(a) The department may purchase, sell, and lease rail passenger cars and locomotives and other self-propelled rail vehicles.
(b) The department may acquire, lease, design, construct, and improve track lines and related facilities, and the department may contract with the private sector for the design, improvement, or construction of track lines and related facilities. If a railroad corporation refuses to allow improvements to tracks and related facilities, the Public Utilities Commission shall, within 60 days after application by the department, order the institution of those improvements, if it finds that the improvements are necessary to the safety of the railroad corporation’s employees, passengers, customers, and the public, and the operating efficiency of the service for which they are requested.
(c) Any facility or equipment acquired or improved by any entity with funds made available to it pursuant to this section shall become the property of that entity at the time and under the conditions as are agreed upon by the department in the agreement that makes the funds available to the entity. Section 10295 of the Public Contract Code does not apply to any agreement entered into pursuant to this section.
(d) The department shall deposit in the Passenger Equipment Acquisition Fund, for expenditure pursuant to Section 14066, the net proceeds from the sale of rail passenger cars and locomotives and other self-propelled rail vehicles.
(Amended by Stats. 2002, Ch. 438, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2003.)