[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 49, Volume 4]
[Revised as of October 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 49CFR238.17]

[Page 535-537]
 
                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION
 
       CHAPTER II--FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF 
                             TRANSPORTATION
 
PART 238--PASSENGER EQUIPMENT SAFETY STANDARDS--Table of Contents
 
                           Subpart A--General
 
Sec. 238.17  Movement of passenger equipment with other than power brake defects.

    Beginning on January 1, 2002, the following provisions of this 
section apply to railroads operating Tier I passenger equipment covered 
by this part. A railroad may request earlier application of these 
requirements upon written notification to FRA's Associate Administrator 
for Safety as provided in Sec. 238.1(c) of this part.
    (a) General. This section contains the requirements for moving 
passenger equipment with other than a power brake defect. (Passenger 
cars and other passenger equipment classified as locomotives under part 
229 of this chapter are also covered by the movement restrictions 
contained in Sec. 229.9 of this chapter for those defective conditions 
covered by part 229 of this chapter.)
    (b) Limitations on movement of passenger equipment containing 
defects found at time of calendar day inspection. Except as provided in 
Secs. 238.303(e)(15), 238.305(c) and (d), and 238.307(c)(1), passenger 
equipment containing a condition not in conformity with this part at the 
time of its calendar day mechanical inspection may be moved from that 
location for repair if all of the following conditions are satisfied:
    (1) If the condition involves a running gear defect, the defective 
equipment is not used in passenger service and is moved in a non-revenue 
train;
    (2) If the condition involves a non-running gear defect, the 
defective equipment may be used in passenger service in a revenue train 
provided that a qualified maintenance person determines that it is safe 
to do so, and if so, the car is locked out and empty, and all movement 
restrictions are observed except that the car may be occupied by a 
member of the train crew or a railroad employee to the extent necessary 
to safely operate the train;
    (3) The requirements of paragraphs (c)(3) and (c)(4) of this section 
are met; and
    (4) The special requirements of paragraph (e) of this section, if 
applicable, are met.
    (c) Limitations on movement of passenger equipment that develops 
defects en route. Except as provided in Secs. 238.303(e)(15), 
238.307(c)(1), and 238.503(f), passenger equipment that develops en 
route to its destination, after its calendar day mechanical inspection 
is performed and before its next calendar day mechanical inspection is 
performed, any condition not in compliance with this part, other than a 
power brake defect, may be moved only if the railroads complies with all 
of the following requirements or, if applicable, the special 
requirements in paragraph (e) of this section:
    (1) Prior to movement of equipment with a potential running gear 
defect, a qualified maintenance person shall determine if it is safe to 
move the equipment in passenger service and, if so, the maximum speed 
and other restrictions necessary for safely conducting the movement. If 
appropriate, these determinations may be made based upon a description 
of the defective condition provided by a crewmember. If the 
determinations required by this paragraph are made by an off-site 
qualified maintenance person based on a description of the defective 
condition by on-site personnel, then a qualified maintenance person 
shall perform a physical inspection of the defective equipment, at the 
first location possible, to verify the description of the defect 
provided by the on-site personnel.
    (2) Prior to movement of equipment with a non-running gear defect, a 
qualified person or a qualified maintenance person shall determine if it 
is safe to move the equipment in passenger service and, if so, the 
maximum speed and other restrictions necessary for safely conducting the 
movement. If appropriate, these determinations may be made based upon a 
description of the defective condition provided by the on-site 
personnel.
    (3) Prior to movement of any defective equipment, the qualified 
person or

[[Page 536]]

qualified maintenance person shall notify the crewmember in charge of 
the movement of the defective equipment, who in turn shall inform all 
other crewmembers of the presence of the defective condition(s) and the 
maximum speed and other restrictions determined under paragraph (c)(1) 
or (c)(2) of this section. The movement shall be made in conformance 
with such restrictions.
    (4) The railroad shall maintain a record of all defects reported and 
their subsequent repair in the defect tracking system required in 
Sec. 238.19. In addition, prior to movement of the defective equipment, 
a tag or card placed on both sides of the defective equipment, or an 
automated tracking system, shall record the following information about 
the defective equipment:
    (i) The reporting mark and car or locomotive number;
    (ii) The name of the inspecting railroad;
    (iii) The name of the inspector, inspection location, and date;
    (iv) The nature of each defect;
    (v) Movement restrictions and safety restrictions, if any;
    (vi) The destination of the equipment where it will be repaired; and
    (vii) The signature, if possible, as well as the job title and 
location of the person making the determinations required by this 
section.
    (5) Automated tracking system. Automated tracking systems used to 
meet the tagging requirements contained in paragraph (c)(4) of this 
section may be reviewed and monitored by FRA at any time to ensure the 
integrity of the system. FRA's Associate Administrator for Safety may 
prohibit or revoke a railroad's ability to utilize an automated tracking 
system in lieu of tagging if FRA finds that the automated tracking 
system is not properly secure, is inaccessible to FRA or a railroad's 
employees, or fails to adequately track or monitor the movement of 
defective equipment. Such a determination will be made in writing and 
will state the basis for such action.
    (6) After a qualified maintenance person or a qualified person 
verifies that the defective equipment is safe to remain in service as 
required in paragraphs (c)(1) and (c)(2) of this section, the defective 
equipment that develops a condition not in compliance with this part 
while en route may continue in passenger service not later than the next 
calendar day mechanical inspection, if the requirements of this 
paragraph are otherwise fully met.
    (d) Inspection of roller bearings on equipment involved in a 
derailment. (1) A railroad shall not continue passenger equipment in 
service that has a roller bearing whose truck was involved in a 
derailment unless the bearing has been inspected and tested in 
accordance with the railroad's procedures for handling defective 
equipment.
    (2) The roller bearing shall be disassembled from the axle and 
inspected internally if:
    (i) It shows any external sign of damage;
    (ii) It makes any unusual noise when its wheel set is spun freely 
(an on-track rolling test is acceptable) or when the bearing is manually 
rotated;
    (iii) Its truck was involved in a derailment at a speed of more than 
10 miles per hour; or
    (iv) Its truck was dragged on the ground for more than 100 feet.
    (e) Special requisites for movement of passenger equipment with 
safety appliance defects. Consistent with 49 U.S.C. 20303, passenger 
equipment with a safety appliance not in compliance with this part or 
with part 231 of this chapter, if applicable, may be moved--
    (1) If necessary to effect repair of the safety appliance;
    (2) From the point where the safety appliance defect was first 
discovered by the railroad to the nearest available location on the 
railroad where the necessary repairs required to bring the passenger 
equipment into compliance can be made or, at the option of the receiving 
railroad, the equipment may be received and hauled for repair to a point 
on the receiving railroad's line that is no farther than the point on 
the delivering railroad's line where the repair of the defect could have 
been made;
    (3) If a tag placed on both sides of the passenger equipment or an 
automated tracking system contains the information required under 
paragraph (c)(4) of this section; and

[[Page 537]]

    (4) After notification of the crewmember in charge of the movement 
of the defective equipment, who in turn shall inform all other 
crewmembers of the presence of the defective condition(s).
    (f) Special Notice for Repair. Nothing in this section authorizes 
the movement of equipment subject to a Special Notice for Repair under 
part 216 of this chapter unless the movement is made in accordance with 
the restrictions contained in the Special Notice.

[64 FR 25660, May 12, 1999, as amended at 65 FR 41306, July 3, 2000]