 
                             PART I--CRIMES
 
                          CHAPTER 97--RAILROADS
 
Sec. 1992. Wrecking trains

    (a) Whoever willfully derails, disables, or wrecks any train, 
engine, motor unit, or car used, operated, or employed in interstate or 
foreign commerce by any railroad; or
    Whoever willfully sets fire to, or places any explosive substance on 
or near, or undermines any tunnel, bridge, viaduct, trestle, track, 
signal, station, depot, warehouse, terminal, or any other way, 
structure, property, or appurtenance used in the operation of any such 
railroad in interstate or foreign commerce, or otherwise makes any such 
tunnel, bridge, viaduct, trestle, track, signal, station, depot, 
warehouse, terminal, or any other way, structure, property, or 
appurtenance unworkable or unusable or hazardous to work or use, with 
the intent to derail, disable, or wreck a train, engine, motor unit, or 
car used, operated, or employed in interstate or foreign commerce; or
    Whoever willfully attempts to do any of the aforesaid acts or 
things--
    Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty 
years, or both.
    (b) Whoever is convicted of a violation of subsection (a) that has 
resulted in the death of any person, shall be subject also to the death 
penalty or to imprisonment for life.
    Whoever is convicted of any such violation involving a train that, 
at the time the violation occurred, carried high-level radioactive waste 
(as that term is defined in section 2(12) of the Nuclear Waste Policy 
Act of 1982 (42 U.S.C. 10101(12))) or spent nuclear fuel (as that term 
is defined in section 2(23) of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (42 
U.S.C. 10101(23))), shall be fined under this title and imprisoned for 
any term or \1\ years not less than 30, or for life.
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    \1\ So in original. Probably should be ``of''.
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(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 794; Pub. L. 103-322, title VI, 
Sec. 60003(a)(8), title XXXIII, Sec. 330016(1)(L), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 
Stat. 1969, 2147; Pub. L. 104-88, title IV, Sec. 402(b), Dec. 29, 1995, 
109 Stat. 955.)


                      Historical and Revision Notes

    Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Sec. 412a (June 8, 1940, ch. 
286, 54 Stat. 255).
    First clause in second paragraph of said section 412a of title 18, 
U.S.C., 1940 ed., was omitted as covered by section 3231 of this title.
    Words ``and on conviction thereof'' were omitted as surplusage since 
punishment cannot be imposed until a conviction is secured.


                               Amendments

    1995--Pub. L. 104-88, Sec. 402(b)(5), which directed amendment of 
section by inserting ``(c)'' before ``A judgment'', could not be 
executed because phrase ``A judgment'' did not appear subsequent to 
amendment by Pub. L. 103-322, Sec. 60003(a)(8). See 1994 Amendment note 
below.
    Pub. L. 104-88, Sec. 402(b)(1)-(4), inserted ``(a)'' before 
``Whoever willfully derails'' and ``(b)'' before ``Whoever is 
convicted'', substituted ``a violation of subsection (a) that'' for 
``any such crime, which'', and inserted last par.
    1994--Pub. L. 103-322, Sec. 330016(1)(L), substituted ``fined under 
this title'' for ``fined not more than $10,000'' in fourth par.
    Pub. L. 103-322, Sec. 60003(a)(8), substituted a period for the 
comma after ``imprisonment for life'' in penultimate par., and struck 
out remainder of penultimate par. and last par. which read as follows: 
``if the jury shall in its discretion so direct, or, in the case of a 
plea of guilty, if the court in its discretion shall so order.
    ``A judgment of conviction or acquittal on the merits under the laws 
of any State shall be a bar to any prosecution hereunder for the same 
act or acts.''


                    Effective Date of 1995 Amendment

    Amendment by Pub. L. 104-88 effective Jan. 1, 1996, see section 2 of 
Pub. L. 104-88, set out as an Effective Date note under section 701 of 
Title 49, Transportation.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in sections 2332b, 2339A, 2516, 3592 of 
this title.
