[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 49, Volume 4]
[Revised as of October 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 49CFR213.5]

[Page 94-95]
 
                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION
 
       CHAPTER II--FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF 
                             TRANSPORTATION
 
PART 213--TRACK SAFETY STANDARDS--Table of Contents
 
                           Subpart A--General
 
Sec. 213.5  Responsibility for compliance.

    (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, any owner 
of track to which this part applies who knows or has notice that the 
track does not comply with the requirements of this part, shall--
    (1) Bring the track into compliance;
    (2) Halt operations over that track; or
    (3) Operate under authority of a person designated under 
Sec. 213.7(a), who has at least one year of supervisory experience in 
railroad track maintenance,

[[Page 95]]

subject to conditions set forth in this part.
    (b) If an owner of track to which this part applies designates a 
segment of track as ``excepted track'' under the provisions of 
Sec. 213.4, operations may continue over that track without complying 
with the provisions of subparts B, C, D, and E of this part, unless 
otherwise expressly stated.
    (c) If an owner of track to which this part applies assigns 
responsibility for the track to another person (by lease or otherwise), 
written notification of the assignment shall be provided to the 
appropriate FRA Regional Office at least 30 days in advance of the 
assignment. The notification may be made by any party to that 
assignment, but shall be in writing and include the following--
    (1) The name and address of the track owner;
    (2) The name and address of the person to whom responsibility is 
assigned (assignee);
    (3) A statement of the exact relationship between the track owner 
and the assignee;
    (4) A precise identification of the track;
    (5) A statement as to the competence and ability of the assignee to 
carry out the duties of the track owner under this part; and
    (6) A statement signed by the assignee acknowledging the assignment 
to him of responsibility for purposes of compliance with this part.
    (d) The Administrator may hold the track owner or the assignee or 
both responsible for compliance with this part and subject to penalties 
under Sec. 213.15.
    (e) A common carrier by railroad which is directed by the Surface 
Transportation Board to provide service over the track of another 
railroad under 49 U.S.C. 11123 is considered the owner of that track for 
the purposes of the application of this part during the period the 
directed service order remains in effect.
    (f) When any person, including a contractor for a railroad or track 
owner, performs any function required by this part, that person is 
required to perform that function in accordance with this part.