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Pennsylvania House of Representatives
04/24/2024 06:29 AM
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=H&SPick=20190&cosponId=28946
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House of Representatives
Session of 2019 - 2020 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: March 21, 2019 03:29 PM
From: Representative Stephen Barrar
To: All House members
Subject: Increasing Railroad Penalty
 

In the near future, I intend to introduce legislation that would amend Title 75 (Vehicle Code) to increase the penalty for railroad trains blocking a crossing from $25 to $500.

Under current law, any person or government agency shall not prevent the vehicular use of a roadway for a period of time in excess of five consecutive minutes except under the following circumstances:
  1. When necessary to comply with signals affecting the safety of the movement of trains
  2. When necessary to avoid striking any object or person on the track
  3. When the train is disabled
  4. When the train is in motion except while engaged in switching operations
  5. When there is no vehicular traffic waiting to use the crossing
  6. When necessary to comply with a governmental safety regulation.

Including a much steeper penalty in law for a violation will incentivize operators of railroad trains to be more proactive in ensuring that crossings in roadways are not blocked and jeopardizing the ability for emergency responders to provide emergency services when time is of the essence.

Please consider joining me in sponsoring this legislation.

Introduced as HB1340