TITLE 49 - US CODE - CHAPTER 249 - NORTHEAST CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

49 USC 24901 - Definitions

In this chapter
(1) final system plan means the final system plan (including additions) adopted by the United States Railway Association under the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 (45 U.S.C. 701 et seq.).
(2) rail carrier means an express carrier and a rail carrier as defined in section 10102 of this title, including Amtrak.

49 USC 24902 - Goals and requirements

(a) Managing Costs and Revenues.— 
Amtrak shall manage its operating costs, pricing policies, and other factors with the goal of having revenues derived each fiscal year from providing intercity rail passenger transportation over the Northeast Corridor route between the District of Columbia and Boston, Massachusetts, equal at least the operating costs of providing that transportation in that fiscal year.
(b) Priorities in Selecting and Scheduling Projects.— 
When selecting and scheduling specific projects, Amtrak shall apply the following considerations, in the following order of priority:
(1) Safety-related items should be completed before other items because the safety of the passengers and users of the Northeast Corridor is paramount.
(2) Activities that benefit the greatest number of passengers should be completed before activities involving fewer passengers.
(3) Reliability of intercity rail passenger transportation must be emphasized.
(4) Trip-time requirements of this section must be achieved to the extent compatible with the priorities referred to in paragraphs (1)(3) of this subsection.
(5) Improvements that will pay for the investment by achieving lower operating or maintenance costs should be carried out before other improvements.
(6) Construction operations should be scheduled so that the fewest possible passengers are inconvenienced, transportation is maintained, and the on-time performance of Northeast Corridor commuter rail passenger and rail freight transportation is optimized.
(7) Planning should focus on completing activities that will provide immediate benefits to users of the Northeast Corridor.
(c) Compatibility With Future Improvements and Production of Maximum Labor Benefits.— 
Improvements under this section shall be compatible with future improvements in transportation and shall produce the maximum labor benefit from hiring individuals presently unemployed.
(d) Automatic Train Control Systems.— 
A train operating on the Northeast Corridor main line or between the main line and Atlantic City shall be equipped with an automatic train control system designed to slow or stop the train in response to an external signal.
(e) High-Speed Transportation.— 
If practicable, Amtrak shall establish intercity rail passenger transportation in the Northeast Corridor that carries out section 703(1)(E) of the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 (Public Law 94210, 90 Stat. 121).
(f) Equipment Development.— 
Amtrak shall develop economical and reliable equipment compatible with track, operating, and marketing characteristics of the Northeast Corridor, including the capability to meet reliable trip times under section 703(1)(E) of the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 (Public Law 94210, 90 Stat. 121) in regularly scheduled revenue transportation in the Corridor, when the Northeast Corridor improvement program is completed. Amtrak must decide that equipment complies with this subsection before buying equipment with financial assistance of the Government. Amtrak shall submit a request for an authorization of appropriations for production of the equipment.
(g) Agreements for Off-Corridor Routing of Rail Freight Transportation.— 

(1) Amtrak may make an agreement with a rail freight carrier or a regional transportation authority under which the carrier will carry out an alternate off-corridor routing of rail freight transportation over rail lines in the Northeast Corridor between the District of Columbia and New York metropolitan areas, including intermediate points. The agreement shall be for at least 5 years.
(2) Amtrak shall apply to the Interstate Commerce Commission for approval of the agreement and all related agreements accompanying the application as soon as the agreement is made. If the Commission finds that approval is necessary to carry out this chapter, the Commission shall approve the application and related agreements not later than 90 days after receiving the application.
(3) If an agreement is not made under paragraph (1) of this subsection, Amtrak, with the consent of the other parties, may apply to the Interstate Commerce Commission. Not later than 90 days after the application, the Commission shall decide on the terms of an agreement if it decides that doing so is necessary to carry out this chapter. The decision of the Commission is binding on the other parties.
(h) Coordination.— 

