---
kind: "section"
citation: "49 U.S.C. § 20148"
title: "49"
title_heading: "Transportation"
number: "20148"
heading: "Railroad car visibility"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/49/20148"
units:
  - "Subtitle V — Rail Programs"
  - "Part A — Safety"
  - "Chapter 201 — General"
  - "Subchapter II — Particular Aspects of Safety"
---

# §20148. Railroad car visibility

- (a) **Review of Rules.—** The [Secretary](/usc/49/22401.md?p=14) of Transportation shall conduct a review of the Department of Transportation’s rules with respect to [railroad](/usc/49/22401.md?p=12) car visibility. As part of this review, the [Secretary](/usc/49/22401.md?p=14) shall collect relevant data from operational experience by [railroads](/usc/49/22401.md?p=12) having enhanced visibility measures in service.
- (b) **Regulations.—** If the review conducted under [subsection (a)](#a) establishes that enhanced [railroad](/usc/49/22401.md?p=12) car visibility would likely improve safety in a cost-effective manner, the [Secretary](/usc/49/22401.md?p=14) shall initiate a rulemaking proceeding to prescribe regulations requiring enhanced visibility standards for newly manufactured and remanufactured [railroad](/usc/49/22401.md?p=12) cars. In such proceeding the [Secretary](/usc/49/22401.md?p=14) shall consider, at a minimum—
  - (1) visibility of [railroad](/usc/49/22401.md?p=12) cars from the perspective of nonrailroad traffic;
  - (2) whether certain [railroad](/usc/49/22401.md?p=12) car paint colors should be prohibited or required;
  - (3) the use of reflective materials;
  - (4) the visibility of lettering on [railroad](/usc/49/22401.md?p=12) cars;
  - (5) the effect of any enhanced visibility measures on the health and safety of train crew members; and
  - (6) the cost/benefit ratio of any new regulations.
- (c) **Exclusions.—** In prescribing regulations under [subsection (b)](#b), the [Secretary](/usc/49/22401.md?p=14) may exclude from any specific visibility requirement any category of trains or [railroad](/usc/49/22401.md?p=12) operations if the [Secretary](/usc/49/22401.md?p=14) determines that such an exclusion is in the public interest and is consistent with [railroad](/usc/49/22401.md?p=12) safety.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 103–440, title II, § 212(a), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4622.)