PSI Sci
New here? Follow the money and the votes · Not sure of your district? Find your U.S. House member · Find your state legislators

S. 1462: Railroad Safety and Positive Train Control Extension Act

Before you vote › Federal bills

S. 1462: Railroad Safety and Positive Train Control Extension Act

113th Congress · introduced 2013-08-01 · Transportation and Public Works · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2013-08-01 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Sen. Thune, John [R-SD] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Railroad Safety and Positive Train Control Extension Act

Plain summary

Railroad Safety and Positive Train Control Extension Act - Revises the railroad safety risk reduction program. Extends from December 31, 2015, to December 31, 2020, the deadline for submission to the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) by each Class I railroad carrier and each entity providing regularly scheduled intercity or commuter rail passenger transportation of a plan for implementing a positive train control (PTC) system on certain of its tracks. Authorizes the Secretary to extend the implementation deadline, upon application, in one-year increments, if specified circumstances exist. Directs the Secretary to revise federal regulations requiring a Class II or III railroad (including a tourist or excursion railroad) to equip its locomotives with an onboard PTC system to operate in PTC territory. Extends for five years the time for such railroad to meet the deadline for equipping its locomotives with a PTC system.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Railroad Safety and Positive Train Control Extension Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Thune, John [R-SD] · 15 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Deb Fischer (R-NE), Ron Johnson (R-WI)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Thune, John [R-SD] reported raising $4.7 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)
Rulemaking
The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong113-s1462 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong113 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong113