BILL ANALYSIS
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 62|
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UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Bill No: SB 62
Author: Morrow (R), et al
Amended: 9/10/01
Vote: 27 - Urgency
SENATE ENERGY, U.&C. COMMITTEE : 8-0, 6/12/01
AYES: Bowen, Morrow, Alarcon, Battin, Murray, Sher,
Speier, Vincent
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
SENATE FLOOR : 37-0, 7/2/01
AYES: Ackerman, Alarcon, Alpert, Battin, Bowen, Brulte,
Burton, Chesbro, Costa, Dunn, Escutia, Figueroa, Haynes,
Johannessen, Johnson, Karnette, Knight, Kuehl, Machado,
Margett, McClintock, McPherson, Monteith, Morrow, Murray,
O'Connell, Oller, Ortiz, Perata, Poochigian, Romero,
Scott, Sher, Soto, Speier, Torlakson, Vincent
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : Not available
SUBJECT : Railroad crossings: automated warning devices
SOURCE : The California Railroad Industry
DIGEST : This bill (a) clarifies the requirements and
exceptions for a pilot project that relates to audible
warning devices, and (b) extends to additional locations
the proposed pilot project.
Assembly amendments incorporate changes proposed by AB 1249
CONTINUED
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to avoid chaptering conflicts.
ANALYSIS : Current law requires the sounding of a
locomotive bell or whistle at least 1,320 feet from the
place where the railroad crosses any street. An exception
is made where the railroad crossing has a permanently
installed audible warning device authorized by the
California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) that
automatically sounds when an approaching train is at least
1,320 feet from the crossing.
Current law authorizes the CPUC to conduct pilot projects
for the purpose of evaluating proposed railroad crossing
warning devices and declares legislative intent that the
CPUC authorize pilot projects in Roseville and Lathrop.
This bill changes the exception to apply when the audible
warning device automatically sounds when an approaching
train is at least 20 seconds from the intersection, rather
than when it's 1,320 feet from the intersection.
The bill adds the cities of Fremont and Newark to the list
of cities cited in the codified intent language as
potential test cities for the wayside horn.
The bill is joined to AB 1249 (Daucher) to avoid chaptering
out problems.
Background
The City of Roseville has asked the CPUC for permission to
create a pilot project to install an automated horn system
at two railroad crossings as an alternative to having
trains sound their whistles as they approach the crossings.
This automated horn system, known as a "wayside horn," has
the potential to reduce noise pollution because the horns
are stationary, located at the crossing, and can be
directed down the street - as opposed to a train whistle,
which sounds for about a quarter mile as a train approaches
a crossing.
SB 1491 (Leslie), Chapter 263, Statutes of 2000, was
enacted to authorize a test of the wayside horn . It
permitted the use of the horn as long as it sounded when
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the train was within 1,320 feet of the intersection. If
the train were moving slowly, the horn would sound for an
unnecessarily long time, which would likely annoy residents
and defeat one of the purposes of the wayside horn, which
is to reduce, not increase, noise pollution. Modern grade
crossings employ gate and light systems which use motion
sensing technology to activate when the train is within
about 25 seconds, but not less than 20 seconds, of an
intersection, taking into account the speed of the train.
The CPUC wants to tie the wayside horn activation to the
gate and light system activation, and needs to change the
law in order to accomplish that goal. Without this bill
the wayside horn pilot projects authorized by last year's
bill cannot proceed.
For train buffs, this 20 second warning provides adequate
time for the horn to sound two long whistles, one short,
then one long, and to repeat that sequence at least once.
(Once the train occupies the intersection, the horn stops.)
This is the same sound sequence that engineers on the
train sound.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
Minor costs, if any, to CPUC for its oversight activities.
SUPPORT : (Verified 9/10/01)
The California Railroad Industry (source)
City of Newark
United Transportation Union
NC:sl 9/12/01 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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