One thing about railroad tracks is they can be an indication that there might be trains (or trolley cars) around ... not always, but if you don't know the tracks are abandoned you should look. I had a friend whose job was repairing railroad signals - he always stopped and looked before crossing tracks, always. He had a very gruesome collection of photos illustrating what you risk if you don't. You should always look even if the crossing is signaled and the signals are off.