Sec. 1. On and after March 8, 1913, it shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation, or lessee or receiver of any person, firm, or corporation, owning or operating any line or lines of steam railroad in this state to place, attach, couple, or otherwise connect any car or cars between any two (2) or more locomotive engines in such manner that one (1) or more such locomotive engines shall precede, and one (1) or more such locomotive engines shall succeed, such car or cars, and, in such case, and in such cases only, when such locomotive engines, having such car or cars placed, attached, coupled, or otherwise connected between them shall be used or employed, or shall be intended to be used or employed to haul, push, draw, switch, shunt, or otherwise move or transport such car or cars over or along the track or tracks of such railroad or railroads, or any part or parts of the railroads lying within this state. And it shall likewise be unlawful to haul, push, draw, switch, shunt, or otherwise move or transport such car or cars when placed, attached, coupled, or otherwise connected between such locomotive engines in the manner described in this section, over or along any sidetrack, spur, turn-out, or switch located in any yard or yards or elsewhere when used, owned, operated, or leased by any such railroad or railroads, and in any and all other cases when the hauling, pushing, drawing, switching, shunting, or otherwise moving or transporting such car or cars when placed, attached, coupled, or otherwise connected between such locomotive engines in the manner described in this section would imperil or endanger the life or lives of any person or persons engaged or employed on or in such car or cars and engines, or who have a lawful right to be in or ride on the car or engine. However, none of the provisions of this section shall be construed to apply to cases where it is necessary or imperative to use or employ a switch or other engine to assist in starting or overcoming the inertia of a standing train, or in pushing or moving such train over steep or heavy grades, or around sharp curves, for short distances, and when it is customary to detach such engine or engines when the bend of such curve shall have been passed, or when the summit of such grade or acclivity shall have been reached.
Formerly: Acts 1913, c.130, s.1. As amended by P.L.62-1984, SEC.136; P.L.136-2018, SEC.96.