Sec. 22422. NATIONAL ACADEMIES STUDY ON TRAINS LONGER THAN 7,500 FEET

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## SEC. 22422 NATIONAL ACADEMIES STUDY ON TRAINS LONGER THAN 7,500 FEET ###

(a)Study The Secretary shall seek to enter into an agreement with the National Academies to conduct a study on the operation of freight trains that are longer than 7,500 feet. ###

(b)Elements The study conducted pursuant to subsection

(a)shall— ####

(1)examine any potential impacts to safety from the operation of freight trains that are longer than 7,500 feet and the mitigation of any identified risks, including— #####

(A)any potential changes in the risk of loss of communications between the end of train device and the locomotive cab, including communications over differing terrains and conditions; #####

(B)any potential changes in the risk of loss of radio communications between crew members when a crew member alights from the train, including communications over differing terrains and conditions; #####

(C)any potential changes in the risk of derailments, including any risks associated with in-train compressive forces and slack action or other safety risks in the operations of such trains in differing terrains and conditions; #####

(D)any potential impacts associated with the deployment of multiple distributed power units in the consists of such trains; and #####

(E)any potential impacts on braking and locomotive performance and track wear and tear; ####

(2)evaluate any impacts on scheduling and efficiency of passenger operations and in the shipping of goods by freight as a result of longer trains; ####

(3)determine whether additional engineer and conductor training is required for safely operating such trains; ####

(4)assess the potential impact on the amount of time and frequency of occurrence highway-rail grade crossings are occupied; and ####

(5)identify any potential environmental impacts, including greenhouse gas emissions, that have resulted from the operation of longer trains. ###

(c)Comparison When evaluating the potential impacts of the operation of trains longer than 7,500 feet under subsection (b), the impacts of such trains shall be compared to the impacts of trains that are shorter than 7,500 feet, after taking into account train frequency. ###

(d)Report Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit a report to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives that contains the results of the study conducted by the National Academies under this section. ###

(e)Funding From the amounts appropriated for fiscal year 2021 pursuant to the authorization under section 20117(a) of title 49, United States Code, the Secretary shall expend not less than $1,000,000 and not more than $2,000,000 to carry out the study required under this section.