[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 49, Volume 4]

[Revised as of October 1, 2005]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 49CFR238.17]



[Page 656-658]

 

                        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 

Sec. Sec. 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 Sec. Sec. 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.



[[Page 657]]



    (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 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



[[Page 658]]



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

    (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]