In CTC Territory, after stopping, a train may pass a stop indication at a signal without further authority while within the limits, except at:

• A. Railroad crossings at grade
• B. Interlockings
• C. Signals displaying stop
• D. Yard limits

Answer: (A)

In CTC territory, there is a provision that after stopping at a signal showing stop, a train may pass that stop indication without receiving a new authority while you remain within the limits, as long as there isn’t a location that requires extra protection. This helps keep traffic moving efficiently when the track ahead is clear and the risk is understood to be low.

The reason the exception applies to grade crossings is safety. At railroad crossings at grade, there’s real potential for road traffic and pedestrians to be on the crossing, so you cannot rely on simply passing a stop signal without explicit protection or authority. You must have proper authorization to proceed through a crossing, even if you’re within the limits, to ensure the crossing is clear and protected.

Interlockings and signals showing stop are protected by the control system to prevent conflicting movements, so passing a stop indication there would defeat that protection. Yard limits are structured to control movements within yards, but they operate under their own protections, so the main safety constraint is the grade crossing exception.