ARTICLE 5. Railroad Equipment [7601. - 7614.]

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC 5.

in effect

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 7601. Section 7601.

Except as provided in Section 7602 every common carrier by railroad operating within this State shall maintain, on what is known as passing track sidings, a signboard in connection with each derailing switch or other derailing device, whether the derailer is operated where located or from a distance. The signboard shall be placed within 100 feet of the derailer and shall be constructed in either of two forms, viz: board five feet high and 10 inches wide, or sign constructed of two parts, one of which is an upright and the other a transverse board, the upright to be of sufficient height to securely fasten at the top thereof the transverse board, which shall be not less than two feet three inches long and seven inches wide and placed in such a manner that the upper side of the transverse board is not less than four feet above the ties. The board shall have painted thereon the word “derail” in large black letters on a white background. The commission shall enforce this section.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 7602. Section 7602.

Section 7601 does not apply to any track, siding, spur, or other track owned by private persons for their own use, except when the track, siding, spur, or other track is operated regularly in connection with the line of a common carrier for certain periods, in which case Section 7601 does apply. Section 7601 does not apply to the placing of signboards in places where physical conditions of track will not permit.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 7603. Section 7603.

Any corporation, company, or person, or any officer, superintendent, manager, or other agent thereof, who violates any of the provisions of Sections 7601 or 7602, is guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than twenty-five dollars ($25), nor more than five hundred dollars ($500) for each offense. Any failure, refusal, or neglect to provide any such signboard at any derailing switch or other derailing device constitutes a separate offense.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 7604. Section 7604.

(a) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (3), a bell, siren, horn, whistle, or similar audible warning device shall be sounded at any public crossing in accordance with Section 222.21 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations. (2) Except as provided in paragraph (3), a bell, siren, horn, whistle, or similar audible warning device shall be sounded, consistent with paragraph (1), at all rail crossings not subject to the requirements of Subpart B (commencing with Section 222.21) of Part 222 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations. (3) A bell, siren, horn, whistle, or similar audible warning device shall not be sounded in those areas established as quiet zones pursuant to Subpart C (commencing with Section 222.33) of Part 222 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations. (4) This section does not restrict the use of a bell, siren, horn, whistle, or similar audible warning device during an emergency or other situation authorized in Section 222.23 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations. (b) Any railroad corporation violating this section shall be subject to a penalty of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) for every violation. The penalty may be recovered in an action prosecuted by the district attorney of the proper county, for the use of the state. The corporation is also liable for all damages sustained by any person, and caused by its locomotives, train, or cars, when the provisions of this section are not complied with.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 7605. Section 7605.

Every railroad corporation, or receiver or lessee thereof, operating any line of railroad in this State by steam locomotives, shall equip all steam locomotives used or to be used in the hauling or propelling of trains over the railroad with a bell ringer apparatus or device which, when set in operation, will ring and continue to ring the locomotive bell automatically, and which is so constructed that it may be set in operation from either or both sides of the locomotive cab. Any railroad company, receiver or lessee thereof, operating any line of railroad within this State by steam locomotives, violating this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100) or more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each offense.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 7606. Section 7606.

Every steam locomotive used upon a railroad in this State, carrying passengers or freight for hire, shall be equipped with one or more water glasses of the type known as the “solid water glass,” the same being a solid piece of glass with open flutings at the back thereof, which flutings will permit the raising and falling of water in the boiler of the locomotive to be plainly visible from each side of the cab without the use of a reflector. The glass shall not be less than seven inches in length and one and one-quarter inches in width, and five-eighths of an inch in thickness. Any person, firm, or corporation operating any such steam locomotive which is not equipped with one or more water glasses as described in this section is guilty of a misdemeanor.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 7607. Section 7607.

Every railroad corporation, or receiver or lessee thereof, operating any line of railroad in this State, shall equip all locomotive engines used in the transportation of trains over the railroad with electric or other headlights which will project sufficient light to enable the locomotive engineer to observe clearly a dark object the size of an average man, at a distance of not less than 800 feet on a dark, clear night while his train is running at a rate of speed not less than 30 miles per hour. This section shall not apply to locomotive engines regularly used in the switching of cars or trains or used exclusively between sun up and sun down, or going to or from repair shops when ordered in for repairs, nor to locomotive engines used on short lines or local lines where in the judgment of the commission, the headlight required by this section is not necessary for the preservation of public safety. Any railroad company, or receiver or lessee thereof, who violates this section, is liable to the State for a penalty of not less than one hundred dollars ($100), nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), for each offense. Suit shall be brought to recover the penalty in a court of competent jurisdiction, in the name of the people of the State of California, by the Attorney General or by the district attorney of any county in or through which the railroad is operated.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 7608. Section 7608.

