What's happening
This bill requires train operators in New York City to fully stop and visually check tracks before entering stations, proceeding at no more than five miles per hour if clear.
Why it matters
Significantly impacts train schedules and commute times. Requiring every train to come to a full stop and proceed slowly into every station could result in substantial delays, affecting the daily routines of millions of New Yorkers and potentially requiring schedule overhauls.
Aims to reduce track-related accidents and fatalities. By mandating a visual check for people on the rails before entering stations, the bill directly targets incidents involving individuals on the tracks—potentially reducing injuries and deaths, including those related to suicides, accidents, or trespassing.
Imposes new operational and training demands on transit staff. Train operators would need enhanced training for consistent visual assessments, and transit authorities may need to update safety protocols and invest in monitoring equipment or station modifications to ensure compliance.
Could have financial implications for the transit system. The slower operations may reduce system capacity and increase operating costs, while any safety benefits could potentially lower liability or emergency response expenditures.
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Who cares
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Trains Must Stop Before Stations
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
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History
- Referred to transportation
- Referred to transportation
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6091
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 23, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. CRESPO -- read once and referred to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the railroad law and the transportation law, in relation to requiring train operators to completely stop trains prior to entering stations located within a city of over one million inhabitants
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The railroad law is amended by adding a new section 56-a to read as follows:
§ 56-a. Trains must stop prior to entering stations in cities of over one million inhabitants. Operators of all trains operating to and from stations within cities of over one million inhabitants on tracks over which there are regularly scheduled passenger movements shall be required to bring the train to a complete stop prior to entering each station, whereupon the operator shall make a visual assessment of the forthcoming rails to ensure no persons are present on the rails. Only after making such a visual assessment that the rails at each station are clear can the operator propel the train forward into the station at a maximum speed of five miles per hour.
§ 2. Section 406 of the transportation law, as amended by chapter 505 of the laws of 2011, is amended by adding a new subdivision 4 to read as follows:
4. In compliance with section fifty-six-a of the railroad law, the New York city transit authority track safety task force shall modify the on-track safety program to require operators of all trains operating to and from stations located within New York city on tracks over which there are regularly scheduled passenger movements to bring the train to a complete stop prior to entering each station, whereupon the operator shall make a visual assessment of the forthcoming rails to ensure no persons are present on the rails. Only after making such a visual assessment that the rails at each station are clear can the operator propel the train into the station at a maximum speed of five miles per hour.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07996-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.