Section 56. Locomotives must stop at grade crossings  


Latest version.
  • All trains and
      locomotives on railroads crossing each other at grade shall  come  to  a
      full stop before crossing, not less than two hundred nor more than eight
      hundred  feet  from the crossing, and shall then cross only when the way
      is clear and upon a signal from a watchman stationed at the crossing. If
      the corporations cannot agree as to the  expense  of  the  watchman,  it
      shall   be   determined  by  the  commissioner  of  transportation  upon
      application thereto by either of them. If the corporations  disagree  as
      to  the  precedence  of  trains  the commissioner of transportation may,
      after hearing, upon the application  of  either  corporation,  prescribe
      rules  in relation thereto.  The full stop and crossing on signal may be
      discontinued if the commissioner of transportation shall decide it to be
      impracticable,  or  if,  with  the  approval  of  the  commissioner   of
      transportation,  an  interlocking switch and signal apparatus is adopted
      and put in operation at such a crossing. The full stop and  crossing  on
      signal  shall not be required in depot yards, or the approaches thereto,
      if the crossing roads are under lease or subject to the same  management
      or  control  in  the use of tracks. An engineer, violating the foregoing
      provisions of this section, or any such  rule  of  the  commissioner  of
      transportation, shall be liable to a penalty of one hundred dollars; and
      any  corporation or person operating the railroad, violating any of such
      provisions or rules, shall be  liable  to  a  penalty  of  five  hundred
      dollars.  The  commissioner  of  transportation  may,  whenever  in  his
      judgment the public safety requires the erection of interlocking  switch
      and  signal  devices  at points where steam and street surface railroads
      intersect at grade, direct the erection of such  devices  and  apportion
      the  expense  of construction, operating and maintenance thereof between
      the  companies  affected  thereby.  No  railroad  corporation,  nor  any
      officer,  agent  or  employee  thereof,  shall stop its cars, horses, or
      locomotives upon a grade crossing of a railroad of another  corporation,
      for  the  purpose  of  receiving or delivering passengers or freight, or
      other purpose, and any person or corporation violating  this  provision,
      shall be liable to a penalty of two hundred and fifty dollars.