Always wondered about these. Why do they have a parking area and phone, to ring in a wide or long load, after you have crossed it. 
One before and after… to let the signalman know you have cleared the crossing, going out of fashion now they have CCTV
And don’t forget to close the gates if there are any, went over one the other week with a £1000 fine if you left it open, backed up by CCTV.
approach with care then cross
hitch:
approach with care then cross
Bit more to it than that if it’s one of those ungated crossings on a minor road or farm track.
You first phone the signalman to check if the line is clear. Then, as said above, again after you’re clear of the crossing. Plenty of evidence on Youtube as to the potential consequences should you not bother; and if you haven’t, YOU and not the railway company will be deemed to be at fault. Don’t just assume that because you can see for a mile each way it’s safe, you’ve only got to stall or get a bit of wheelslip and before you know it you’ll be the decoration on the front of a train. Not only do they approach a lot faster than you might think, even if it’s dry they take a lot longer to stop.
I know a fella who took a tractor & trailer across one - train cut the tractor in half,
there was one hell of a bill for the repairs to the train as well,
Rikki-UK:
One before and after… to let the signalman know you have cleared the crossing, going out of fashion now they have CCTV
not up in this neck of the woods, sometimes have a delivery to a house up rannoch station, the house is on the other side of the station and the house owner has the gate locked so i cant drive to his house (edjskblkjfdklw!!!) but i still have to phone the signalman to walk across the track to get to his house.
This might give you some idea why they have them lol 
facebook.com/video.php?v=35 … =2&theater
Doh , well that all makes sense. Thanks all.