Rail Safety Act of 1996

Summary: Rail Safety Act of 1996 - Amends Federal transportation law to direct the Secretary of Transportation to promulgate regulations concerning limitations on duty hours of train employees that are no less stringent than those under specified existing Federal transportation law. 
Directs the Secretary to study and report to the Congress on:  (1) the feasibility of requiring satellite-based positive train control systems in the United States by January 1, 2001; and (2) the technical, structural, and economic feasibility of installing in rail passenger cars devices which, in the event of a collision, would automatically provide passenger escape access.  Directs the Secretary, to the extent feasibility is determined, to promulgate regulations requiring installation of such control systems and train escape devices by specified dates. 
Directs the Secretary to:  (1) determine what regulations are necessary to increase the ability of passengers to escape from a rail car in the event of an emergency; and (2) if necessary, promulgate them, to take effect as soon as practicable. 
Directs the Secretary to establish, by regulation, minimum safety standards for fuel tanks of locomotives of rail passenger trains that take into consideration environmental protection and public safety. 
Directs the Secretary to determine, and report to the appropriate congressional committees, whether to promulgate regulations for public safety purposes to:  (1) require crash posts at the corners of rail passenger cars; (2) require safety locomotives on rail passenger trains; (3) establish minimum crash-worthiness standards for passenger cab cars; or (4) carry out any combination of the above. 
Directs the Secretary to:  (1) study whether to promulgate regulations requiring placement of rail signals along railways in specified positions; and (2) promulgate such regulations if the requirement is determined necessary. Requires a report to the Congress if such placement is determined unnecessary.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Rail Safety Act of 1996''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    For purposes of this Act, the following definitions shall apply:
            (1) Passenger cab car.--The term ``passenger cab car'' 
        means the leading cab car on a passenger train that does not 
        have a locomotive or safety locomotive at the front of the 
        train.
            (2) Railroad carrier.--The term ``railroad carrier'' has 
        the same meaning as in section 20102(2) of title 49, United 
        States Code.
            (3) Safety locomotive.--The term ``safety locomotive'' 
        means a cab-car locomotive (whether operational or not) that is 
        used at the front of a rail passenger train to promote 
        passenger safety.
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Transportation.
            (5) Train employee.--The term ``train employee'' has the 
        same meaning as in section 21101(5) of title 49, United States 
        Code.

SEC. 3. HOURS OF SERVICE.

    (a) Amendment.--Section 21103 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended to read as follows:
``Sec. 21103. Limitations on duty hours of train employees
    ``(a) Regulations.--The Secretary of Transportation shall 
promulgate regulations concerning limitations on duty hours of train 
employees that contain--
            ``(1) requirements concerning hours of work for train 
        employees and interim periods available for rest that are no 
        less stringent than the applicable requirements under this 
        section, as in effect on the day before the date of enactment 
        of the Rail Safety Act of 1996; and
            ``(2) any other related requirements that the Secretary 
        determines to be necessary to protect public safety.
    ``(b) Negotiated Rulemaking.--In promulgating regulations under 
this section, the Secretary shall use negotiated rulemaking in 
accordance with the procedures under subchapter III of chapter 5 of 
title 5, United States Code, unless the Secretary determines that the 
use of that process is not appropriate.''.
    (b) Promulgation.--The Secretary shall promulgate the regulations 
described in section 21103 of title 49, United States Code, as amended 
by subsection (a), within 180 days after the date of enactment of this 
Act.
    (c) Continued Effect of Requirements.--The requirements stated in 
section 21103 of title 49, United States Code, as in effect on the day 
before the date of enactment of this Act, shall continue in effect 
until the Secretary promulgates final regulations under subsection (b).

SEC. 4. SATELLITE-BASED POSITIVE TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEMS.

    (a) Study and Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall complete and transmit to the 
Congress a report detailing the results of a study to determine the 
feasibility of requiring satellite-based positive train control systems 
in the United States by January 1, 2001.
    (b) Time Frame for Operation.--
            (1) Determination of practicability.--Upon completion of 
        the study conducted under subsection (a), the Secretary shall 
        determine whether the installation of effective satellite-based 
        positive train control systems referred to in subsection (a) 
        could be accomplished practicably by January 1, 2001.
            (2) Automated train control systems requirement.--Within 
        180 days after the completion of the study conducted under 
        subsection (a), the Secretary shall promulgate regulations to 
        require, as soon as practicable after the promulgation of the 
        regulations, the use of automated train control systems that 
        are available at that time.
            (3) Waivers.--If the appropriate official of a railroad 
        carrier establishes, to the satisfaction of the Secretary, and 
        in a manner specified by the Secretary, that the railroad 
        carrier will have in operation a satellite-based positive train 
        control system by January 1, 2001, the Secretary shall waive 
        for that railroad carrier the application of the regulations 
        promulgated under paragraph (2), subject to terms and 
        conditions established by the Secretary.
            (4) Exceptions and conditions.--In promulgating regulations 
        under this subsection, the Secretary shall provide for any 
        exceptions or conditions that the Secretary determines to be 
        necessary.
            (5) Monitoring.--If the Secretary issues a waiver for a 
        railroad carrier under paragraph (3), the railroad carrier 
        shall, during the period that the waiver is in effect, provide 
        such information to the Secretary as the Secretary determines 
        to be necessary to monitor the compliance of the railroad 
        carrier with the terms and conditions of the waiver, including 
        information concerning the progress of the railroad carrier in 
        achieving an operational satellite-based positive train control 
        system.
            (6) Revocation of waivers.--If, at any time during the 
        period that a waiver issued under paragraph (3) is in effect, 
        the Secretary determines that the railroad carrier issued the 
        waiver is not meeting the terms or conditions of the waiver, or 
        is not likely to have in operation a satellite-based positive 
        train control system by January 1, 2001, the Secretary shall 
        revoke the waiver.