(1) The Secretary of Transportation shall coordinate
(A) transportation programs related to the Northeast Corridor to ensure that the programs are integrated and consistent with the Northeast Corridor improvement program; and
(B) amounts from departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the Government to achieve urban redevelopment and revitalization in the vicinity of urban rail stations in the Northeast Corridor served by intercity and commuter rail passenger transportation.
(2) If the Secretary finds significant noncompliance with this section, the Secretary may deny financing to a noncomplying program until the noncompliance is corrected.
(i) Completion.— 
Amtrak shall give the highest priority to completing the program.
(j) Applicable Procedures.— 
No State or local building, zoning, subdivision, or similar or related law, nor any other State or local law from which a project would be exempt if undertaken by the Federal Government or an agency thereof within a Federal enclave wherein Federal jurisdiction is exclusive, including without limitation with respect to all such laws referenced herein above requirements for permits, actions, approvals or filings, shall apply in connection with the construction, ownership, use, operation, financing, leasing, conveying, mortgaging or enforcing a mortgage of
(i)  any improvement undertaken by or for the benefit of Amtrak as part of, or in furtherance of, the Northeast Corridor Improvement Project (including without limitation maintenance, service, inspection or similar facilities acquired, constructed or used for high speed trainsets) or chapter 241, 243, or 247 of this title or
(ii)  any land (and right, title or interest created with respect thereto) on which such improvement is located and adjoining, surrounding or any related land. These exemptions shall remain in effect and be applicable with respect to such land and improvements for the benefit of any mortgagee before, upon and after coming into possession of such improvements or land, any third party purchasers thereof in foreclosure (or through a deed in lieu of foreclosure), and their respective successors and assigns, in each case to the extent the land or improvements are used, or held for use, for railroad purposes or purposes accessory thereto. This subsection shall not apply to any improvement or related land unless Amtrak receives a Federal operating subsidy in the fiscal year in which Amtrak commits to or initiates such improvement.

49 USC 24903 - Repealed. Pub. L. 105134, title IV, 405(a), Dec. 2, 1997, 111 Stat. 2586]

Section, Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 933; Pub. L. 104–287, § 5(48), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3393, related to program master plan for Boston-New York main line.

49 USC 24904 - General authority

(a) General.— 
To carry out this chapter and the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 (45 U.S.C. 701 et seq.), Amtrak may
(1) acquire, maintain, and dispose of any interest in property used to provide improved high-speed rail transportation under section 24902 of this title;
(2) acquire, by condemnation or otherwise, any interest in real property that Amtrak considers necessary to carry out the goals of section 24902;
(3) provide for rail freight, intercity rail passenger, and commuter rail passenger transportation over property acquired under this section;
(4) improve rail rights of way between Boston, Massachusetts, and the District of Columbia (including the route through Springfield, Massachusetts, and routes to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and Albany, New York, from the Northeast Corridor main line) to achieve the goals of section 24902 of providing improved high-speed rail passenger transportation between Boston, Massachusetts, and the District of Columbia, and intermediate intercity markets;
(5) acquire, build, improve, and install passenger stations, communications and electric power facilities and equipment, public and private highway and pedestrian crossings, and other facilities and equipment necessary to provide improved high-speed rail passenger transportation over rights of way improved under clause (4) of this subsection;
(6) make agreements with other carriers and commuter authorities to grant, acquire, or make arrangements for rail freight or commuter rail passenger transportation over, rights of way and facilities acquired under the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 (45 U.S.C. 701 et seq.) and the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 (45 U.S.C. 801 et seq.); and
(7) appoint a general manager of the Northeast Corridor improvement program.
(b) Compensatory Agreements.— 
Rail freight and commuter rail passenger transportation provided under subsection (a)(3) of this section shall be provided under compensatory agreements with the responsible carriers.
(c) Compensation for Transportation Over Certain Rights of Way and Facilities.— 

