45 U.S.C. § 1113 — Intercity passenger service

(a) Responsibility of Conrail to provide crews terminated; negotiations for employee transfers After January 1, 1983, Conrail must be relieved of the responsibility to provide crews for intercity passenger service on the Northeast Corridor. Amtrak, Amtrak Commuter, and Conrail, and the employees with seniority in both freight and passenger service must begin negotiations by 120 days after August 13, 1981, for the right of such employees to move from one service to the other once each six-month period. Such agreement must ensure that Conrail, Amtrak, and Amtrak Commuter have the right to furlough one employee in the same class or craft for each employee who returns through the exercise of seniority rights. If agreement is not reached within 360 days, such matter must be submitted to binding arbitration. (b) Eligibility of employees for employee protection benefits Conrail employees who are deprived of employment by an assumption or discontinuance of intercity passenger service by Amtrak must be eligible for employee protection benefits under section 797 1 of this title, despite any other provision of law, agreement, or arrangement, and despite the inability of such employees otherwise to meet the eligibility requirements of such section. Such protection must be the exclusive protection applicable to Conrail employees deprived of employment or adversely affected by any such assumption or discontinuance.