The Iowa Department of Transportation observed national rail safety with “See Tracks? Think Train Week 2025” recently. These are good reminders to take into harvest season. 

As harvest continues, rail safety is a high priority at the Iowa DOT. With the majority of at-grade crossings in rural areas, the primary focus of this year’s educational campaign is on agricultural operations that harvest and transport commodities to market. 

Agribusinesses using farm equipment and grain haulers are often traversing at-grade railroad crossings during harvest season. These crossings are where the risk of crashes is greater due to misjudging the time it takes for vehicles to cross tracks against an approaching freight or passenger train’s speed, or not seeing or hearing an oncoming locomotive. Rural railroad crossings can be both active and passive, meaning some have lights, gates, and bells, while others only have signs. 

It takes the average freight train traveling 55 miles per hour more than a mile to stop. Every year, 2,100 North Americans are killed or seriously injured when they engage in unsafe behavior around tracks and trains. In the U.S. alone, a person or vehicle is hit by a train every three hours, according to the Federal Railroad Administration. 

At passive crossings, drivers need to remember that trains are faster and quieter than many think. When you see tracks, know that a train can approach at any time, from any direction.