Railroad Safety and Positive Train Control Extension Act

Bill: 114-s-650
Sponsor: Sen. Blunt, Roy [R-MO]
Introduced: 2015-03-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Department of Transportation
Railroads
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2015-03-04
text: 

Railroad Safety and Positive Train Control Extension Act

 
 Revises the railroad safety risk reduction program.
 
Extends from December 31, 2015, to December 31, 2020, the deadline for submission to the Secretary of Transportation by each Class I railroad carrier and each entity providing regularly scheduled intercity or commuter rail passenger transportation of a plan for implementing a positive train control (PTC) system on certain of its tracks.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to extend the implementation deadline, upon application, in one-year increments, if specified circumstances exist. 
 
Directs the Secretary to revise federal regulations requiring a Class II or III railroad (including a tourist or excursion railroad) to equip its locomotives with an onboard PTC system to operate in PTC territory.
 
Extends for five years the time for such railroad to meet the deadline for equipping its locomotives with a PTC system.

action_date: 2016-09-22
text: 

Railroad Safety and Positive Train Control Extension Act

 
 (Sec. 2) This bill revises the railroad safety risk reduction program.
 
The bill extends from December 31, 2015, to December 31, 2020, the deadline for submission to the Department of Transportation (DOT) by each Class I railroad carrier and each entity providing regularly scheduled intercity or commuter rail passenger transportation of a plan for implementing a positive train control (PTC) system on certain of its tracks.
 
(Sec. 3) DOT may extend the implementation deadline, upon application, in one-year increments, if specified circumstances exist. 
 
(Sec. 4) The bill directs DOT to revise federal regulations requiring a Class II or III railroad (including a tourist or excursion railroad) to extend by five years the deadlines for equipping its locomotives with an onboard PTC system to operate in PTC territory and applicable reporting requirements.
 
(Sec. 5) The bill requires Class I railroad carriers and each entity providing regularly scheduled intercity or commuter rail passenger transportation to submit annual progress reports to DOT on the status of plans to implement a PTC system. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-09-22
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 641.
action_date: 2016-09-22
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Thune with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2016-09-22
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Thune with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2015-03-25
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2015-03-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2015-03-04
text: Introduced in Senate