Every railroad company, or the receiver or receivers of any railroad, operating trains within this state, shall provide a first aid kit containing written instructions for the use of its contents, on each train or light engine, however propelled, for first aid to persons who may be injured in the course of the operation of the train. The contents of every first aid kit shall be prescribed or approved by the Public Utilities Commission. The employee of the railroad in charge of the train or engine, however propelled, shall report to the office designated by the company whenever any first aid kit has been opened for use. Any railroad company, or the receiver or receivers, or employee of a railroad company, who fails to comply with this section is liable to a penalty of not less than five dollars ($5) nor more than twenty-five dollars ($25), and each day’s violation shall constitute a separate offense, except that the railroad company, or receiver or receivers, shall be allowed not to exceed three days without penalty to replace any item after the use of the item has been reported by the employees in charge of the train or engine, however propelled.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 7609. Section 7609.

Every railroad company, or the receiver or receivers thereof, operating trains in whole or in part within this State, shall provide an emergency first-aid kit on each caboose, locomotive, motor or diesel engine. The emergency first-aid kit shall be used only to render first medical or surgical aid to injured passengers, employees, or other injured persons requiring such aid at the first possible moment.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 7610. Section 7610.

The employee of any railroad company, or the receiver or receivers thereof, having charge of any passenger train, caboose, locomotive, motor or diesel engine shall report in writing as soon as possible to the office or officer designated by the company or receiver for such purpose, whenever any emergency first-aid kit has been used or has been found missing.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 7611. Section 7611.

Any person or any employee of any railroad company, or the receiver or receivers thereof, who removes, carries away from its proper place, or uses any emergency first-aid kit, except for the purpose of administering first aid in the event of injury to any passenger, employee, or other person, is guilty of a misdemeanor, and is punishable by a fine of not less than fifty dollars ($50).

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 7612. Section 7612.

It shall be unlawful for any owner or operator of a railroad running through or within the boundaries of the State of California and engaged in the business of common carrier to operate for or transport its employees in a rail track motor car which is not equipped with a transparent windshield sufficient in width and height to reasonably protect said employees, which said windshield shall be of plastic or safety glass and such car shall also be equipped with an electric headlamp of sufficient candle power as to render visible at a distance of 300 feet in advance of such car under ordinary atmospheric conditions, any obstruction, landmark, warning sign or grade crossing on such railroad, and said car shall also be equipped with at least one electric light on the rear end thereof with sufficient candle power as to be visible at a distance of 300 feet under ordinary atmospheric conditions, and such car shall also be equipped with a suitable device that will remove rain, snow and sleet from the windshield on such car. The head and rear lights provided for in this section shall only be required in the hours between one-half hour before sunset and one-half hour after sunrise.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 7613. Section 7613.

On and after July 1, 1954, any owner or operator of a railroad running through or within this State as a common carrier of persons or property or both, for compensation, which either operates for its employees, or which furnishes to its employees for their transportation to or from the place or places where they are required to labor, a rail track motor car that has not been fully equipped as required by Section 7612 of this code, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor; provided, that any common carrier that has not been able to equip its railroad track motor cars as required by the provisions of said section on or before July 1, 1954, may apply to the Public Utilities Commission for additional time. Upon good cause shown, the Public Utilities Commission is hereby authorized to grant additional time by order to any owner or operator of a common carrier by railroad in which to equip such cars, not to exceed one year from July 1, 1954. When such an order has been granted by said Public Utilities Commission to such carrier, the provisions of this section penalizing such rail carrier which has not so equipped its cars shall not be applicable during the period granted to it.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 7614. Section 7614.

It shall be unlawful for any owner or operator of a railroad running through or within the boundaries of the State of California and engaged in the business of common carrier to operate for or transport the public or its employees in a caboose which is not provided with flush-type toilet facilities, or chemical type toilet facilities approved by the commission.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026