Title 59, Oregon Vehicle Code

(1) There is established in the State Highway Fund an account to be known as the Grade Crossing Protection Account. There shall be credited to the account each fiscal year, from funds received by the State Highway Fund from the registration of vehicles and licensing of drivers un…

(1) The Grade Crossing Safety Improvement Fund is established separate and distinct from the General Fund. Interest earned by the Grade Crossing Safety Improvement Fund shall be credited to the fund. (2) Notwithstanding ORS 823.991, all civil penalties collected under ORS 824.222…

As used in ORS 824.020 to 824.042, unless the context requires otherwise: (1) “Class I railroad” has the meaning given that term in rules adopted by the Department of Transportation. The definition of “Class I railroad” in rules adopted by the Department of Transportation shall b…

(1) ORS 824.020 to 824.042, 824.050 to 824.110 and 824.200 to 824.256 apply to: (a) The transportation of passengers and property. (b) The receiving, delivering, switching, storing, elevation and transfer in transit, ventilation, refrigeration and handling of such property, and a…

If any railway company owning or operating a railway within this state desires to construct any branch line or side line, or to build an extension of the main line, its board of directors shall adopt a resolution defining the branch, side line or extension, and designating the te…

(1) The Department of Transportation shall employ at least three full-time railroad inspectors to assist the department as the department may prescribe in: (a) Inquiring into any neglect or violation of and enforcing any law of this state or any law or ordinance of any municipali…

(1) Every railroad shall annually, on or before May 1, unless additional time is granted, file with the Department of Transportation a report verified by a duly authorized officer, in such form and containing such information as the department shall prescribe, covering the year e…

(1) The State of Oregon, a city, county, county service district, mass transit district organized under ORS 267.010 to 267.394, a transportation district organized under ORS 267.510 to 267.650 or a port may acquire, own, reconstruct, rehabilitate, operate or maintain a railroad l…

The Department of Transportation shall participate before the appropriate federal agency in all contested railroad line abandonment proceedings involving the proposed abandonment of any railroad line in this state. Prior to such participation, the department shall consult with pu…

(1) Subject to ORS 479.950, the Department of Transportation, by rule, shall establish a state safety oversight program that applies to all rail fixed guideway public transportation systems in Oregon that are not subject to regulation by the Federal Railroad Administration. (2) F…

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, the Department of Transportation shall examine and inspect the physical condition of all railroad facilities in the state, including roadbeds, stations and equipment. Whenever it appears from such inspection that the safet…

The Department of Transportation, upon own motion or upon application of any person, and with or without hearing: (1) May enter an order prescribing standard track clearances for railroads. (2) Upon finding good cause, may enter an order granting authority for a railroad to opera…

(1) The Department of Transportation may cooperate with, make certifications to, and enter agreements with the Secretary of Transportation of the United States, or any other federal agency with jurisdiction over railroads, under the Federal Railroad Safety Act of 1970, as amended…

(1) The Department of Transportation, upon the department’s motion or upon application of any person, shall adopt rules that prescribe standards for walkways alongside railroad tracks where necessary for the safety of railroad employees. (2) The department may for good cause show…

The Department of Transportation may: (1) Identify segments of railroad track in this state that: (a) Are abandoned, threatened with abandonment or have physical characteristics that reduce freight service; and (b) Have the potential for providing renewed, continued or improved r…

(1) Every locomotive of every railroad operating in this state shall be equipped with a first aid kit. (2) All locomotives shall be equipped with fire extinguishers meeting the following requirements: (a) Each locomotive shall have at least one portable fire extinguisher. (b) Fir…

(1) Every person operating or controlling any railroad which is a common carrier shall equip each of its track motor cars operating during the period 30 minutes before sunset and 30 minutes after sunrise with: (a) An electric headlight of sufficient candle power to enable the ope…

(1) No railroad shall permit or require an employee to use a self-propelled vehicle in its yards or terminals for inspecting trains, equipment or facilities or transporting employees or materials for the repair of trains, equipment or facilities, unless the vehicle is designed, c…

(1) Except for operation in its yards or terminals, no railroad shall permit or require a helper unit that is not attached to a train to be operated with a crew of fewer than two people. (2) As used in this section, “helper unit” means a locomotive power unit placed near the midd…

(1) The Department of Transportation shall prescribe standards for water quality on railroad locomotives in this state. (2) The department may for good cause shown permit variances from the standards so prescribed. [Formerly 761.365; 2021 c.630 §9] HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

As used in ORS 824.082 to 824.090 “hazardous materials” means those substances designated by the Department of Transportation pursuant to ORS 824.086 (1). [Formerly 761.370]

(1) Before transporting hazardous materials into this state or from a railroad terminal located within this state, a railroad shall, as soon as reasonably possible after it has notice of such train movement, provide such notification thereof as the Department of Transportation de…

Each railcar containing hazardous materials for which an “Explosives A,” “Flammable Gas” or “Poison Gas” placard is required by federal regulation, and which remains in a rail yard or station for more than two hours shall be visually inspected externally by the transporting railr…

