[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 49, Volume 4]
[Revised as of October 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 49CFR238.215]

[Page 602-603]
 
                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION
 
       CHAPTER II--FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF 
                             TRANSPORTATION
 
PART 238_PASSENGER EQUIPMENT SAFETY STANDARDS--Table of Contents
 
     Subpart C_Specific Requirements for Tier I Passenger Equipment
 
Sec. 238.215  Rollover strength.

    (a) Each passenger car shall be designed to rest on its side and be 
uniformly supported at the top (``roof rail''), the bottom cords (``side 
sill'') of the side frame, and, if bi-level, the intermediate floor 
rail. The allowable stress in the structural members of the occupied 
volumes for this condition

[[Page 603]]

shall be one-half yield or one-half the critical buckling stress, 
whichever is less. Local yielding to the outer skin of the passenger car 
is allowed provided that the resulting deformations in no way intrude 
upon the occupied volume of the car.
    (b) Each passenger car shall also be designed to rest on its roof so 
that any damage in occupied areas is limited to roof sheathing and 
framing. Other than roof sheathing and framing, the allowable stress in 
the structural members of the occupied volumes for this condition shall 
be one-half yield or one-half the critical buckling stress, whichever is 
less. Deformation to the roof sheathing and framing is allowed to the 
extent necessary to permit the vehicle to be supported directly on the 
top chords of the side frames and end frames.