MUTCD R8-9 · Regulatory signs
Railroad tracks are out of service
What it means
Indicates that railroad tracks are out of service.
What to do about it
It is a regulatory sign: it states a law you must obey, not a suggestion. Ignoring it is a citable violation. (MUTCD R8-9.)
Practice this on the real test format
Signs are the part of the DMV written test people fail on, because reading them is a skill rather than a fact to memorize. Aprobify drills all 1034 of them, and tells you why each answer is what it is.
Get the appSign designations follow the MUTCD and the California MUTCD published by Caltrans; meanings are checked against the California Driver's Handbook (DL 600, rev. 6/2025). Edited by Fernando Aguilera. Aprobify is not affiliated with the California DMV.
Signs in the same family
These sit next to it in the regulatory signs series — the ones most easily mixed up with it.
- R8-5 Prohibits stopping on the paved roadway surface
- R8-6 Prohibits stopping except on the road shoulder area
- R8-7 Restricts stopping to emergency situations only
- R8-8 Prohibits stopping on or blocking railroad tracks
- R8-10 Requires drivers to stop at this location when signal is flashing
- R8-10a Alternative design requiring drivers to stop when signal is flashing
