for improving safety by addressing sight obstructions at 
highway-rail grade crossings that are equipped solely with 
passive warnings, such as permanent structures, temporary 
structures, and standing railroad equipment, as rec-
ommended by the Inspector General of the Department of 
Transportation in Report No. MH–2007–044.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
for such subchapter II of chapter 201 is amended by insert-
ing after the item relating to section 20155 the following 
new item: 
‘‘20156. Roadway user sight distance at highway-rail grade crossings.’’. 
SEC. 403. GRADE CROSSING SIGNAL VIOLATIONS. 
(a) AMENDMENTS.—Section 20151 of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) by amending the section heading to read as 
follows: 
‘‘§ 20151. Railroad trespassing, vandalism, and signal 
violation prevention strategy’’; 
(2) in subsection (a)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘and vandalism affecting 
railroad safety’’ and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘, 
vandalism affecting railroad safety, and viola-
tions of grade crossing signals’’; 
(B) by inserting ‘‘, concerning trespassing 
and vandalism,’’ after ‘‘such evaluation and re-
view’’; and 
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(C) by inserting ‘‘The second such evalua-
tion and review, concerning violations of grade 
crossing signals, shall be completed before April 
1, 2008.’’ after ‘‘November 2, 1994.’’; 
(3) in the subsection heading of subsection (b), 
by inserting ‘‘FOR TRESPASSING
AND VANDALISM 
PREVENTION’’ after ‘‘OUTREACH PROGRAM’’; 
(4) in subsection (c)— 
(A) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and 
(2) as subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively; 
(B) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ after ‘‘MODEL LEG-
ISLATION.—’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(2) Within 18 months after the date of enactment of 
the Federal Railroad Safety Improvement Act of 2007, the 
Secretary, after consultation with State and local govern-
ments, railroad carriers, and rail labor organizations, shall 
develop and make available to State and local governments 
model State legislation providing for civil or criminal pen-
alties, or both, for violations of grade crossing signals.’’; and 
(5) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(d) DEFINITION.—For purposes of this section, the 
term ‘violation of grade crossing signals’ includes any ac-
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tion by a motorist, unless directed by an authorized safety 
officer— 
‘‘(1) to drive around a grade crossing gate in a 
position intended to block passage over railroad 
tracks; 
‘‘(2) to drive through a flashing grade crossing 
signal; 
‘‘(3) to drive through a grade crossing with pas-
sive warning signs without ensuring that the grade 
crossing could be safely crossed before any train ar-
rived; and 
‘‘(4) in the vicinity of a grade crossing, that cre-
ates a hazard of an accident involving injury or 
property damage at the grade crossing.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The item relating to 
section 20151 in the table of sections for subchapter II of 
chapter 201 of title 49, United States Code, is amended to 
read as follows: 
‘‘20151. Railroad trespassing, vandalism, and signal violation prevention strat-
egy.’’. 
SEC. 404. NATIONAL CROSSING INVENTORY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter II of chapter 201 of 
title 49, United States Code, as amended by this Act, is 
further amended by adding at the end the following new 
section: 
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‘‘§ 20157. National crossing inventory 
‘‘(a) INITIAL REPORTING
OF INFORMATION ABOUT 
PREVIOUSLY UNREPORTED CROSSINGS.—Not later than 1 
year after the date of enactment of the Federal Railroad 
Safety Improvement Act of 2007 or 6 months after a new 
crossing becomes operational, whichever occurs later, each 
railroad carrier shall— 
‘‘(1) report to the Secretary of Transportation 
current information, including information about 
warning devices and signage, as specified by the Sec-
retary, concerning each previously unreported cross-
ing through which it operates; or 
‘‘(2) ensure that the information has been re-
ported to the Secretary by another railroad carrier 
that operates through the crossing. 
‘‘(b) UPDATING OF CROSSING INFORMATION.—(1) On 
a periodic basis beginning not later than 3 years after the 
date of enactment of the Federal Railroad Safety Improve-
ment Act of 2007 and on or before September 30 of every 
third year thereafter, or as otherwise specified by the Sec-
retary, each railroad carrier shall— 
‘‘(A) report to the Secretary current information, 
including information about warning devices and 
signage, as specified by the Secretary, concerning each 
crossing through which it operates; or 
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‘‘(B) ensure that the information has been re-
ported to the Secretary by another railroad carrier 
that operates through the crossing. 
‘‘(2) A railroad carrier that sells a crossing or any 
part of a crossing on or after the date of enactment of the 
Federal Railroad Safety Improvement Act of 2007 shall, not 
later than the date that is 18 months after the date of enact-
ment of that Act or 3 months after the sale, whichever occurs 
later, or as otherwise specified by the Secretary, report to 
the Secretary current information, as specified by the Sec-
retary, concerning the change in ownership of the crossing 
or part of the crossing. 
‘‘(c) RULEMAKING AUTHORITY.—The Secretary shall 
prescribe the regulations necessary to implement this sec-
tion. The Secretary may enforce each provision of the De-
partment of Transportation’s statement of the national 
highway-rail crossing inventory policy, procedures, and in-
struction for States and railroads that is in effect on the 
date of enactment of the Federal Railroad Safety Improve-
ment Act of 2007, until such provision is superseded by a 
regulation issued under this section. 
‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) CROSSING.—The term ‘crossing’ means a lo-
cation within a State, other than a location where 
one or more railroad tracks cross one or more rail-
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