{"identifier":"/us/usc/t49/s20142","title":49,"num":"\u00a7\u202f20142.","heading":"Track safety","text":"\u00a7\u202f20142.\nTrack safety\n(a)\nReview of Existing Regulations.\u2014\nNot later than\n(1) procedures associated with maintaining and installing continuous welded rail and its attendant structure, including cold weather installation procedures;\n(2) the need for revisions to regulations on track excepted from track safety standards; and\n(3) employee safety.\n(b)\nRevision of Regulations.\u2014\nNot later than\nSeptember 1, 1995\n(c)\nComptroller General\u2019s Study and Report.\u2014\nThe Comptroller General shall study the effectiveness of the Secretary\u2019s enforcement of track safety standards, with particular attention to recent relevant railroad accident experience and information. Not later than\nSeptember 3, 1993\n(d)\nIdentification of Internal Rail Defects.\u2014\nIn carrying out subsections (a) and (b), the Secretary shall consider whether or not to prescribe regulations and issue orders concerning\u2014\n(1) inspection procedures to identify internal rail defects, before they reach imminent failure size, in rail that has significant shelling; and\n(2) any specific actions that should be taken when a rail surface condition, such as shelling, prevents the identification of internal defects.\n(e)\nTrack Standards.\u2014\n(1)\nIn general.\u2014\nWithin 90 days after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Federal Railroad Administration shall\u2014\n(A) require each track owner using continuous welded rail track to include procedures (in its procedures filed with the Administration pursuant to section 213.119 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations) to improve the identification of cracks in rail joint bars;\n(B) instruct Administration track inspectors to obtain copies of the most recent continuous welded rail programs of each railroad within the inspectors\u2019 areas of responsibility and require that inspectors use those programs when conducting track inspections; and\n(C) establish a program to review continuous welded rail joint bar inspection data from railroads and Administration track inspectors periodically.\n(2)\nInspection.\u2014\nWhenever the Administration determines that it is necessary or appropriate, the Administration may require railroads to increase the frequency of inspection, or improve the methods of inspection, of joint bars in continuous welded rail.","url":"https://projectusc.org/usc/t49/s20142.html","content":[{"t":"sec","id":"/us/usc/t49/s20142","children":[{"t":"num","text":"\u00a7\u202f20142."},{"t":"heading","text":"Track safety"},{"t":"subsec","id":"/us/usc/t49/s20142/a","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(a)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Review of Existing Regulations.\u2014"},{"t":"chapeau","text":"Not later than ","children":[{"t":"text","text":"March 3, 1993","tail":", the Secretary of Transportation shall begin a review of Department of Transportation regulations related to track safety standards. The review at least shall include an evaluation of\u2014"}]},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t49/s20142/a/1","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(1)"},{"t":"content","text":" procedures associated with maintaining and installing continuous welded rail and its attendant structure, including cold weather installation procedures;","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t49/s20142/a/2","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(2)"},{"t":"content","text":" the need for revisions to regulations on track excepted from track safety standards; and","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t49/s20142/a/3","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(3)"},{"t":"content","text":" employee safety.","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subsec","id":"/us/usc/t49/s20142/b","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(b)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Revision of Regulations.\u2014"},{"t":"content","text":"Not later than ","children":[{"t":"text","text":"September 1, 1995","tail":", the Secretary shall prescribe regulations and issue orders to revise track safety standards, considering safety information presented during the review under subsection (a) of this section and the report of the Comptroller General submitted under subsection (c) of this section."}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subsec","id":"/us/usc/t49/s20142/c","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(c)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Comptroller General\u2019s Study and Report.\u2014"},{"t":"content","text":"The Comptroller General shall study the effectiveness of the Secretary\u2019s enforcement of track safety standards, with particular attention to recent relevant railroad accident experience and information. Not later than ","children":[{"t":"text","text":"September 3, 1993","tail":", the Comptroller General shall submit a report to Congress and the Secretary on the results of the study, with recommendations for improving enforcement of those standards."}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subsec","id":"/us/usc/t49/s20142/d","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(d)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Identification of Internal Rail Defects.\u2014"},{"t":"chapeau","text":"In carrying out subsections (a) and (b), the Secretary shall consider whether or not to prescribe regulations and issue orders concerning\u2014"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t49/s20142/d/1","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(1)"},{"t":"content","text":" inspection procedures to identify internal rail defects, before they reach imminent failure size, in rail that has significant shelling; and","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t49/s20142/d/2","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(2)"},{"t":"content","text":" any specific actions that should be taken when a rail surface condition, such as shelling, prevents the identification of internal defects.","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subsec","id":"/us/usc/t49/s20142/e","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(e)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Track Standards.\u2014"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t49/s20142/e/1","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(1)"},{"t":"heading","text":"In general.\u2014"},{"t":"chapeau","text":"Within 90 days after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Federal Railroad Administration shall\u2014"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t49/s20142/e/1/A","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(A)"},{"t":"content","text":" require each track owner using continuous welded rail track to include procedures (in its procedures filed with the Administration pursuant to section 213.119 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations) to improve the identification of cracks in rail joint bars;","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t49/s20142/e/1/B","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(B)"},{"t":"content","text":" instruct Administration track inspectors to obtain copies of the most recent continuous welded rail programs of each railroad within the inspectors\u2019 areas of responsibility and require that inspectors use those programs when conducting track inspections; and","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t49/s20142/e/1/C","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(C)"},{"t":"content","text":" establish a program to review continuous welded rail joint bar inspection data from railroads and Administration track inspectors periodically.","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t49/s20142/e/2","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(2)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Inspection.\u2014"},{"t":"content","text":"Whenever the Administration determines that it is necessary or appropriate, the Administration may require railroads to increase the frequency of inspection, or improve the methods of inspection, of joint bars in continuous welded rail.","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"text","text":"\n"},{"t":"text","text":"\n"}]}]}