Title 49TransportationRelease 119-73

§20505 Reports of malfunctions and accidents

Title 49 › Subtitle SUBTITLE V— - RAIL PROGRAMS › Part PART A— - SAFETY › Chapter CHAPTER 205— - SIGNAL SYSTEMS › § 20505

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Railroads must report signal failures to the Secretary of Transportation; if a failure causes a reportable injury or property-damage accident, the signal’s owner must immediately send a written report.

Full Legal Text

Title 49, §20505

Transportation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

In the way and to the extent required by the Secretary of Transportation, a railroad carrier shall report to the Secretary a failure of a signal system to function as intended. If the failure results in an accident or incident causing injury to an individual or property that is required to be reported under regulations prescribed by the Secretary, the carrier owning or maintaining the signal system shall report to the Secretary immediately in writing the fact of the accident or incident.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 2050549 App.:26(f) (words before last semicolon).Feb. 4, 1887, ch. 104, 24 Stat. 379, § 25(f) (words before last semicolon); added Feb. 28, 1920, ch. 91, § 441, 41 Stat. 498; restated Aug. 26, 1937, ch. 818, 50 Stat. 836; Sept. 18, 1940, ch. 722, § 14(b), 54 Stat. 919; June 22, 1988, Pub. L. 100–342, § 17(6), (8), 102 Stat. 636. 49 App.:1655(e)(6)(A).Oct. 15, 1966, Pub. L. 89–670, § 6(e)(6)(A), 80 Stat. 939. The words “signal system” are substituted for “such systems, devices, or appliances” because of the definition of “signal system” in section 20501 of the revised title. The word “indicate” is omitted as being included in “function”. The words “or incident” are added for consistency in this part. The word “individual” is substituted for “person”, and the word “immediately” is substituted for “forthwith”, for consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the United States Code.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

49 U.S.C. § 20505

Title 49Transportation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73