Bill Text: NJ S1925 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Exempts certain nonprofit historic educational programs about steam locomotive railroads from regulation as amusement parks or rides.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 2)
Status: (Introduced) 2026-01-13 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee [S1925 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2026-S1925-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator LATHAM TIVER
District 8 (Atlantic and Burlington)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senator Henry
SYNOPSIS
Exempts certain nonprofit historic educational programs about steam locomotive railroads from regulation as amusement parks or rides.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning historic educational programs about steam locomotives and supplementing N.J.S.18A:73-25.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The operation of a historic educational program concerning steam locomotive railroads by a nonprofit organization that has obtained tax-exempt status pursuant to section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. s.501(c)(3)), or which is a governmental entity, shall not be subject to regulation or inspection by the State as an amusement park, nor shall the operation of a steam locomotive railroad through the program, regardless of the weight of the locomotive, be deemed to be an amusement park ride, if:
a. all personnel operating train equipment have been properly trained in accordance with railroad standards or regulations for the specific duty and level of operations, including, but not limited to, engineer, fireman, conductor, yard master, dispatcher, and station master;
b. all standard maintenance and operating procedures for the type of equipment being operated, including required inspections by State certified boiler inspectors, are met. Proof of boiler inspection shall be provided to the Department of Community Affairs, Division of Codes and Standards, in a form and manner as the commissioner shall establish; and
c. the museum shall not offer to the public paid admission to rides on the locomotive railroad or sales of tickets for rides at specific times.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would exempt from regulation as an amusement park or amusement park ride the operation of a steam locomotive railroad, when done under the auspices of an educational historic museum program. Some nonprofit historical museums throughout the nation, many in conjunction with local government entities, have constructed scale model steam engine locomotives and railroad cars to offer museum members and the public an opportunity to experience what it was like to travel by train over a century ago.
These replica railroads do not provide public transportation. Although the locomotives are not heavy enough to fall under the regulation of the Department of Transportation, these replica trains may voluntarily follow all standard railroad maintenance and operating procedures, including the inspections of equipment such as boilers, and may have trained personnel operating the equipment as if it were a full scale railroad. In order not to be deemed an amusement park or ride, the bill provides that a nonprofit historical steam locomotive museum is to follow all standard maintenance and operational guidelines for steam locomotives, including State inspections of boilers, have trained properly all personnel operating the train equipment, and not offer to the public paid admission to rides on the locomotive railroad or sales of tickets for rides at specific times.
