[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 49, Volume 4]

[Revised as of October 1, 2006]

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

[CITE: 49CFR224.107]



[Page 342-344]

 

                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION

 

       CHAPTER II--FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF 

                             TRANSPORTATION

 

PART 224_REFLECTORIZATION OF RAIL FREIGHT ROLLING STOCK--Table of Contents

 

 Subpart B_Application, Inspection, and Maintenance of Retroreflective 

                                Material

 

Sec.  224.107  Implementation schedule.



    (a) Railroad freight cars. All railroad freight cars subject to this 

part must be equipped with retroreflective sheeting conforming to this 

part by November 28, 2015. If a car already has reflective material 

applied that does not meet the standards of this part, it is not 

necessary to remove the material unless its placement interferes with 

the placement of the sheeting required by this part.

    (1) New cars. Retroreflective sheeting conforming to this part must 

be applied to all cars constructed after January 26, 2006, before the 

cars are placed in service.

    (2) Existing cars without retroreflective sheeting. (i) If, as of 

October 28, 2005, a car subject to this part is not equipped on each 

side with at least one square foot of retroreflective sheeting as 

specified in paragraph (a)(3) of this section, retroreflective sheeting 

conforming to this part must be applied to the car at the earliest of 

the following two occasions occurring after November 28, 2005 or in 

accordance with paragraph (a)(2)(ii) of this section:

    (A) When the car is repainted or rebuilt; or

    (B) Within nine months (270 calendar days) after the car first 

undergoes a single car air brake test as prescribed by 49 CFR 232.305.

    (ii) A freight rolling stock owner may elect not to follow the 

schedule in paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section if, not later than 

January 26, 2006 the freight rolling stock owner submits to FRA a 

completed Reflectorization Implementation Compliance Report certifying 

that the cars in the owner's fleet subject to this part will be equipped 

with retroreflective sheeting as required by this part in accordance 

with the schedule specified in Table 3 of this section. See Appendix B 

of this part for Reflectorization Implementation Compliance Report form.



      Table 3 of Subpart B--Alternative Schedule for Application of

  Retroreflective Material to Freight Cars per Sec.   224.107(a)(2)(ii)

------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                                 (B)

                          (A) \1\                             (percent)

------------------------------------------------------------------------

November 28, 2007..........................................           20

November 28, 2008..........................................           30

November 28, 2009..........................................           40

November 28, 2010..........................................           50

November 28, 2011..........................................           60

November 28, 2012..........................................           70

November 28, 2013..........................................           80

November 28, 2014..........................................           90

November 28, 2015..........................................         100

------------------------------------------------------------------------

\1\ Column (A) indicates the date by which the minimum percentage of an

  owner's freight cars specified in column (B) must be equipped with

  retroreflective sheeting conforming to this part.



    Thereafter,

    (A) The designated fleet shall be equipped with retroreflective 

sheeting according to the schedule specified in Table 3 of this section;

    (B) No later than January 28, 2008, the freight rolling stock owner 

shall submit to FRA an updated Reflectorization Implementation 

Compliance Report showing which cars of the fleet subject to this part 

were equipped with retroreflective sheeting as required by this part 

during the initial 24-month implementation period. Thereafter, updated 

Reflectorization Implementation Compliance Reports shall be submitted 

annually, no later than December 31 of each year for the duration of the 

10-year implementation period. See Appendix B of this part.

    (C) If, following the conclusion of the initial 24-month period or 

any 12-month period thereafter, the percentage requirements of this 

section have not been met--

    (1) The freight rolling stock owner shall be considered in violation 

of this part;

    (2) The freight rolling stock owner shall, within 60 days after the 

close of



[[Page 343]]



the period, report the failure to the Associate Administrator;

    (3) The requirements of paragraph (a)(2)(i) shall apply to all 

railroad freight cars subject to this part in the freight rolling stock 

owner's fleet; and

    (4) The fleet owner shall take such additional action as may be 

necessary to achieve future compliance.

    (D) Cars to be retired shall be included in the fleet total until 

they are retired.

    (3) Existing cars with retroreflective sheeting. If as of October 

28, 2005, a car is equipped on each side with at least one square foot 

of retroreflective sheeting, uniformly distributed over the length of 

each side, that car shall be considered in compliance with this part 

through November 28, 2015, provided the sheeting is not unqualified 

retroreflective sheeting, and provided the freight rolling stock owner 

files a completed Reflectorization Implementation Compliance Report with 

FRA no later than January 26, 2006 identifying the cars already so 

equipped. See Appendix B of this part for Reflectorization 

Implementation Compliance form.

