§20164 — Title 49 Transportation | U.S. Code

Summary

Within 1 year after the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 became law, the Secretary of Transportation must create rules, guidance, or orders about how rail safety technology is developed, used, and put into service. The rules must cover technology used in places or arrangements not defined by section 20501 or not already covered by other federal rules, to make sure the equipment works safely. It covers eight types of rail safety technology, such as devices that monitor switch position; radio, remote, or power‑operated switches; detectors for hot boxes, high water, or earthquakes; remote‑locomotive zone limiters; slide fences; grade crossing video monitors; track‑integrity warning systems; and other similar technologies. "Dark territory" means track areas that do not have signals or train control systems installed or working.

Title 49, §20164

Transportation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008, the Secretary of Transportation shall prescribe standards, guidance, regulations, or orders governing the development, use, and implementation of rail safety technology in dark territory, in arrangements not defined in section 20501 or otherwise not covered by Federal standards, guidance, regulations, or orders that ensure the safe operation of such technology, such as—

(1)switch position monitoring devices or indicators;

(2)radio, remote control, or other power-assisted switches;

(3)hot box, high water, or earthquake detectors;

(4)remote control locomotive zone limiting devices;

(5)slide fences;

(6)grade crossing video monitors;

(7)track integrity warning systems; or

(8)other similar rail safety technologies, as determined by the Secretary.

(b)In this section, the term “dark territory” means any territory in a railroad system that does not have a signal or train control system installed or operational.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The date of enactment of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008, referred to in subsec. (a), is the date of enactment of div. A of Pub. L. 110–432, which was approved Oct. 16, 2008.

Amendments

2015—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 114–94 substituted “after the date of enactment of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008” for “after enactment of the Railroad Safety Enhancement Act of 2008” in introductory provisions.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2015 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 114–94 effective Oct. 1, 2015, see section 1003 of Pub. L. 114–94, set out as a note under section 5313 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

§20164 Development and Use of Rail Safety Technology