(1) An agreement under subsection (a)(6) of this section shall provide for reasonable reimbursement of costs but may not cross-subsidize intercity rail passenger, commuter rail passenger, and rail freight transportation.
(2) If the parties do not agree, the Interstate Commerce Commission shall order that the transportation continue over facilities acquired under the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 (45 U.S.C. 701 et seq.) and the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 (45 U.S.C. 801 et seq.) and shall determine compensation (without allowing cross-subsidization between intercity rail passenger and rail freight transportation) for the transportation not later than 120 days after the dispute is submitted. The Commission shall assign to a rail freight carrier obtaining transportation under this subsection the costs Amtrak incurs only for the benefit of the carrier, plus a proportionate share of all other costs of providing transportation under this paragraph incurred for the common benefit of Amtrak and the carrier. The proportionate share shall be based on relative measures of volume of car operations, tonnage, or other factors that reasonably reflect the relative use of rail property covered by this subsection.
(3) This subsection does not prevent the parties from making an agreement under subsection (a)(6) of this section after the Commission makes a decision under this subsection.

49 USC 24905 - Coordination board and safety committee

(a) Northeast Corridor Coordination Board.— 

(1) The Northeast Corridor Coordination Board is composed of the following members:
(A) one individual from each commuter authority (as defined in section 1135(a) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 (45 U.S.C. 1104)) that provides or makes a contract to provide commuter rail passenger transportation over the main line of the Northeast Corridor.
(B) 2 individuals selected by Amtrak.
(C) one individual selected by the Consolidated Rail Corporation.
(2) The Board shall recommend to Amtrak
(A) policies that ensure equitable access to the Northeast Corridor, considering the need for equitable access by commuter and intercity rail passenger transportation and the requirements of section 24308 (c) of this title; and
(B) equitable policies for the Northeast Corridor related to
(i) dispatching;
(ii) public information;
(iii) maintaining equipment and facilities;
(iv) major capital facility investments; and
(v) harmonizing equipment acquisitions, rates, and schedules.
(3) The Board may recommend to the board of directors and President of Amtrak action necessary to resolve differences on providing transportation, except for facilities and transportation matters under section 24308 (a) or 24904 (a)(5) and (c) of this title.
(b) Northeast Corridor Safety Committee.— 

(1) The Northeast Corridor Safety Committee is composed of members appointed by the Secretary of Transportation. The members shall be representatives of
(A) the Secretary;
(B) Amtrak;
(C) freight carriers operating more than 150,000 train miles a year on the main line of the Northeast Corridor;
(D) commuter agencies;
(E) rail passengers;
(F) rail labor; and
(G) other individuals and organizations the Secretary decides have a significant interest in rail safety.
(2) The Secretary shall consult with the Committee about safety improvements on the Northeast Corridor main line. The Committee shall meet at least once every 2 years to consider safety matters on the main line.
(3) At the beginning of the first session of each Congress, the Secretary shall submit a report to Congress on the status of efforts to improve safety on the Northeast Corridor main line. The report shall include the safety recommendations of the Committee and the comments of the Secretary on those recommendations.
(4) The Committee shall cease to exist on January 1, 1999, or on another date the Secretary decides is appropriate. The Secretary shall notify Congress in writing of a decision to terminate the Committee on another date.

49 USC 24906 - Eliminating highway at-grade crossings

(a) Plan.— 
In consultation with the States on the main line of the Northeast Corridor, the Secretary of Transportation shall develop a plan not later than September 30, 1993, to eliminate all highway at-grade crossings of the main line by not later than December 31, 1997. The plan may provide that eliminating a crossing is not required if
(1) impracticable or unnecessary; and
(2) using the crossing is consistent with conditions the Secretary considers appropriate to ensure safety.
(b) Amtrak’s Share of Costs.— 
Amtrak shall pay 20 percent of the cost of eliminating each highway at-grade crossing under the plan.

