§1992 Terrorist attacks and other violence against railroad carriers and against mass transportation systems on land, on water, or through the air

Summary

Makes it a crime for someone, without permission, to knowingly damage, attack, or plan attacks on trains, railroad cars, mass transit vehicles, or the things that support them. That includes wrecking, derailing, setting fires, putting biological agents, toxins, explosives, or hazardous materials near equipment or facilities, breaking or disabling signal or dispatch systems, attacking or incapacitating workers, spying or taking pictures to plan attacks, sending false threat messages, or trying or agreeing to do any of these things. The law is also triggered when the act affects a mass transportation provider or a railroad that moves goods or people between states or countries, or when someone crosses a state line or moves materials across a state line to commit the act. The crime is treated more seriously if the vehicle had passengers or employees, if it was carrying high-level radioactive waste or spent nuclear fuel, or if it was carrying a hazardous material that must be placarded under subpart F of part 172 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations and that is listed as class number 3, 4, 5, 6.1, or 8 with packing group I or II, or class number 1, 2, or 7 in the hazardous materials table of section 172.101 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations. Defined terms used in the law: “biological agent” — meaning given in section 178(1); “dangerous weapon” — any item that can cause death or serious injury, including a pocket knife with blade under 2½ inches and a box cutter; “destructive device” — meaning given in section 921(a)(4); “destructive substance” — explosives, flammables, radioactive or other harmful devices or materials (not including peaceful medical, industrial, research uses); “hazardous material” — meaning in chapter 51 of title 49; “high-level radioactive waste” — meaning in section 2(12) of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (42 U.S.C. 10101(12)); “mass transportation” — meaning in section 5302(a)(7) of title 49, but also including intercity bus, school bus, charter, sightseeing, and passenger vessels; “on-track equipment” — any vehicle that runs on rails or electromagnetic guideways; “railroad on-track equipment” — trains, locomotives, cars, or similar rail vehicles; “railroad” and “railroad carrier” — meanings in chapter 201 of title 49; “serious bodily injury” — meaning in section 1365; “spent nuclear fuel” — meaning in section 2(23) of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (42 U.S.C. 10101(23)); “State” — meaning in section 2266; “toxin” — meaning in section 178(2); “vehicle” — any device used or able to be used to move people or goods on land, water, or in the air.