I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3651 
To amend title 49, United States Code, to provide for the extension of 
certain deadlines related to positive train control, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 30, 2015 
Mr. SHUSTER (for himself, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. DENHAM, and Mr. CAPUANO) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To amend title 49, United States Code, to provide for the 
extension of certain deadlines related to positive train 
control, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Positive Train Control 
Enforcement and Implementation Act of 2015’’. 
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SEC. 2. ENSURING SAFE IMPLEMENTATION OF POSITIVE 
TRAIN CONTROL ON POISONOUS OR TOXIC- 
BY-INHALATION 
AND 
PASSENGER 
RAIL 
LINES. 
Section 20157 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(1)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘18 months after the date 
of enactment of the Rail Safety Improvement 
Act of 2008’’ and inserting ‘‘60 days after the 
date of enactment of the Positive Train Control 
Enforcement and Implementation Act of 2015’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘develop’’ and inserting 
‘‘revise’’; 
(C) by striking ‘‘December 31, 2015’’ and 
inserting ‘‘December 31, 2018, or the deadline 
determined appropriate by the Secretary pursu-
ant to paragraph (2)’’; and 
(D) in subparagraph (B) by striking 
‘‘parts’’ and inserting ‘‘sections’’; 
(2) by striking subsection (a)(2) and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(2) AUTHORITY TO EXTEND DEADLINE.— 
‘‘(A) The Secretary may extend the dead-
line described in paragraph (1) of this sub-
section, applicable to each carrier or entity re-
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quired to submit a plan under paragraph (1), 
for a period not to exceed 12 months if such a 
carrier or entity demonstrates to the satisfac-
tion of the Secretary that such carrier or enti-
ty— 
‘‘(i) will not be able to implement a 
positive train control system by the dead-
line described in paragraph (1) due to 
technical, programmatic, or operational 
challenges, such as availability of public 
funding, spectrum, technology, and inter-
operability standards; 
‘‘(ii) has taken actions to address 
such challenges and mitigate risks to suc-
cessful implementation of a positive train 
control system; and 
‘‘(iii) has made good faith efforts to 
implement the plan described in paragraph 
(1). 
‘‘(B)(i) The Secretary may grant an addi-
tional one-time extension of the deadline de-
scribed in paragraph (1), applicable to each car-
rier or entity required to submit a plan under 
paragraph (1), not to exceed 12 months, if such 
a carrier or entity, or a group thereof, is not 
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able to fully implement a positive train control 
system on or before the date that is the last day 
of the extension granted under subparagraph 
(A), and such carrier or entity— 
‘‘(I) demonstrates to the satisfaction 
of the Secretary that implementing a posi-
tive train control system was delayed due 
to 1 or more circumstances beyond the 
control of the carrier or entity, such as a 
delay in Federal approval of a plan, test-
ing, or certification; or 
‘‘(II) demonstrates to the satisfaction 
of the Secretary— 
‘‘(aa) that such carrier or entity 
will not be able to implement a posi-
tive train control system by the dead-
line described in paragraph (1) due to 
technical, 
programmatic, 
or 
oper-
ational challenges; 
‘‘(bb) due diligence in its efforts 
to fully implement a positive train 
control system; and 
‘‘(cc) that substantial progress 
has been made in deploying positive 
train control, to the extent feasible. 
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‘‘(ii) A demonstrating carrier or entity 
under clause (i) must certify to the Secretary in 
writing that such carrier or entity will be in full 
compliance with the requirements of this section 
on or before the date that is the last date of the 
extension granted under clause (i). 
‘‘(3) IMPLEMENTATION.— 
‘‘(A) The revised plan shall— 
‘‘(i) describe how the railroad carrier 
or entity will provide for interoperability of 
the system with movements of trains of 
other railroad carriers or entities over its 
lines; 
‘‘(ii) to the extent practical, provide 
for implementation of the system in a 
manner that addresses areas of greater 
risk before areas of lesser risk; 
‘‘(iii) comply with this section and 
subpart I of part 236 of title 49, Code of 
Federal Regulations; and 
‘‘(iv) include a detailed schedule and 
sequence for fully implementing a positive 
train control system in accordance with 
this section and such regulations. 
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‘‘(B) The railroad carrier shall implement 
a positive train control system in accordance 
with such plan.’’; 
(3) by striking subsections (c) and (d) and in-
serting the following: 
‘‘(c) PROGRESS REPORTS.—Not later than January 
1, 2017, and annually thereafter until full implementation 
of positive train control systems has been completed, each 
railroad carrier or entity required to revise and transmit 
a plan under subsection (a) shall submit to the Secretary 
a report on the progress of such carrier or entity toward 
implementing positive train control systems. 
‘‘(d) REPORTS.— 
‘‘(1) 
CONGRESSIONAL
NOTIFICATION.—Not 
later than April 1, 2018, the Secretary shall trans-
mit to the Committee on Transportation and Infra-
structure of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation of the Senate a report on the progress of the 
railroad carriers in implementing positive train con-
trol systems. 
‘‘(2) PUBLIC
AVAILABILITY.—The Secretary 
shall make available to the public on the Department 
of Transportation’s Internet Web site each progress 
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report submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) and 
subsection (c).’’; and 
(4) in subsection (h)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘The Secretary’’ and in-
serting the following: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(2) PROVISIONAL OPERATION.—In lieu of the 
requirements of paragraph (1), the Secretary may 
authorize a railroad carrier or other entity to com-
mence operation in revenue service of a positive 
train control system or component to the extent nec-
essary to enable the safe implementation of positive 
train control systems in phases.’’. 
Æ 
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