(a) General. Each railroad operating passenger train service shall conduct full-scale emergency simulations, in order to determine its capability to execute the emergency preparedness plan under the variety of scenarios that could reasonably be expected to occur on its operation, and ensure coordination with all emergency responders who voluntarily agree to participate in the emergency simulations.

(b) Frequency of the emergency simulations. Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section:

(1) Each railroad that provides commuter or other short-haul passenger train service and whose operations include less than 150 route miles and less than 200 million passenger miles annually, shall conduct a minimum of one full-scale emergency simulation during every two calendar years.

(2) Each railroad that provides commuter or other short-haul passenger train service and whose operations include at least 150 route miles or at least 200 million passenger miles annually, shall conduct a minimum of one full-scale emergency simulation during each calendar year.

(3) Each railroad that provides intercity passenger train service, shall conduct a minimum of one full-scale emergency simulation during each calendar year, regardless of the number of route miles or passenger miles.

(c) Actual emergency situations. Neither a tabletop exercise nor the activation of its emergency preparedness plan during an actual emergency situation may be credited toward the minimum number of full-scale emergency simulations required under paragraph (b) of this section. However, a railroad that has activated its emergency preparedness plan in response to a major emergency may elect to postpone a scheduled full-scale simulation for up to 180 calendar days beyond the applicable calendar year completion date in order to evaluate the effectiveness of its plan during that major emergency and, as appropriate, modify the rescheduled simulation.

(d) Definition. As used in this section, major emergency means an unexpected event related to the operation of passenger train service that results in serious injury or death to one or more persons and property damage greater than the current reporting threshold of part 225 of this chapter to railroad on-track equipment, signals, tracks, track structures, or roadbeds, including labor costs and the costs for acquiring new equipment and material.