[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: 49CFR238.217]



[Page 671]

 

                        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. 238.217  Side structure.



    Each passenger car shall comply with the following:

    (a) Side posts and corner braces.

    (1) For modified girder, semi-monocoque, or truss construction, the 

sum of the section moduli in inches \3\--about a longitudinal axis, 

taken at the weakest horizontal section between the side sill and side 

plate--of all posts and braces on each side of the car located between 

the body corner posts shall be not less than 0.30 multiplied by the 

distance in feet between the centers of end panels.

    (2) For modified girder or semi-monocoque construction only, the sum 

of the section moduli in inches \3\--about a transverse axis, taken at 

the weakest horizontal section between the side sill and side plate--of 

all posts, braces and pier panels, to the extent available, on each side 

of the car located between body corner posts shall be not less than 0.20 

multiplied by the distance in feet between the centers of end panels.

    (3) The center of an end panel is the point midway between the 

center of the body corner post and the center of the adjacent side post.

    (4) The minimum section moduli or thicknesses specified in paragraph 

(a) of this section may be adjusted in proportion to the ratio of the 

yield strength of the material used to that of mild open-hearth steel 

for a car whose structural members are made of a higher strength steel.

    (b) Sheathing.

    (1) Outside sheathing of mild, open-hearth steel when used flat, 

without reinforcement (other than side posts) in a side frame of 

modified girder or semi-monocoque construction shall not be less than 1/

8 inch nominal thickness. Other metals may be used of a thickness in 

inverse proportion to their yield strengths.

    (2) Outside metal sheathing of less than \1/8\ inch thickness may be 

used only if it is reinforced so as to produce at least an equivalent 

sectional area at a right angle to reinforcements as that of the flat 

sheathing specified in paragraph (b)(1) of this section.

    (3) When the sheathing used for truss construction serves no load-

carrying function, the minimum thickness of that sheathing shall be not 

less than 40 percent of that specified in paragraph (b)(1) of this 

section.