A specialized trackside cabin where an operator controls the physical gates or barriers at a road crossing. These structures are often elevated to give the crossing keeper a clear line of sight down both the highway and the tracks. While automated systems have largely replaced them, surviving gate boxes still house the mechanical levers or electrical switches needed to secure the crossing before a train approaches.
Heard on the job
Call the gate box and make sure he has the barriers down before we come around the curve.
Insider tip
In older territories, the gate box might just be a tiny shack with a stove and a hand-crank for the barriers.