engineer sees a vehicle or pedestrian on the tracks, it is often too late.
• Driver ignorance and impatience are the most common factors contributing to motor vehicle/train crashes.
• The chance of death or serious injury from a motor vehicle/train crash is 11 times greater than for other highway collisions.
• Because of their size, approaching trains appear to be traveling at a slower speed.
• Railroad tracks and property close to the tracks (railroad "right-of-way") belong to the railroad. People who don't have permission to be on railroad property are trespassing. Even if there isn't a "No Trespassing" sign, it's still illegal and dangerous to be on the property.

Follow these safety tips:

1. Yield the right-of-way to trains at highway-rail crossings. It's the law.
2. Never drive around lowering gates, it's illegal and deadly.
3. Only cross tracks where they are marked with pedestrian crossing markings.
4. Never race a train to the crossing, even if it is a tie, you lose.
5. Expect a train on the track at any time, trains do not follow set schedules.
6. Look out for the second train when crossing multiple tracks.
7. Immediately get out of your vehicle if it stalls on the crossing, get clear of the tracks and call 911.