49 USC 24907 - Note and mortgage

(a) General Authority.— 
To secure amounts expended by the United States Government to acquire and improve rail property designated under section 206(c)(1)(C) and (D) of the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 (45 U.S.C. 716 (c)(1)(C) and (D)), the Secretary of Transportation may obtain a note of indebtedness from, and make a mortgage agreement with, Amtrak to establish a mortgage lien on the property for the Government. The note and mortgage may not supersede section 24904 of this title.
(b) Exemptions From Laws and Regulations.— 
The note and agreement under subsection (a) of this section, and a transaction related to the note or agreement, are exempt from any United States, State, or local law or regulation that regulates securities or the issuance of securities. The note, agreement, or transaction under this section has the same immunities from other laws that section 601 of the Act (45 U.S.C. 791) gives to transactions that comply with or carry out the final system plan. The transfer of rail property because of the note, agreement, or transaction has the same exemptions, privileges, and immunities that the Act (45 U.S.C. 701 et seq.) gives to a transfer ordered or approved by the special court under section 303(b) of the Act (45 U.S.C. 743 (b)).
(c) Immunity From Liability and Indemnification.— 
Amtrak, its board of directors, and its individual directors are not liable because Amtrak has given or issued the note or agreement to the Government under subsection (a) of this section. Immunity granted under this subsection also applies to a transaction related to the note or agreement. The Government shall indemnify Amtrak, its board, and individual directors against costs and expenses actually and reasonably incurred in defending a civil action testing the validity of the note, agreement, or transaction.

49 USC 24908 - Transfer taxes and levies and recording charges

A transfer of an interest in rail property under this chapter is exempt from a tax or levy related to the transfer that is imposed by the United States Government, a State, or a political subdivision of a State. On payment of the appropriate and generally applicable charge for the service performed, a transferee or transferor may record an instrument and, consistent with the final system plan, the release or removal of a pre-existing lien or encumbrance of record related to the interest transferred.

