A pensioner narrowly avoided a collision with a 90mph train after blundering on to a level crossing as the barriers lowered.
Network Rail criticised Kenneth McKie, saying his actions on November 10 last year could have had ”serious consequences” for himself and those on the train.
Just seconds before the train was due to pass the Forteviot junction, the Dunning 73-year-old attempted to cross the railway, ignoring red warning lights.
Despite striking the barriers, he continued to drive on to the track, stopping only when a passer-by urged him to return to the road.
Perth Sheriff Court heard how he only just managed to reverse his car off the rails when the train sped past.
Billy Somerville, defending, said: ”He can’t explain this lapse in his concentration. This is a crossing he uses all the time and it appears that it was in good operative order.
”I can only assume that it was a momentary lapse in concentration.”
Mr Somerville continued: ”Mr McKie had his licence renewed on September 29 last year and there was no suggestion that he is unfit to drive.
”To get his licence, he would have had to provide information to the DVLA and will have to repeat this in five years’ time.”
McKie admitted that on November 10, at the Forteviot level crossing, he failed to comply with the red flashing stop sign.
He was fined £300 and disqualified from driving for six months by Sheriff Michael Fletcher, who slammed the pensioner for his ”serious transgression.”
”Of all the road traffic signs that exist, that should be obeyed the most,” he said. ”It is the most important one of all and that is illustrated by the fact that a train went through just seconds after you got off the rails.
”This was a serious transgression of road traffic regulations.”
This is not the first time the notorious Forteviot crossing has been the subject of a court case.
In 2003, Heidi Beerensson, who was 82 years old at the time, was banned from driving for two years and fined £200 after her Ford Ka collided with a London-bound train carrying almost 200 passengers.
Following the incident, Network Rail sued Beerensson for more than £150,000 in damages to cover the cost of halting trains for over three hours, although they later settled out of court.
A spokesman from the rail company said on Thursday: ”Misuse of level crossings is one of the biggest risks to rail safety and we will always seek to prosecute people who abuse the infrastructure.”
Inspector Angela McGregor, of British Transport Police, said: ”As well as endangering your own life and the lives of others, level crossing misuse at any location is just not worth the few seconds you might save.
”Targeting drivers and motorists who continue to flout the law remains a priority for British Transport Police and anyone detected committing an offence at a level crossing will be reported to the local procurator fiscal.”
Kevin Clinton, RoSPA’s head of road safety, said: ”This individual was acting in an incredibly dangerous and reckless way, which could easily have cost him his life or killed innocent people on the train.”