Crossbuck - WikiHQ

alt=An American crossbuck paired with a yield sign|thumb|An [[United States|American crossbuck paired with a yield sign]]

A crossbuck is a traffic sign used to indicate a level railway crossing. It is composed of two slats of wood or metal of equal length, fastened together on a pole in a saltire formation (resembling the letter X). Crossbucks are often supplemented by electrical warnings of flashing lights, a bell, and/or a boom barrier that descends to block the road and prevent traffic from crossing the tracks.

Vienna Convention

The Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals, a multilateral treaty of the United Nations with the intention of standardizing traffic signs around the world, prescribes several different regulations for the "crossbuck" sign.

The sign should consist of two arms not less than long, crossed in the form of an 10px. The first model may have a white or yellow background with a thick red or black border. The second model may have a white or yellow background with a thin black border and an inscription, for example, "railroad crossing", "railway crossing", etc. If lateral clearance obstructs the placement of the sign, it may be rotated 90° so that its points are directed vertically. If used at a level crossing with more than one track, a half cross or a supplementary plate stating the number of tracks may be added below.

It specified these models:

File:Vienna Convention road sign A-28a-V1-1.svg|alt=Model, A-28a-V1-1|A-28a-V1-1

File:Vienna Convention road sign A-28a-V1-2.svg|alt=Model, A-28a-V1-2|A-28a-V1-2

File:Vienna Convention road sign A-28a-V1-1-EA.svg|alt=Model, A-28a-V1-1-EA|A-28a-V1-1-EA

File:Vienna Convention road sign A-28a-V1-2-EA.svg|alt=Model, 28a-V1-2-EA|28a-V1-2-EA

File:Vienna Convention road sign A-28c-V1-1.svg|alt=Model, A-28c-V1-1|A-28c-V1-1

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It also specified multi-track models:

File:Vienna Convention road sign A-28b-V1-1.svg|alt=Model, A-28b-V1-1|A-28b-V1-1

File:Vienna Convention road sign A-28b-V1-2.svg|alt=Model, A-28b-V1-2|A-28b-V1-2

File:Vienna Convention road sign A-28b-V1-1-EA.svg|alt=Model, A-28b-V1-1-EA|A-28b-V1-1-EA

File:Vienna Convention road sign A-28b-V1-2-EA.svg|alt=Model, A-28b-V1-2-EA|A-28b-V1-2-EA

File:Vienna Convention road sign A-28c-V3-1.svg|alt=Model, A-28c-V3-1|A-28c-V3-1

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Variants around the world

In the United States, the crossbuck carries the words "rail" and "road" on one arm and "crossing" on the other ("rail" and "road" are separated by the "crossing" arm), in black text on a white background. Older variants simply used black and white paint; newer installations use a reflective white material with non-reflective lettering. Some antique U.S. crossbucks were painted in other color schemes, and used glass "cat's eye" reflectors on the letters to make them stand out. Other countries, such as China, also use this layout, but with appropriately localized terms. Often, a supplemental sign below the crossbuck indicates the number of tracks at the crossing. In the 1990s, the state of Ohio experimented with the modified Buckeye Crossbuck, which had a specialized accompanying plate.

In Canada, crossbucks have a red border and no lettering. These were installed in the 1980s shortly after English-French bilingualism was made official, replacing signs of a style similar to those used in the U.S., except the word "railway" was used instead of "railroad" and in certain areas the words "traverse de chemin de fer" were used.

In Mexico, the crossbucks read "cruce de ferrocarril", a literal translation of its U.S. counterpart. Older designs read "cuidado con el tren", meaning "beware of the train".

In Argentina, the most common legend is "peligro ferrocarril" ("danger: railroad"). Other crosses also read "cuidado con los trenes – pare mire escuche" ("beware of the trains – stop, look, listen") for the Ferrocarril Belgrano, "paso a nivel – ferro carril" for the Ferrocarril Mitre and "cuidado con los trenes" ("beware of the trains") for the Ferrocarril Roca.

In parts of Europe, the cross is white with red trimmings or ends, sometimes on a rectangular background; in Finland and Greece the cross is yellow, trimmed with red.

