Railroad safety; minimum train crew used in movement of freight, civil penalties.

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Railroad Safety Law

This law requires railroad companies to have at least two qualified individuals on trains moving freight and sets fines for not following this rule.

What This Bill Does

• Requires a crew of at least two qualified individuals on all trains, locomotives, or light engines used in connection with moving freight.
• Sets civil penalties ranging from $500 to $2,000 for the first violation within three years.
• Increases the penalty to between $1,000 and $5,000 for a second violation within three years.
• Imposes fines of at least $5,000 but no more than $10,000 for third or subsequent violations within three years.

Who It Names or Affects

• Railroad companies that move freight in Virginia.

Terms To Know

railroad company

A business that operates trains and tracks to transport goods and people.

civil penalties

Fines or other punishments for breaking a law, usually set by an administrative agency.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify what happens if the railroad company violates the rule more than three times.
• It is unclear how the Commission will decide on the exact amount of fines within the given ranges.

Official Summary Text

Railroad safety; minimum
train crew; movement of freight; civil penalties.
Requires a crew of at least two qualified individuals on all trains, locomotives, or light engines used in connection with moving freight. The bill requires a railroad company that violates its provisions to pay certain fines for first, second, and third or subsequent violations within three years.

Current Bill Text

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 7 of Chapter 13 of Title 56 a section numbered
56-425.1
, relating to railroad safety; minimum train crew; movement of freight; civil penalties.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Article 7 of Chapter 13 of Title 56 a section numbered
56-425.1
as follows:

§
56-425.1
. Minimum train crew; movement of freight; civil penalties.

A.
No
railroad
company shall use or allow the use
of
any train, locomotive, or light engine in connection with the movement of freight unless
such
train, locomotive, or light engine has a crew consisting of at least two qualifie
d individuals. No provision of this section shall apply to the use of a train, locomotive, or light engine for hostler or utility service.

B.
Any railroad company
in violation of
the provisions of this section shall
,

in the discretion of the Commission,
be fined not less than $500 nor more than $2,000. For a second violation within three years, such railroad company
shall, in the discretion of the Commission,
be fined

not less than $1,000 nor more than $5,000. For a third or subsequent violation within three years of the first violation, such railroad company shall
,

in the discretion of the Commission,
be fined

not less than $5,000 nor more than $10,000. The number of violations within three years shall be measured by the dates
on which suc
h
violations occur.