---
kind: "section"
citation: "49 U.S.C. § 20146"
title: "49"
title_heading: "Transportation"
number: "20146"
heading: "Institute for Railroad Safety"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/49/20146"
units:
  - "Subtitle V — Rail Programs"
  - "Part A — Safety"
  - "Chapter 201 — General"
  - "Subchapter II — Particular Aspects of Safety"
---

# §20146. Institute for Railroad Safety


The [Secretary](/usc/49/22401.md?p=14) of Transportation, in conjunction with a university or college having expertise in transportation safety, shall establish, within one year after November 2, 1994, an Institute for [Railroad](/usc/49/22401.md?p=12) Safety. The Institute shall research, develop, fund, and test measures for reducing the number of fatalities and injuries relevant to [railroad](/usc/49/22401.md?p=12) operations. There are authorized to be appropriated to the [Secretary](/usc/49/22401.md?p=14) $1,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1996 through 2000 to fund activities carried out under this section by the Institute, which shall report at least once each year on its use of such funds in carrying out such activities and the results thereof to the [Secretary](/usc/49/22401.md?p=14) of Transportation and the Congress.


## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 103–440, title II, § 210(a), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4621; amended Pub. L. 104–287, § 5(49), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3393.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1996—Pub. L. 104–287 substituted “November 2, 1994” for “the date of enactment of the Federal Railroad Safety Authorization Act of 1994”.