Taiwan uses two crossbucks: a version with a yellow and black cross, and one with the cross in white with a red border. A special symbol in the center indicates an electric railroad crossing, cautioning road users about excessive height cargo that may contact the electric wires.

In Australia, the crossbuck is a St Andrews Cross as in Europe, but uses words and the same color as the American crossbuck. In contrast to the American "railroad crossing", Australian signs say "railway crossing" or "tramway crossing". (Most cases where a tram in its own right-of-way crosses a road do not use a crossbuck and so are regular intersections rather than level crossings.)

Different countries may classify the sign differently. For example, in Australia it is considered a regulatory sign, while in close neighbour New Zealand it is considered a warning sign. Some countries, such as Australia, France, New Zealand, Slovakia and Slovenia may place the crossbuck design on a "target board", while other countries quite often do not. In the United Kingdom, it is only used for crossings with no barriers or signal lights.

Crossbucks of the world

File:Australia R6-25.svg|Australia (variant)

File:Gefahrenzeichen 6d liegend.svg|Austria

File:Gefahrenzeichen 6d.svg|Austria (vertical)

File:Gefahrenzeichen 6d Tafel.svg|Austria (variant)

File:Belgian traffic sign A45.svg|Belgium

File:Brasil A-41a.svg|Brazil

File:HR road sign A37.svg|Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, North Macedonia, Singapore and Slovenia

File:BG road sign А34.1.svg|Bulgaria

File:Canadian Railroad Crossing Sign.svg|Canada

File:Canadian Railway Crossbuck (with red backing board).png|Canada (former)

File:Canadian Railway Crossing Sign (English) (old).svg|Canada (former)

File:Canadian_Crossbuck_(Old).svg|Canada (former)

File:1950's_Ontario_warning_traffic_sign,_railroad_crossing.svg|Canada (used in Ontario in the 1950s)

File:Canadian Railway Crossing Sign (French) (old).svg|Canada (formerly used in Quebec)

File:SIECA road sign R-1-6.svg|Central American Integration System Member States

File:Chile road sign PI-2a.svg|Chile

File:Colombia road sign SP-54 (old).svg|Colombia (former)

File:Denmark road sign A74.1.svg|Denmark

File:Zeichen 201-50 – Andreaskreuz - Dem Schienenverkehr Vorrang gewähren! StVO 1992.svg|Germany and Slovakia

File:Zeichen 201-51 - Andreaskreuz (stehend) mit Blitzpfeil, StVO 1992.svg|Germany and Slovakia (level crossings on electrified lines)

File:Italian traffic signs - croce di S.Andrea.svg|Italy

File:Taiwan Railway Crossbuck (black and yellow).svg|Japan and Taiwan

File:MX road sign SIR-9.svg|Mexico

File:Nederlands verkeersbord J12.svg|Netherlands

File:New Zealand road sign W15-3.1.svg|New Zealand (variant)

File:NO road sign 138.1.svg|Norway

File:Panama crossbuck.svg|Panama

File:Peru road sign P-44.svg|Peru

File:PL road sign G-3.svg|Poland

File:RO road sign A51.svg|Romania

File:RO road sign A49.svg|Romania (variant used for railway crossings without gates and lights)

File:South Korea Railway Crossbuck.svg|South Korea

File:Sweden road sign A39-1.svg|Sweden

File:Thai Railroad Crossing Sign.svg|Thailand

File:MUTCD R15-1.svg|United States

File:Inverted Railroad Crossbuck.png|United States (inverted variant)

File:MUTCD R15-1 (Buckeye Crossbuck).svg|United States (experimental version used in Ohio for a time)

File:United States Black Railroad Crossbuck.png|United States (variant, former)

File:Venezuela road sign P3-16.svg|Venezuela

File:Vietnam road sign W242a.svg|Vietnam

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Multiple tracks

Several countries use a sign to indicate that multiple tracks must be crossed at a level crossing. In Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the U.S., a sign is mounted beneath the crossbuck (above the warning light assembly, if any) with the number of tracks. Many European countries use multiple crossbucks or additional chevrons ("half-crossbucks") below the first one. Taiwan also uses half-crossbucks below the regular crossbuck.

