BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  SB 1491
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   July 5, 2000

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS 
                              Carole Migden, Chairwoman

                    SB 1491 (Leslie) - As Amended:  May 24, 2000 

          Policy Committee:                              
          TransportationVote:16-1

          Urgency:     Yes                  State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:               

           SUMMARY  

          This bill modifies the requirement that a locomotive engineer  
          sound the warning horn when the locomotive approaches a railroad  
          crossing where there is no grade separation, as follows:

          1)Eliminates the requirement that the warning horn be sounded  
            for railroad crossings equipped with a permanent audible  
            warning device that automatically sounds as the locomotive  
            approaches.

          2)Allows the California Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to  
            supervise the operation of test trials to evaluate proposed  
            crossing warning devices or new technology at railroad  
            crossings with the consent of affected local jurisdictions,  
            the affected railroad and other interested parties.

          3)Expresses legislative intent that these authorized tests  
            include the communities of Roseville and Lathrop. 

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Minor costs, if any, to the PUC to authorize the testing of  
          these automated warning devices at a small number of railroad  
          crossings.  (PUC Transportation Reimbursement Account.) 

           COMMENTS  

           Rationale  .   The author intends to provide options to local  
          jurisdictions seeking to abate the public nuisance resulting  
          from engineers sounding locomotive warning horns when  
          approaching a railroad crossing that is located in a populated  








                                                                  SB 1491
                                                                  Page  2

          area.  The permanently affixed warning signal, known as a  
          "wayside horn", help to reduce noise pollution because the  
          horn's noise is directed only at the street and eliminates the  
          need for the engineer to sound the locomotive's horn at a  
          distance of  mile from the crossing.

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Steve Archibald / APPR. / (916)319-2081