SEC. 5. AUTOMATIC TRAIN ESCAPE DEVICE STUDY.

    (a) Study.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary shall complete and transmit to the Congress a 
report detailing the results of a study of the technical, structural, 
and economic feasibility of installing in rail passenger cars devices 
which, in the event of a collision, would automatically provide 
passenger escape access.
    (b) Regulations.--If the Secretary finds in the study that 
automatic train escape devices should be required on rail passenger 
trains, the Secretary shall, not later than 180 days after the date the 
report is submitted to Congress under subsection (a), promulgate 
regulations to require automatic train escape devices on rail passenger 
trains as soon as practicable after the promulgation of the 
regulations.

SEC. 6. EMERGENCY SAFETY PRECAUTIONS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall determine what regulations are 
necessary to increase the ability of passengers to escape from a rail 
car in the event of an emergency. The Secretary shall consider whether 
regulations are necessary to require--
            (1) emergency lighting in each rail car;
            (2) emergency windows that are clearly marked and operate 
        easily;
            (3) doors that are easy to operate in an emergency 
        situation;
            (4) clear emergency procedure instructions to be 
        prominently displayed in all rail passenger cars; and
            (5) public address announcements at each train stop that 
        direct passengers to emergency procedure instructions displayed 
        in each car.
    (b) Regulations.--If the Secretary determines that promulgating any 
of the regulations referred to in subsection (a) is necessary, the 
Secretary shall promulgate such regulations, to take effect as soon as 
practicable after the promulgation of the regulations.

SEC. 7. LOCOMOTIVE FUEL TANKS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish, by regulation, 
minimum safety standards for fuel tanks of locomotives of rail 
passenger trains that take into consideration environmental protection 
and public safety.
    (b) Applicability.--The Secretary may limit the applicability of 
the regulations promulgated under subsection (a) to new locomotives (as 
defined by the Secretary) if the Secretary determines that the 
limitation is appropriate.

SEC. 8. PASSENGER CAR CRASHWORTHINESS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall determine whether to promulgate 
regulations, for the purpose of protecting public safety, to--
            (1) require crash posts at the corners of rail passenger 
        cars;
            (2) require safety locomotives on rail passenger trains;
            (3) establish minimum crashworthiness standards for 
        passenger cab cars; or
            (4) carry out any combination of paragraphs (1) through 
        (3).
    (b) Regulations.--If the Secretary determines that promulgating any 
of the regulations referred to in subsection (a) is necessary to 
protect public safety, the Secretary shall, not later than 18 months 
after the date of enactment of this Act, promulgate such regulations in 
final form, to take effect as soon as practicable after the 
promulgation of the regulations.
    (c) Report.--If the Secretary determines under subsection (a) that 
taking any action referred to in paragraphs (1) through (3) of such 
subsection is not necessary to protect public safety, not later than 
the date of the determination the Secretary shall submit a report to 
the Congress that provides the reasons for that determination.

SEC. 9. SIGNAL PLACEMENT.

    (a) Study.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary shall complete a study of the placement of rail 
signals along railways. In conducting the study, the Secretary shall at 
a minimum determine whether regulations should be promulgated to 
require--
            (1) that a signal be placed along a railway at each exit of 
        a rail station; and
            (2) if practicable, that a signal be placed so that it is 
        visible only to the train employee of a train that the signal 
        is designed to influence.
    (b) Regulations.--If, upon completion of the study conducted under 
subsection (a), the Secretary determines that the regulations referred 
to in that subsection are necessary for the protection of public 
safety, the Secretary shall, not later than 180 days after the 
completion of the study, promulgate those regulations.
    (c) Report.--If, upon completion of the study conducted under 
subsection (a), the Secretary determines that promulgating any of the 
regulations referred to in that subsection is not necessary for the 
protection of public safety, not later than the date of the 
determination the Secretary shall submit a report to the Congress that 
provides the reasons for that determination.