After consultation with the State Fire Marshal the Department of Transportation shall determine: (1) What material and quantity thereof the transportation of which is hazardous to public health, safety or welfare and shall designate by rule such materials and quantities as hazard…

(1) Each railroad that gives notice to the United States Department of Transportation of an incident that occurs during the course of transporting hazardous materials as defined by federal regulations shall also give notice of the incident to the Director of the Oregon Department…

(1) The Department of Transportation shall adopt rules setting standards for the safe transportation of hazardous wastes, as defined in ORS 466.005, by all transporters. (2) The authority granted under this section: (a) Is in addition to any other authority granted the department…

Records, reports and information obtained or used by the Department of Transportation in administering the hazardous waste program under ORS 824.090 shall be available to the United States Environmental Protection Agency upon request. If the records, reports or information has be…

As used in ORS 824.102 to 824.110: (1) “Caboose” means any car or coach used on a train to carry a train crew. (2) “Marker” means any lamp providing illumination by electrical power which is designed to be displayed on a railroad car or coach for safety purposes. (3) “Terminal” m…

The provisions of ORS 824.102 to 824.110 shall apply to all cabooses except those used in terminal service or in road service for a distance not to exceed three miles, and shall not apply to logging railways. [Formerly 761.605; 1999 c.59 §246]

A caboose shall not be placed in service unless it is in compliance with all of the provisions of ORS 824.102 to 824.110 relating to required equipment and standards of maintenance. In the event a failure of required equipment or standards of maintenance occurs after a caboose ha…

A register for the reporting of failures of required equipment or standards of maintenance shall be maintained on all cabooses. The register shall contain sufficient space to record the dates and particulars of each failure. The Department of Transportation shall provide rules fo…

The Department of Transportation shall regulate and enforce all sections of ORS 824.102 to 824.110 and shall promulgate all rules necessary for the enforcement of ORS 824.102 to 824.110. [Formerly 761.640; 1999 c.59 §248]

As used in ORS 824.200 to 824.256, unless the context requires otherwise: (1) “High speed rail system” means a fixed guideway passenger transportation system capable of transporting passengers at speeds exceeding 79 miles per hour and connecting two or more urban areas, including…

It is the policy of this state to achieve uniform and coordinated regulation of railroad-highway crossings and to eliminate crossings at grade wherever possible. To these ends, authority to control and regulate the construction, alteration, and protection of railroad-highway cros…

(1) Except for the repair of lawfully existing roads and highways or the replacement of tracks, no highway shall be constructed across the track of any railroad company at grade, nor shall the track of any railroad company be constructed across a highway at grade, without having …

(1) The Department of Transportation may, upon its own motion or upon application by a railroad or the public authority in interest, subsequent to a hearing, unless a hearing is not required under ORS 824.214, and upon finding that such action is required by the public safety, ne…

(1) The power to fix and regulate the speed of railway trains and to regulate the sounding of railway train warning devices at public railroad-highway crossings is vested exclusively in the state. (2) Upon petition of any public authority in interest or of any railroad or upon th…

No highway shall be constructed across the track of any railroad company above or below grade, nor shall the track of any railroad company be constructed across a highway above or below grade, without having first secured the permission of the Department of Transportation. If per…

(1) The Department of Transportation shall adopt regulations prescribing specifications for the construction and maintenance of railroad-highway crossings, both at grade level and at separated grades. The specifications shall be developed in consultation with representatives of c…

(1) Proceedings to carry out ORS 824.204, 824.206, 824.210 to 824.218, 824.224, 824.226 to 824.230, 824.238, 824.240 and 824.256, including the right to review any order of the Department of Transportation, shall be those specified in ORS chapter 183 for contested cases. If the f…

(1) The railroad company, public authority or person to whom an order of the Department of Transportation is directed under ORS 824.200 to 824.256 shall comply with such order within such reasonable time as may be prescribed by the department. In case of failure to comply, the de…

All work and the material for work done under ORS 824.200, 824.204, 824.206, 824.210 to 824.218, 824.226 to 824.230, 824.238, 824.240 and 824.256 within the limits of railroad rights of way shall, if the railroad company so desires, be furnished and done by the railroad company. …

The Department of Transportation shall adopt rules prescribing specifications for the design and location of protective devices. [Formerly 763.110; 1997 c.249 §254]

(1) The power to fix and regulate the length of time a public railroad-highway grade crossing may be blocked by railroad equipment is vested exclusively in the state. (2)(a) Upon petition of the public authority in interest, or of any railroad or upon the Department of Transporta…

(1) The power to regulate the distance from a public railroad-highway grade crossing at which a railroad may stop or park equipment is vested exclusively in the state. (2)(a) Upon petition of the public authority in interest, or of any railroad or upon the Department of Transport…

(1) At every farm or private grade crossing of a railroad where no automatic grade crossing protective device is installed, the railroad shall cause to be installed and maintained, as a means of protecting the crossing, one or more stop signs. (2) The Department of Transportation…