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Title 49 — Transportation

Part A · Chapter 205 — Signal Systems

§ 20504. Inspection, testing, and investigation

Statutory text

(a)

Systems in Use.—

(1)

The Secretary of Transportation may—

(A)

inspect and test a signal system used by a railroad carrier; and

(B)

decide whether the system is in safe operating condition.

(2)

In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary may employ only an individual who—

(A)

has no interest in a patented article required to be used on or with a signal system; and

(B)

has no financial interest in a railroad carrier or in a concern dealing in railroad supplies.

(b)

Systems Submitted for Investigation and Testing.—

The Secretary may investigate, test, and report on the use of and need for a signal system, without cost to the United States Government, when the system is submitted in completed shape for investigation and testing.

Legislative history

Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.

  1. Pub. L. 103–272 § 1(e) · 108 Stat. 745

    Enacted · 49 U.S.C. § 20504

    (Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 884.)

    Source evidence

    Code source credit
    (Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 884.)

    Enacted provision · exact public law section
    Section 1. subtitles ii, ii, and v-x of title 49, united states code (a) Certain general and permanent laws of the 49 USC prec. 101 note. United States, related to transportation, are revised, codified, and enacted by subsections (c)–(e) of this section without substantive change as subtitles II, III, and V–X of title 49, United States Code, “Transportation”. Those laws may be cited as “49 U.S.C. ________”. (b) Title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking the table of subtitles at the beginning of the title and substituting the following new table of subtitles: “Subtitle “I. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION “II. OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES “III. GENERAL AND INTERMODAL PROGRAMS “IV. INTERSTATE COMMERCE “V. RAIL PROGRAMS “VI. MOTOR VEHICLE AND DRIVER PROGRAMS “VII. AVIATION PROGRAMS “VIII. PIPELINES “IX. COMMERCIAL SPACE TRANSPORTATION “X. MISCELLANEOUS (c) Title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking subtitle II, except that chapter 31 (comprising sections 3101–3104) of subtitle II is redesignated and restated as chapter 315 (comprising sections 31501–31504) of subtitle VI of title 49, as enacted by subsection (e) of this section. (d) Title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding the following immediately after subtitle I:

1 of 1 references resolved to an enrolled provision

Notes

historicalAndRevision
Historical and Revision Notes
RevisedSectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large)
20504(a)49 App.:26(d).Feb. 4, 1887, ch. 104, 24 Stat. 379, § 25(d); added Feb. 28, 1920, ch. 91, § 441, 41 Stat. 498; restated Aug. 26, 1937, ch. 818, 50 Stat. 836; Sept. 18, 1940, ch. 722, § 14(b), 54 Stat. 919; June 22, 1988, Pub. L. 100–342, § 17(4), (8), 102 Stat. 635, 636.
 49 App.:1655(e)(6)(A).Oct. 15, 1966, Pub. L. 89–670, § 6(e)(1)(I), (6)(A), 80 Stat. 939.
20504(b)45:36.May 27, 1908, ch. 200, § 1 (1st complete par. on p. 325), 35 Stat. 325.
 49 App.:1655(e)(1)(I).

In subsection (a)(1)(B), the words “safe operating condition” are substituted for “proper condition to operate and provide adequate safety” to eliminate unnecessary words.

In subsection (a)(2), before clause (A), the text of 49:26(d) (2d sentence) is omitted because of 5:3101. The text of 49:26(d) (3d sentence) is omitted because of 5:ch. 33. The words “In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary may employ” are substituted for “shall be used for such purpose” for clarity. In clause (A), the words “either directly or indirectly” are omitted as surplus.

In subsection (b), the word “experimentally” is omitted as surplus. The words “signal system” are substituted for “any appliances or systems intended to promote the safety of railway operation” because of the definition of “signal system” in section 20501 of the revised title. The text of 45:36 (last sentence) is omitted because of 49:323.

Credits

(Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), , 108 Stat. 884.)

Parsed from the official OLRC USLM XML in data/usc_all/usc49.xml · release point 119-108 · OLRC build 2026-05-04

USLM identifier /us/usc/t49/s20504