There are 120 active public railroad rail crossings in the three counties that make up the Pioneer Valley.¹
All of these crossings are marked with various forms of passive signage — and most of them are also marked with active traffic control devices, e.g., flashing lights, gates, and bells.
There are also 119 private railroad crossings in the Pioneer Valley¹ — as example, farm crossings and crossings for private roads.
¹According the highway-railroad crossing inventory records on file with the Federal Railroad Administration.
A sampling of railroad crossings in the region
Location – Damon Rd, Northampton | looking west
Railroad line – Connecticut River Main Line
The crossing has a set of flashing lights mounted on a gantry structure over the road. The active and passive warning devices at this crossing were replaced in 2015 as part of the Knowledge Corridor Restore Vermonter project.
There have been no reported accidents at this crossing since 1975 when the Federal Rail Administration (FRA) started collecting accidents reports related to highway-railroad crossings.
Location – Bridge St, Amherst | looking north
Railroad line – Palmer Subdivision, New England Central Railroad
The crossing also has a active warning devices (flashing lights and bells) as well as passive signage.
FRA accident records show that there have been a total of five (5) accidents at this crossing since 1975.
Location – Twiss St, Westfield | looking west
Railroad line – Easthampton Branch, Pioneer Valley Railroad
This crossing has passive signage which consists of crossbucks and stop signs.
FRA accident records show that there has been no accidents at this crossing since 1975.
Federal Railroad Administration accident reporting
From the FRA’s Office of Safety Accident/Prediction website it is possible to generate a report (shown below) of all public highway-rail crossing in our region, ranked by predicated accidents per year.
Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire counties in Massachusetts as of 12/31/2023
Source: FRA Office of Safety Accident Prediction System
The report shows that there was one (1) reported accident at a public railroad crossing in the Pioneer Valley during calendar year 2023.
The report shows that there were a total of two (2) reported accidents at public railroad crossing in the Pioneer Valley during the five-year period from January 1, 2019 – December 31, 2023.
The number of railroad crossing accidents in our region is exceedingly low compared to the 78,374 reported vehicle crashes that occurred in the Pioneer Valley during the same five-year period. (Source: MassDOT Crash Portal)
Railroad Emergency Notification System
This video teaches drivers and the public how to stop a train if something is obstructing the tracks.
This video, which is meant for first-responders, explains how to deal with emergency situations at railroad crossings.
Further information
Railroad Crossing Safety & Trespass Prevention
Federal Railroad Administration
Crossing Inventory and Accident Reports
Federal Railroad Administration
Highway-Rail Crossing Handbook – Third Edition (PDF)
Federal Highway Administration | 2019
Private Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety (PDF)
Federal Railroad Administration | 2008
Video | How Railroad Crossings Work (18m)
Practical Engineering | 2024
::
The Train Horn Rule and Quiet Zones
Federal Railroad Administration
How to Create a Quiet Zone
Federal Railroad administration
Page last updated: March 13, 2024
Page last reviewed: June 28, 2022