49 USC 24909 - Authorization of appropriations

(a) General.— 

(1) Not more than $2,313,000,000 may be appropriated to the Secretary of Transportation to achieve the goals of section 24902 (a)(1)1 of this title. From this amount, the following amounts shall be expended by Amtrak:
(A) at least $27,000,000 for equipment modification and replacement that a State or a local or regional transportation authority must bear because of the electrification conversion system of the Northeast Corridor under this chapter.
(B) $30,000,000
(i) to improve the main line track between the Northeast Corridor main line and Atlantic City, New Jersey, to ensure that the track, consistent with a plan New Jersey developed in consultation with Amtrak to provide rail passenger transportation between the Northeast Corridor main line and Atlantic City, New Jersey, would be of sufficient quality to allow safe rail passenger transportation at a minimum of 79 miles an hour not later than September 30, 1985; and
(ii) to promote rail passenger use of the track.
(C) necessary amounts to
(i) develop Union Station in the District of Columbia;
(ii) install 189 track-miles, and renew 133 track-miles, of concrete ties with continuously welded rail between the District of Columbia and New York, New York;
(iii) install reverse signaling between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Morrisville, Pennsylvania, on numbers 2 and 3 track;
(iv) restore ditch drainage in concrete tie locations between the District of Columbia and New York, New York;
(v) undercut 83 track-miles between the District of Columbia and New York, New York;
(vi) rehabilitate bridges between the District of Columbia and New York, New York (including Hi line);
(vii) develop a maintenance of way equipment repair facility between the District of Columbia and New York, New York, and build maintenance of way bases at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Sunnyside, New York, and Cedar Hill, Connecticut;
(viii) stabilize the roadbed between the District of Columbia and New York, New York;
(ix) automate the Bush River Drawbridge at milepost 72.14;
(x) improve the New York Service Facility to develop rolling stock repair capability;
(xi) install a rail car washer facility at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania;
(xii) restore storage tracks and buildings at the Washington Service Facility;
(xiii) install centralized traffic control from Landlith, Delaware, to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania;
(xiv) improve track, including high speed surfacing, ballast cleaning, and associated equipment repair and material distribution;
(xv) rehabilitate interlockings between the District of Columbia and New York, New York;
(xvi) paint the Connecticut River, Groton, and Pelham Bay bridges;
(xvii) provide additional catenary renewal and power supply upgrading between the District of Columbia and New York, New York;
(xviii) rehabilitate structural, electrical, and mechanical systems at the 30th Street Station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania;
(xix) install evacuation and fire protection facilities in tunnels in New York, New York;
(xx) improve the communication and signal systems between Wilmington, Delaware, and Boston, Massachusetts, on the Northeast Corridor main line, and between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on the Harrisburg Line;
(xxi) improve the electric traction systems between Wilmington, Delaware, and Newark, New Jersey;
(xxii) install baggage rack restraints, seat back guards, and seat lock devices on 348 passenger cars operating in the Northeast Corridor;
(xxiii) install 44 event recorders and 10 electronic warning devices on locomotives operating within the Northeast Corridor; and
(xxiv) acquire cab signal test boxes and install 9 wayside loop code transmitters for use within the Northeast Corridor.
(2) The following additional amounts may be appropriated to the Secretary for expenditure by Amtrak:
(A) not more than $150,000,000 to achieve the goal of section 24902 (a)(3)1 of this title.
(B) not more than $120,000,000 to acquire interests in property in the Northeast Corridor.
(C) not more than $650,000 to develop and use mobile radio frequencies for passenger radio mobile telephone service on high-speed rail passenger transportation.
(D) not more than $20,000,000 to acquire and improve interests in rail property designated under section 206(c)(1)(D) of the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 (45 U.S.C. 716 (c)(1)(D)).
(E) not more than $37,000,000 to carry out section 24902 (a)(7) and (j)1 of this title.
(b) Emergency Maintenance.— 
Not more than $25,000,000 of the amount appropriated under the Act of February 28, 1975 (Public Law 946, 89 Stat. 11), may be used by Amtrak for emergency maintenance on rail property designated under section 206(c)(1)(C) of the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 (45 U.S.C. 716 (c)(1)(C)).
(c) Priority in Using Certain Amounts.— 
Amounts appropriated under subsection (a)(2)(B) and (D) of this section shall be used first to repay, with interest, obligations guaranteed under section 602 of the Rail Passenger Service Act, if the proceeds of those obligations were used to pay the expenses of acquiring interests in property referred to in subsection (a)(2)(B) and (D).
(d) Prohibition on Subsidizing Commuter and Freight Operating Losses.— 
Amounts appropriated under this section may not be used to subsidize operating losses of commuter rail or rail freight transportation.
(e) Substituting and Deferring Certain Improvements.— 

(1) A project for which amounts are authorized under subsection (a)(1)(C) of this section is a part of the Northeast Corridor improvement program and is not a substitute for improvements specified in the document Corridor Master Plan II, NECIP Restructured Program of January, 1982. However, Amtrak may defer the project to carry out the improvement and rehabilitation for which amounts are authorized under subsection (a)(1)(B) of this section. The total cost of the project that Amtrak defers may not be substantially more than the amount Amtrak is required to expend or reserve under subsection (a)(1)(B).
(2) Section 24902 of this title is deemed not to be fulfilled until the projects under subsection (a)(1)(C) of this section are completed.
(f) Availability of Amounts.— 
Amounts appropriated under subsection (a)(1) and (2)(A) and (C)(E) of this section remain available until expended.
(g) Authorizations Increased by Prior Year Deficiencies.— 
An amount greater than that authorized for a fiscal year may be appropriated to the extent that the amount appropriated for any prior fiscal year is less than the amount authorized for that year.
[1] See References in Text note below.