File:Argentina P-3B.svg|Argentina

File:Gefahrenzeichen 6d doppelt liegend.svg|Austria

File:Gefahrenzeichen 6d doppelt.svg|Austria

File:Gefahrenzeichen 6d doppelt Tafel.svg|Austria (variant)

File:Bangladesh road sign B47 B.svg|Bangladesh

File:Belgian traffic sign A47.svg|Belgium

File:HR road sign A37-1.svg|Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, North Macedonia and Slovenia

File:BG road sign А34.2.svg|Bulgaria

File:Cambodia road sign R3-10.svg|Cambodia

File:China road sign 警 30.gif|China

File:A32b CZ.svg|Czechia

File:Denmark road sign A74.2.svg|Denmark

File:Estonia road sign 122.svg|Estonia

File:Finland road sign 177.svg|Finland

File:FR road sign G1a.svg|France

File:Traffic Sign GR - KOK 2009 - K-37.svg|Greece

File:Hungary road sign A-042.svg|Hungary

File:Hungary road sign A-044.svg|Hungary

File:ID Rambu larangan 1f.svg|Indonesia

File:Italian traffic signs - Doppia croce di Sant'Andrea.svg|Italy

File:Latvia road sign 135.svg|Latvia

File:Luxembourg road sign diagram B,7b (2018).svg|Luxembourg

File:Nederlands verkeersbord J13.svg|Netherlands

File:NO road sign 138.2.svg|Norway

File:PL road sign G-4.svg|Poland

File:Portugal road sign A32b.svg|Portugal

File:RO road sign A52.svg|Romania

File:RO road sign A50.svg|Romania (variant used for railway crossings without gates and lights)

File:RU road sign 1.3.2.svg|Russia

File:Serbia road sign I-34.1.svg|Serbia

File:Slovenia road sign I-38.1 (Historic).svg|Slovenia (former)

File:Spain traffic signal p11a.svg|Spain

File:Sweden road sign A39-3.svg|Sweden

File:CH-Vortrittssignal-Doppeltes Andreaskreuz.svg|Switzerland

File:Taiwan road sign Art072.2.png|Taiwan (variant)

File:Taiwan road sign Art072.4.png|Taiwan (variant used for electrified railway crossings)

File:Tunisia Railroad Crossbuck Multi Track.png|Tunisia

File:Turkey road sign T-27b.svg|Turkey (variant)

File:UA road sign 1.30.svg|Ukraine

File:Vietnam road sign W242b.svg|Vietnam

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Advance warning

Several countries include the crossbuck icon on their railway crossing ahead warning signs. In Argentina, railway crossing ahead signs used a common red-bordered triangle defaced with a black steam locomotive icon placed on white background according Vienna Convention as well as the most other countries in the world outside of the Americas.

File:Vienna Convention road sign Aa-26b-V1.svg|Vienna Convention; Aa-26b-V1

File:Vienna Convention road sign Ab-26b-V1.svg|Vienna Convention; Ab-26b-V1

File:Australia road sign W7-4.svg|Australia

File:Australia Rail Crossing sign (W7-3).svg|alt=Australia (former variant) |Australia (former)

File:Australia RX-7 (R).svg|Australia (side road)

File:Australia RX-11.svg|Australia (variant with warning lights)

File:CA-MUTCDC WA-018.svg|Canada

File:CA-MUTCDC WA-018-L.svg|Canada (variant for left-skewed crossing)

File:CA-MUTCDC WA-018-R.svg|Canada (variant for right-skewed crossing)

File:Canadian Advance Railway Crossing Ahead (old).svg|alt=Canada (former variant)|Canada (former)

File:Iraq Railroad Crossing Sign.png|Iraq

File:Panama P-41.svg|Panama (variant for railroad crossings without gates but with lights)

File:Philippines road sign W7-3.svg|Philippines

File:MUTCD W10-1.svg|United States

File:MUTCD Sign Assembly - W10-1 with W10-1aP.svg|United States (exempt railroad crossing, the usual requirement for commercial and mass transit vehicles to stop at the crossing regardless of activity on the line need not be obeyed)

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Notes

References

External links

Part 8. Traffic Control for Railroad and Light Rail Transit Grade Crossings, U.S. Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, 2009 ed.
History of the Railroad Crossbuck Sign: the Sign that Rose to the Challenge (Road Traffic Signs)