§ 12.76.020. Speeds for railroad trains.

A.

Definitions.

1.

The United States Federal Railroad Administration has established a railroad track classification system which governs the permissible speeds of railroad trains, as follows:

Track Classification	Maximum Speed for Freight Trains	Maximum Speed for Passenger Trains
Class 1 track	10 m.p.h.	15 m.p.h.
Class 2 track	25 m.p.h.	30 m.p.h.
Class 3 track	40 m.p.h.	60 m.p.h.
Class 4 track	60 m.p.h.	80 m.p.h.

 

2.

"Main line trackage" means all trackage maintained at Class 4 standards or above, serving as main arteries in Metropolitan Nashville to and from Memphis, Chicago, Atlanta, Louisville and Birmingham.

3.

"Inner city," for the purpose of this section, means that portion of main line trackage located between the west edge of the Clifton Pike grade crossing on the west and the east edge of the Fourth Avenue South grade crossing on the east, and between the east side of the Cumberland River drawbridge on the north and the south edge of the Berry Road grade crossing on the south.

B.

Maximum Speeds. Except where otherwise required pursuant to subsection D of this section, the maximum speed of train engines or individual cars shall be as follows:

1.

Within the inner city upon main line trackage and upon all yard and industrial trackage, twenty-five miles per hour;

2.

Upon the Memphis main line trackage:

a.

From the Cheatham/Davidson County line to the west edge of the Sawyer Brown Road overpass, forty-five miles per hour,

b.

From the west edge of the Sawyer Brown Road overpass to the inner city, forty miles per hour;

3.

Upon the Evansville and Louisville main line trackage:

a.

From the Sumner/Davidson County line to the north edge of the Nesbitt Lane grade crossing, forty-five miles per hour,

b.

From the north edge of the Nesbitt Lane grade crossing to the inner city, forty miles per hour;

4.

Upon the Atlanta main line trackage:

a.

From the Rutherford/Davidson County line to the south edge of the Antioch Pike grade crossing, forty-five miles per hour,

b.

From the south edge of the Antioch Pike grade crossing to the inner city, forty miles per hour;

5.

Upon the Lebanon Branch, beginning at the south edge of the Berry Road grade crossing and traveling north and east to the Wilson/Davidson County line, and upon the Birmingham main line (Class 3 trackage), from the south edge of the Berry Road grade crossing to the Davidson/Williamson County line on the south, thirty-five miles per hour;

6.

Upon all other trackage, twenty-five miles per hour.

C.

Reclassification. Should any main line trackage within the corporate limit of Metropolitan Davidson County, outside of the inner city area, be given a Federal Railroad Administration classification for speed below any maximum speed limit allowed herein, the railroad owning such trackage shall notify the traffic and parking commission of such reclassification within thirty days of the reclassification; however, short-term repair reclassifications are exempt from these provisions.

D.

Declaration of Speed by Traffic and Parking Commission. Whenever the traffic and parking commission shall determine upon the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation that any maximum speed hereinbefore set forth is greater than is reasonable or safe under the conditions found to exist at any grade crossing within the boundaries of Nashville and Davidson County, the commission may determine and declare a reasonable and safe maximum or minimum limit thereof, which speed limit shall be effective upon notice to the affected railroad by registered mail, return receipt requested, to the highest ranking operating officer in Davidson County. Any railroad so affected may request reconsideration by the commission to be made within forty-five days, and the effect of the declared speed limit shall be stayed pending such reconsideration.

E.

Violations. It is unlawful for any engine or individual cars to operate upon a grade crossing at a speed in excess of that declared by the commission.

(Prior code § 27-1-41)