(a)  Every person driving a locomotive, when approaching any crossing or junction of any two (2) railroads where the rails of one cross or connect with the rails of the other at grade, or when approaching any drawbridge now in use as such, shall stop the locomotive at some point within the distance of five hundred feet (500?) from the crossing, junction, or drawbridge, and before reaching the same, and shall not drive the locomotive over the crossing, junction, or drawbridge, at a greater rate of speed than six miles per hour (6 m.p.h.); provided, however, that the division of public utilities and carriers may grant to any railroad corporation the privilege of crossing the junction or drawbridge without stopping, whenever it determines the same can be done consistently with the public safety.

Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 39-7-9

  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Division: means the division of public utilities and carriers. See Rhode Island General Laws 39-1-2
  • person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6
  • Railroad: means and includes every railroad other than a street railway, by whatsoever power, operated for public use in the conveyance in this state of persons or property for compensation, with all bridges, ferries, tunnels, switches, spurs, tracks, stations, wharves, and terminal facilities of every kind, used, operated, controlled, leased, or owned by or in connection with any railroad. See Rhode Island General Laws 39-1-2

(b)  Every person violating the provisions of this section shall be fined one hundred dollars ($100); and the railroad corporation in whose employment, or upon whose railroad, the person shall be at the time of committing such offense, shall be fined three hundred dollars ($300).

History of Section.
G.L. 1896, ch. 187, §§ 14, 15; G.L. 1909, ch. 215, §§ 17, 18; G.L. 1923, ch. 251, §§ 8, 9; G.L. 1938, ch. 124, §§ 8, 9; G.L. 1956, § 39-7-9.