Editing Level crossing (section)

{{Short description|Intersection where a road crosses a railway at the same level}}
{{for|other uses of the term Crossing|Crossing (disambiguation)}}
{{Redirect|RxR|other uses|RXR (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
[[File:Andrejev križ.jpg|thumb|Most crossings around the world are marked by some form of [[saltire]] (Saint Andrew's cross, or [[crossbuck]]) to warn road users about a level crossing or a level crossing with no barriers. This cross is on a level crossing in [[Slovenia]].]]
A '''level crossing''' is an intersection where a [[railway line]] crosses a road, [[Trail|path]], or (in rare situations) airport runway, at the same level,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/safety-and-road-rules/road-rules/a-to-z-of-road-rules/trains-and-level-crossings|title=Trains & level crossings|last=VicRoads|date=26 August 2014|website=VicRoads|language=en-au|access-date=12 November 2017}}</ref> as opposed to the railway line or the road etc. crossing over or under using an [[Overpass#Railway|overpass]] or [[tunnel]]. The term also applies when a [[light rail]] line with separate [[Right-of-way (railroad)|right-of-way]] or [[reserved track]] crosses a road in the same fashion. Other names include '''railway level crossing''',<ref name=":0" /> '''railway crossing''' (chiefly international), '''grade crossing''' or '''railroad crossing''' (chiefly American),<ref>{{cite web |url=https://railroads.dot.gov/program-areas/highway-rail-grade-crossing/highway-rail-grade-crossings-overview |title=Highway-Rail Grade Crossings Overview |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=4 December 2019 |website=Federal Railroad Administration |publisher=Department of Transportation |access-date=18 June 2020}}</ref> '''road through railroad''', '''criss-cross''', '''train crossing''', and '''RXR''' (abbreviated).

There are more than 100,000 level crossings in Europe and more than 200,000 in North America.

Road-grade crossings are considered incompatible with high-speed rail<ref>{{cite journal |author1=JAMES J. ROZEK |author2=JOHN A. HARRISON |title=Grade Crossing Safety and Economic Issues in Planning for High-Speed Rail Systems |journal=Transportation Research Record |date=1998 |issue=1177 |page=47 |url=https://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1988/1177/1177-006.pdf |access-date=2 April 2024 |quote=Highway grade crossings are generally incompatible with HSR operation}}</ref> and are virtually non-existent in European high-speed train operations.<ref>{{cite journal |title=EUROPE'S APPROACH TO RAIL CROSSING SAFETY |journal=ITE Journal |date=1998 |volume=68 |issue=2 |page=18 |url=https://www.worldtransitresearch.info/research/1637/ |access-date=2 April 2024 |publisher=[[Institute of Transportation Engineers]] |issn=0162-8178 |quote=with the exception of a few grade crossings in Italy, all high-speed rail crossings are grade separated}}</ref>
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<gallery mode="packed" heights="150px">
File:The 5.20 for West Kirby leaving Hoylake - geograph.org.uk - 1503619.jpg|A level crossing at [[Hoylake]], [[Merseyside]], England, with a train passing
File:Level crossing in Japan - Tokyo - near Ebaramachi Station - 2022 Oct 24.ogg|An active level crossing in [[Japan]], 2022, train approaching from left
File:North Avenue grade crossing, North Abington, November 2016.JPG|A railroad crossing in [[Abington, Massachusetts]], US 
File:CRH380A-2776@Shoupakou_(20150915105335).JPG|A [[CRH380A]] train passing Shoupakou level crossing at [[Beijing]], China
</gallery>