[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 49, Volume 4]
[Revised as of October 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 49CFR231.28]

[Page 431-432]
 
                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION
 
       CHAPTER II--FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF 
                             TRANSPORTATION
 
PART 231--RAILROAD SAFETY APPLIANCE STANDARDS--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 231.28  Box and other house cars with roof hatches built or placed in service after October 1, 1966.

    The specifications of Sec. 231.27 shall apply except as to the 
following:
    (a) Running boards. Same as specified in Sec. 231.1, except: the end 
of longitudinal running board shall be not less than six (6) inches from 
a vertical plane parallel with end of car and passing through the inside 
face of knuckle when closed with coupler horn against buffer block or 
end sill.
    (b) Ladders--(1) Number. Two (2).
    (2) Dimensions. (i) Minimum clear length of tread: Sixteen (16) 
inches.
    (ii) Maximum spacing between treads nineteen (19) inches.
    (3) Location. One (1) on each end of car not more than eight (8) 
inches from left-hand side.
    (4) Manner of application. Same as specified in Sec. 231.1.
    (c) Roof handholds--(1) Number. Two (2), one (1) over each ladder.
    (2) Dimensions. Same as specified in Sec. 231.1.
    (3) Location. On roof of car. One (1) parallel to treads of each 
ladder, not less than eight (8) nor more than fifteen (15) inches from 
edge of roof, except on refrigerator cars where ice hatches prevent, 
when location may be nearer edge of roof.
    (4) Manner of application. Same as specified in Sec. 231.1.
    (d) End handholds. (Treads of end ladders are end handholds.) Same 
as specified for Sec. 231.27.
    (e) Existing box and other house cars with roof hatches. Box and 
other house cars with roof hatches built on or before April 1, 1966, or 
under construction prior thereto and placed in service before October 1, 
1966, shall be deemed

[[Page 432]]

equipped as nearly as possible within the intent of Sec. 231.1 and of 
this section when: Equipped as specified in Sec. 231.1, except (1) the 
side ladder treads above the fourth tread from bottom of side ladder 
near ``A'' end of car and roof handhold over the side ladder near ``A'' 
end shall be removed; (2) and (1) end platform handhold shall be 
provided on each end of car as specified in Sec. 231.27(i); and when 
handbrake is operated near roof of car a brake step shall be provided as 
specified by Sec. 231.1 or when handbrake is operated from approximate 
level of top of end sill the roof handhold over side ladder near ``B'' 
end and treads above the fourth tread from bottom of side ladder near 
``B'' end shall be removed and a brake step as specified in Sec. 231.1 
shall be used with top of tread surface level with or not more than four 
(4) inches below adjacent end handhold.

(Secs. 2, 4, and 6, 27 Stat. 531, as amended; secs, 1 and 3, 32 Stat. 
943, as amended; sec. 6(e) and (f), 80 Stat. 939 (45 U.S.C. 2, 4, 6, 8, 
and 10, 11-16 and 49 U.S.C. 103(c)(1))

[33 FR 19663, Dec. 25, 1968, as amended at 49 FR 26745, June 29, 1984]