RAILROADS

Gulfport Code of Ordinances ch. 6, art. XVII

in effect

Gulfport Code of Ordinances § 6-416 Locomotives to give warning when approaching crossings; unnecessary use of whistle.

Sec. 6-416. - Locomotives to give warning when approaching crossings; unnecessary use of whistle. (a) Every railroad company shall cause each locomotive engine run by it to be provided with a bell of at least thirty (30) pounds weight and with a whistle or horn which can be heard distinctly at a distance of three hundred (300) yards, and shall cause the bell to be rung or the whistle or horn to be blown at the distance of at least three hundred (300) yards from the place where the railroad crosses over any public highway or municipal street. The bell shall be kept ringing continuously or the whistle or horn shall be kept blowing at repeated intervals until the crossing is passed. (b) It shall be unlawful for any railroad company, or its employees, operating or running trains through the city to blow or have blown the whistles of the engine of such train, except as provided in subsection (a), or for the purpose of blowing for the board or semaphore as required by the rules of such railroad, or in case of emergency as additional warning of any impending danger to life or property. (Code 1963, §§ 21-1, 21-2)

Gulfport Code of Ordinances § 6-417 Maximum speed.

Sec. 6-417. - Maximum speed. It shall be unlawful for any railroad train or locomotive of any railroad company to run at a greater speed than that prescribed by the Federal Railway Administration or pursuant to state law, or as otherwise authorized by law. (Code 1963, § 21-4)

Gulfport Code of Ordinances § 6-418 Jumping on or off cars in motion.

Sec. 6-418. - Jumping on or off cars in motion. It shall be unlawful for any person, other than passengers or employees engaged in operating a railroad, to wilfully climb, jump or step upon, or in any way attach himself to, or to jump off a locomotive, tender or car while in motion on a railroad track or siding. (Code 1963, § 21-5)

Gulfport Code of Ordinances § 6-419 Boarding standing boxcars without authority.

Sec. 6-419. - Boarding standing boxcars without authority. It shall be unlawful for any person not authorized by the railroad to climb upon any boxcar which may be standing upon any of the side tracks or switches located within the city. (Code 1963, § 21-6)

Gulfport Code of Ordinances § 6-420 Playing, loitering around yards or side tracks.

Sec. 6-420. - Playing, loitering around yards or side tracks. It shall be unlawful for any person to play or loiter around the yards or side tracks of the railroad. (Code 1963, § 21-7)

Gulfport Code of Ordinances § 6-421 Obstructing crossings.

Sec. 6-421. - Obstructing crossings. It shall be unlawful for any locomotive, car or train of cars to be stopped and left standing on any street crossing within the city for a period of more than ten (10) minutes. (Code 1963, § 21-8)

Gulfport Code of Ordinances § 6-422 Crossing lights.

Sec. 6-422. - Crossing lights. (a) Lights required. All railroads entering the city are required at each grade crossing or intersection of their main lines with the streets of the city to erect and maintain sufficient lights to illuminate such crossing and the street on either side thereof for a distance of fifty (50) feet beyond each of the outermost rails to an extent of not less than five-tenths horizontal footcandles. (b) Lights, when operated. All lights required by this article shall be lighted on the same schedule as other streetlights of the city are lighted or shall be equipped with and controlled by photoelectric controls so regulated as to automatically turn on such lights at any time illumination falls to or below two (2) vertical foot candles at the crossing. (c) Crossing violations. Failure to erect and maintain lights as required by subsection (a) or to light the same as required by subsection (b), shall be a misdemeanor, and each day that such violation continues without a reasonable effort to correct the same shall be a separate offense. (d) Train violations. Any person who operates a train through an intersection required to be equipped but which is not equipped in the manner required by subsection (a), and at a time when it is required to be lighted under the provisions of subsection (b), shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. (Code 1963, § 21-21)

Gulfport Code of Ordinances § 6-423 Crossing signals.

Sec. 6-423. - Crossing signals. (a) Definitions. "Grade crossing" as used in this article shall mean any intersection at grade of a railroad with a street of the city which now or at any time hereafter: (1) Is used by at least three thousand (3,000) motor vehicles in any twenty-four-hour period; or, (2) Is the location of as many as two (2) motor vehicle-train collisions within any twenty-four-month period. (b) Signals required. All railroads entering the city are hereby required to erect and maintain at all grade crossings on their main lines flashing red signal lights and bells so equipped as to operate automatically at any time a train is approaching within one thousand (1,000) feet of such grade crossing and continue to operate until such train has passed through the grade crossing. (c) Signals to be in addition to any others required. All lights and bells required by this article shall be in addition to any other signs, lights or warnings required by any other ordinance or statute. (d) Additional installations. In the installation of lights and bells required by subsection (c), there shall be a separate installation on each side of the city street in order that there will be at least one (1) such installation facing oncoming motor vehicular traffic from each direction. On city streets of four (4) traffic lanes or more divided by a neutral ground or median strip, there shall be provided at least two (2) additional installations in the neutral ground or median strip so that there will be at least one (1) additional installation facing oncoming motor vehicular traffic from each direction. (e) Violations. Failure to erect and maintain lights and bells as required by subsections (b) and (c) shall be a misdemeanor and each day that such violation continues without a reasonable effort to correct same shall be a separate offense. Any person who operates a train through an intersection required to be equipped, but which is not equipped in the manner required by subsections (b) and (c) hereof, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Any person who operates a train through an intersection equipped in the manner required by this article at a time when such equipment is not operating in the manner required by subsections (b) and (c) hereof shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. (Code 1963, § 21-22)

Gulfport Code of Ordinances § 6-424 Stops at railroad tracks in obedience to signal indicating approach of train.

Sec. 6-424. - Stops at railroad tracks in obedience to signal indicating approach of train. (a) Whenever any person driving a vehicle approaches a railroad grade crossing and a clearly visible electric or mechanical signal device gives warning of the immediate approach of a train, the driver of such vehicle shall stop within fifty (50) feet but not less than ten (10) feet from the nearest track of such railroad and shall not proceed until he can do so safely. (b) The driver of a vehicle shall stop and remain standing and not traverse such a grade crossing when a crossing gate is lowered or when a human flagman gives or continues to give a signal of the approach or passage of a train. (Code 1963, § 25-119)

Source: City of Gulfport, Mississippi, Code of Ordinances (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/ms/gulfport/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH6MOVETR_ARTXVIIRAFetched: 11/1/2026