S-4055 _______________________________________________
SENATE BILL NO. 6660
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State of Washington 50th Legislature 1988 Regular Session
By Senators Conner, Patterson, Warnke, Hansen, von Reichbauer, McMullen, Bender, DeJarnatt, Owen, Zimmerman and Smith
Read first time 1/29/88 and referred to Committee on Transportation.
AN ACT Relating to railroad track motor car equipment; adding a new section to chapter 81.44 RCW; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that it is of paramount importance to provide safe travel and safe working conditions for those who ride and work upon the railroads of this state. The legislature further finds that the use of devices to prevent the activation of railroad signals which alert railroad personnel to the presence of maintenance of equipment or personnel on the tracks can be hazardous to the maintenance workers. The legislature declares that all railroad track motorized equipment should be equipped so that warning signals are activated to inform railroad personnel of their presence.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 81.44 RCW to read as follows:
It shall be unlawful after January 1, 1989, for any person, firm, or corporation operating or controlling any common carrier railroad running through or within this state to operate or use any track motor car which is equipped with devices which insulate or otherwise circumvent the flow of electrical current in the railroad track and which result in the failure of railroad signals to activate to alert railroad personnel of the presence of motorized vehicles on the track. All track motor vehicles shall, after January 1, 1989, activate those railroad signals which alert railroad personnel of the presence of those vehicles on the railroad tracks.