    (b) Locomotives. Except as provided in paragraph (b)(4) of this 

section, all locomotives subject to this part must be equipped with 

conforming retroreflective sheeting by November 28, 2010. If a 

locomotive already has reflective material applied that does not meet 

the standards of this part, it is not necessary to remove the material 

unless its placement interferes with the placement of the sheeting 

required by this part.

    (1) New locomotives. Retroreflective sheeting conforming to this 

part must be applied to all locomotives constructed after January 26, 

2006, before they are placed in service.

    (2) Existing locomotives without retroreflective sheeting.

    (i) If as of October 28, 2005 a locomotive subject to this part is 

not equipped with the minimum amount of retroreflective sheeting 

specified in paragraph (b)(3) of this section, retroreflective sheeting 

conforming to this part must be applied to the locomotive not later than 

nine months after the first biennial inspection performed pursuant to 49 

CFR 229.29 occurring after November 28, 2005.

    (ii) A freight rolling stock owner may elect not to follow the 

schedule in paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section, if not later than 

January 26, 2006, the freight rolling stock owner submits to FRA a 

Reflectorization Implementation Compliance Report certifying that the 

locomotives in the owner's fleet subject to this part will be equipped 

with retroreflective sheeting as required by this part in accordance 

with the schedule specified in Table 4 of this section. See Appendix B 

of this part.



      Table 4 of Subpart B--Alternative Schedule for Application of

  Retroreflective Material to Locomotives per Sec.   224.107(b)(2)(ii)

------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                                 (B)

                          (A) \1\                             (percent)

------------------------------------------------------------------------

November 28, 2007..........................................           40

November 28, 2008..........................................           60

November 28, 2009..........................................           80

November 28, 2010..........................................         100

------------------------------------------------------------------------

 \1\Column (A) indicates the date by which the minimum percentage of an

  owner's locomotives specified in column (B) must be equipped with

  retroreflective sheeting conforming to this part.



    Thereafter,

    (A) The designated locomotive fleet shall be equipped with 

retroreflective sheeting according to the requirements of this paragraph 

(b)(2)(ii);

    (B) No later than January 28, 2008, the freight rolling stock owner 

shall submit to FRA an updated Reflectorization Implementation 

Compliance Report showing which locomotives of the fleet subject to this 

part were equipped with retroreflective sheeting as required by this 

part during the initial 24 month implementation period. Updated 

Reflectorization Implementation Compliance Reports shall be submitted 

annually, no later than December 31 of each year, for the duration of 

the 5-year implementation period. See Appendix B of this part.

    (C) If, following the conclusion of the initial 24-month period or 

any 12-month period thereafter, the percentage requirements of this 

section have not been met--

    (1) The freight rolling stock owner shall be considered in violation 

of this part;

    (2) The freight rolling stock owner shall, within 60 days after the 

close of



[[Page 344]]



the period, report the failure to the Associate Administrator;

    (3) The requirements of paragraph (b)(2)(i) shall apply to all 

locomotives subject to this part in the freight rolling stock owner's 

fleet; and

    (4) The fleet owner shall take such additional action as may be 

necessary to achieve future compliance.

    (D) Locomotives to be retired shall be included in the fleet total 

until they are retired.

    (3) Existing locomotives with retroreflective sheeting. If as of 

October 28, 2005, a locomotive is equipped on each side with at least 

one square foot of retroreflective sheeting, that locomotive shall be 

considered in compliance with this part for through November 28, 2015, 

provided the existing material is not unqualified retroreflective 

sheeting, and provided the freight rolling stock owner files a 

Reflectorization Implementation Compliance Report with FRA no later than 

January 26, 2006, identifying the cars already so equipped.See Appendix 

B of this part. If, as of October 28, 2005, a locomotive is equipped 

with unqualified retroreflective sheeting, the locomotive will be 

considered in compliance with this part through November 28, 2015, 

provided the locomotive is equipped with a minimum of 3 square feet of 

retroreflective material on each side and provided the freight rolling 

stock owner files a Reflectorization Implementation Compliance Report 

with FRA no later than January 26, 2006, identifying the locomotives 

already so equipped. See Appendix B of this part.

    (4) Each railroad that has fewer than 400,000 annual employee work 

hours as of the end of calendar year 2004, and does not share locomotive 

power with another railroad with 400,000 or more annual employee work 

hours, may bring its locomotive fleet into compliance according to the 

following schedule: fifty percent of the railroad's locomotives must be 

retrofitted pursuant to Sec.  224.106(b) by October 28, 2010, and one 

hundred percent must be retrofitted pursuant to Sec.  224.106(b) by 

October 28, 2015. If a railroad with fewer than 400,000 annual employee 

work hours shares locomotive power with a railroad with 400,000 or more 

annual employee work hours, the smaller railroad must comply with the 

requirements of paragraphs (b)(2) and (3) of this section.