Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 21, May 25, 2024
(a) A light shall be displayed on the head end of drafts of railroad cars being pushed or dropped over a public highway crossing, at grade, during hours of darkness, whether or not the tracks constitute a part of a railroad yard, except at times when such crossing is protected either by gates, watchmen, or train service employes.(b) No carrier shall, without Commission approval, remove the protection afforded by interlocking signals, crossing gates, watchmen, automatic crossing signals, or any other protection against accidents, or reduce the number of hours that manual protection is maintained, or substitute or alter any existing form of protection at crossings, at grade, of the tracks of a carrier across a public highway, or the tracks of another carrier.(c) Prior to installing automatic crossing signals at any unprotected crossing of a public highway, at grade, across its track or tracks, or at such a crossing, which is protected by fixed signs only, a carrier shall submit to the Commission plans of such proposed installation and receive approval of such plans.(d) This section and § § 33.21-33.23 and 33.31 (relating to State aid for protective devices; aid from the Commission; and regulation and procedure) may not prevent the placing of watchmen or gates at any public highway crossing, at grade, or an increase by a carrier of the number of hours, daily, during which any public highway crossing, at grade, shall be protected, nor prevent the temporary use of watchmen or increased protection during emergencies, nor limit the trial installation of experimental protection devices. However, the Commission shall be notified promptly of such experimental signal installations or temporary manual protection. Commission approval of such additional temporary or experimental protection will not be required nor will such approval be required for removal of such additional temporary or experimental protection.