Title 49

SECTION 234.301

234.301 Definitions.

§ 234.301 Definitions.

As used in this subpart -

Answering machine means either a device or a voicemail system that allows a telephone caller to leave a recorded message to report an unsafe condition at a highway-rail or pathway grade crossing, as described in § 234.303(c) and (d), and the railroad is able to retrieve the recorded message either remotely or on-site.

Automated answering system means a type of answering system that directs a telephone caller to a single menu of options, where the caller has the choice to select one of the available options to report an unsafe condition at a highway-rail or pathway grade crossing, as described in § 234.303(c) and (d), and immediately after selecting one of the available menu options, the caller is transferred to a live telephone operator.

Class II and Class III have the meaning assigned by regulations of the Surface Transportation Board (49 CFR part 1201; General Instructions 1-1), as those regulations may be revised and applied by order of the Board (including modifications in class threshold based on revenue deflator adjustments).

Dispatches a train or dispatches trains means dispatches or otherwise provides the authority for the movement of the train or trains through a highway-rail or pathway grade crossing.

Dispatching railroad means a railroad that dispatches or otherwise provides the authority for the movement of one or more trains through a highway-rail or pathway grade crossing.

Emergency Notification System means a system in place by which a railroad receives, processes, and responds to telephonic reports of an unsafe condition at a highway-rail or pathway grade crossing. An Emergency Notification System includes the following components:

(1) The signs, placed and maintained at the grade crossings that display the information necessary for the public to report an unsafe condition at the grade crossing to the dispatching railroad by telephone;

(2) The method that the railroad uses to receive and process a telephone call reporting the unsafe condition;

(3) The remedial actions that a railroad takes to address the report of the unsafe condition; and

(4) The recordkeeping conducted by a railroad in response to the report of the unsafe condition at the grade crossing.

ENS means Emergency Notification System as defined in this section.

Farm grade crossing means a type of highway-rail grade crossing where a private roadway used for the movement of farm motor vehicles, farm machinery, or livestock in connection with agricultural pursuits, forestry, or other land-productive purposes crosses one or more railroad tracks at grade.

Highway-rail and pathway grade crossing means a highway-rail grade crossing and a pathway grade crossing.

Highway-rail or pathway grade crossing means either a highway-rail grade crossing or a pathway grade crossing.

Maintaining railroad means the entity (e.g., track owner or lessee) that is responsible for maintenance of the highway-rail or pathway grade crossing warning device, or for maintenance of other aspects of the highway-rail or pathway grade crossing. If the maintenance responsibility is handled by a contractor, such as maintaining a grade crossing warning system or track structure at the highway-rail or pathway grade crossing, then the contractor is considered the “maintaining railroad” for the purposes of this subpart.

Public report of warning system malfunction or public report of warning system malfunction at a highway-rail grade crossing means a report that contains specific information regarding a warning system malfunction at a highway-rail grade crossing that is supplied to a railroad via the ENS by a member of the public who does not belong to one of the categories of individuals listed in the definition of Credible report of warning system malfunction or credible report of warning system malfunction at a highway-rail grade crossing in § 234.5.

Third-party telephone service means a service that receives telephonic reports of unsafe conditions at highway-rail and pathway grade crossings on behalf of a railroad. A third-party telephone service that receives reports on behalf of a dispatching railroad is the only entity between the receipt of the report from the telephone caller and the transmission of the report to the dispatching railroad. A third-party telephone service that receives reports on behalf of a maintaining railroad is the only entity between the receipt of the report from a dispatching railroad and the transmission of the report to the maintaining railroad.

Warning system failure at a pathway grade crossing means failure of an active pathway grade crossing warning system to perform as intended.

[77 FR 35191, June 12, 2012, as amended at 85 FR 80660, Dec. 14, 2020]

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