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Senate Bill S9407

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Prohibits freight trains in excess of eight thousand five hundred feet in length

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Transportation Committee

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2023-S9407 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Transportation
Law Section:
Railroad Law
Laws Affected:
Add §52-f, Rail L
Versions Introduced in 2025-2026 Legislative Session:
S5748

2023-S9407 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Prohibits freight trains traveling on a track within the state from exceeding eight thousand five hundred feet in length; directs the commissioner of transportation to promulgate rules and regulations to establish a waiver process to permit the operation of freight trains in excess of eight thousand five hundred feet for situations as deemed appropriate by such commissioner.

2023-S9407 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S9407 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9407
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               May 15, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. HINCHEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
 
 AN ACT to amend the railroad law, in  relation  to  prohibiting  freight
   trains in excess of eight thousand five hundred feet in length
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. The railroad law is amended by adding a new section 52-f to
 read as follows:
   § 52-F. FREIGHT TRAIN LENGTH. NO FREIGHT TRAIN TRAVELING  ON  A  TRACK
 WITHIN  THE  STATE  SHALL  EXCEED  EIGHT  THOUSAND  FIVE HUNDRED FEET IN
 LENGTH. THE COMMISSIONER IS HEREBY EMPOWERED  TO  PROMULGATE  RULES  AND
 REGULATIONS  TO  ESTABLISH  A  WAIVER PROCESS TO PERMIT THE OPERATION OF
 FREIGHT TRAINS IN EXCESS OF EIGHT THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED FEET  FOR  SITU-
 ATIONS  WHERE  THE  COMMISSIONER DETERMINES SUCH WAIVER IS IN THE PUBLIC
 INTEREST AND UPON AN ENGINEER'S DETERMINATION  THAT  A  TRAIN  EXCEEDING
 EIGHT  THOUSAND  FIVE  HUNDRED  FEET IN LENGTH CAN OPERATE SAFELY ON THE
 PLANNED ROUTE.
   § 2.   This act shall take effect ninety  days  after  it  shall  have
 become  a law; provided, however, that this act shall be deemed repealed
 if any federal agency determines in writing that this act  would  render
 New  York state ineligible for the receipt of federal funds or any court
 of competent jurisdiction finally determines that this act would  render
 New  York  state  out  of compliance with federal law or regulation; and
 provided that the commissioner of transportation shall notify the legis-
 lative bill drafting commission upon any  such  determination  in  order
 that  the  commission may maintain an accurate and timely effective data
 base of the official text of the laws of the state of New York in furth-
 erance of effectuating the provisions of section 44 of  the  legislative
 law  and section 70-b of the public officers law. Effective immediately,
 the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or  regulation  neces-
 sary  for  the  implementation  of  this  act  on its effective date are
 authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD10350-04-3

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