§20303. Moving defective and insecure vehicles needing repairs — Inbound Citations

Citations to 49 U.S.C. § 20303 as a whole

• 49 U.S.C. § 20302(a)

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  (a) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section and section 20303 of this title, a railroad carrier may use or allow to be used on any of its railroad lines—

  (1) a vehicle only if it is equipped with—

  (A) couplers coupling automatically by impact, and capable of being uncoupled, without the necessity of individuals going between the ends of the vehicles;

  (B) secure sill steps and efficient hand brakes; and

  (C) secure ladders and running boards when required by the Secretary of Transportation, and, if ladders are required, secure handholds or grab irons on its roof at the top of each ladder;

  (2) except as otherwise ordered by the Secretary, a vehicle only if it is equipped with secure grab irons or handholds on its ends and sides for greater security to individuals in coupling and uncoupling vehicles;

  (3) a vehicle only if it complies with the standard height of drawbars required by regulations prescribed by the Secretary;

  (4) a locomotive only if it is equipped with a power-driving wheel brake and appliances for operating the train-brake system; and

  (5) a train only if—

  (A) enough of the vehicles in the train are equipped with power or train brakes so that the engineer on the locomotive hauling the train can control the train’s speed without the necessity of brake operators using the common hand brakes for that purpose; and

  (B) at least 50 percent of the vehicles in the train are equipped with power or train brakes and the engineer is using the power or train brakes on those vehicles and on all other vehicles equipped with them that are associated with those vehicles in the train.