Session Laws

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1. Notwithstanding the provisions of chapter one hundred and sixty of the General Laws or any other general or special law, rule or regulation to the contrary, a railroad corporation, including the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, shall not permit a locomotive engine passing on its railroad in the town of Norfolk to sound a whistle at any grade crossing in said town which has the following safety features: flashing lights in each direction which are caused to be automatically activated by an approaching train; two gates, one on each side of the crossing, both of which are caused to be automatically lowered by an approaching train and each of which extends across at least half the width of said crossing so that the entire width of said crossing is blocked when said gates are lowered; a bell that is caused to be automatically activated by an approaching train; overhead street lights; signs posted before the grade crossing in each direction warning motorists and pedestrians of the crossing ahead; posted speed limits for traffic of not more than twenty-five miles per hour; and not more than two lanes of vehicular traffic in each direction at the grade crossing. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the whistle of a locomotive engine shall be sounded in the event of an emergency.

SECTION 2. The department of public utilities shall require that whistle markers on the railroad right of way on the approach to each grade crossing in the town of Norfolk shall be replaced with bell markers within ninety days of the effective date of this act.

SECTION 3. The department of public utilities shall notify the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and all other railroad corporations operating locomotive engines in the town of Norfolk of the provisions of this act within thirty days of its effective date.

SECTION 4. This act shall take effect upon its passage.