829 
road carriers, and others, as determined rel-
evant by the Secretary; and 
‘‘(B) consult with railroad carriers, con-
tractors or employees of railroad carriers or 
representatives of employees of railroad car-
riers, and others, as determined relevant by the 
Secretary, for technical expertise on the facts of 
the accident or incident under investigation. 
‘‘(2) CONFIDENTIALITY.—In developing the 
process under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall fac-
tor in ways to maintain the confidentiality of any en-
tity identified under paragraph (1) if— 
‘‘(A) such entity requests confidentiality; 
‘‘(B) such entity was not involved in the 
accident or incident; and 
‘‘(C) maintaining such entity’s confiden-
tiality does not adversely affect an investigation 
of the Federal Railroad Administration. 
‘‘(3) APPLICATION
OF
LAW.—This subsection 
shall not apply to any investigation carried out by 
the National Transportation Safety Board.’’. 
SEC. 9507. RAIL SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS. 
(a) FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION REQUIRE-
MENTS.—Not later than 18 months after the date of en-
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actment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall 
carry out the following: 
(1) Complete a study on how signage can be 
used to improve safety in the rail industry that in-
cludes— 
(A) a review of how signs used for other 
modes of transportation may be effectively used 
in the rail industry; 
(B) a review of how signs used in the rail-
road industry differ; and 
(C) an analysis of whether a uniform sys-
tem for speed signs across the United States 
rail system would benefit the railroad industry 
and improve safety. 
(2) Reevaluate seat securement mechanisms 
and the susceptibility of such mechanisms to inad-
vertent rotation, and identify a means to prevent the 
failure of such mechanisms to maintain seat secure-
ment. 
(3) Conduct research to evaluate the causes of 
passenger injuries in passenger railcar derailments 
and overturns and evaluate potential methods for 
mitigating such injuries. 
(4) Based on the research conducted under 
paragraph (3), develop occupant protection stand-
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831 
ards for passenger railcars that will mitigate pas-
senger injuries likely to occur during derailments 
and overturns. 
(5) Develop policies for the safe use of child 
seats to prevent uncontrolled or unexpected move-
ments in intercity passenger trains from disrupting 
the secure position of such seats. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS FOR AMTRAK.—Not later than 
18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, Amtrak 
shall— 
(1) ensure operating crewmembers demonstrate 
proficiency, under daylight and nighttime conditions, 
on the physical characteristics of a territory by using 
all resources available, including in-cab instruments, 
observation rides, throttle time, signage, signals, and 
landmarks; 
(2) ensure the proficiency required under para-
graph (1) is demonstrated on written examinations; 
(3) revise classroom and road training pro-
grams to ensure that operating crews fully under-
stand 
all 
locomotive 
operating 
characteristics, 
alarms, and the appropriate response to abnormal 
conditions; 
(4) require that all engineers undergo simulator 
training before operating new or unfamiliar equip-
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832 
ment (at a minimum, experience and respond prop-
erly to all alarms), and when possible, undergo simu-
lator training to experience normal and abnormal 
conditions on new territory before operating in rev-
enue service on such new territory; 
(5) ensure that simulator training specified in 
paragraph (4) supplements the hours engineers 
spend training on new equipment before becoming 
certified on such equipment and performing runs on 
new territory before becoming qualified on such ter-
ritory; 
(6) implement a formal, systematic approach to 
developing training and qualification programs to 
identify the most effective strategies for preparing 
crewmembers to safely operate new equipment on 
new territories; 
(7) work with host railroads and States that 
own infrastructure over which Amtrak operates to 
complete a comprehensive assessment of the terri-
tories to ensure that necessary wayside signs and 
plaques are identified, highly noticeable, and strate-
gically located to provide operating crews the infor-
mation needed to safely operate trains; 
(8) update the safety review process to ensure 
that all operating documents are up to date and ac-
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curate before initiating new or revised revenue oper-
ations; 
(9) incorporate all prerevenue service planning, 
construction, and route verification work into the 
scope of a corporate-wide system safety plan, includ-
ing through rules and policies, risk assessment anal-
yses, safety assurances, and safety promotions; and 
(10) conduct risk assessments on all new or up-
graded services that occur on Amtrak-owned terri-
tory, host railroads, or in States that own infra-
structure over which Amtrak operates. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 18 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary and Amtrak 
shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and In-
frastructure of the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate a report on their progress on meeting the require-
ments under subsections (a) and (b), respectively, includ-
ing a description of all completed elements of the require-
ments. 
SEC. 9508. ANNUAL REVIEW OF SPEED LIMIT ACTION 
PLANS. 
Section 11406 of the FAST Act (Public Law 114– 
94) is amended— 
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