[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: 49CFR232.105]



[Page 549]

 

                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION

 

       CHAPTER II--FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF 

                             TRANSPORTATION

 

PART 232_BRAKE SYSTEM SAFETY STANDARDS for FREIGHT and OTHER NON-

 

                     Subpart B_General Requirements

 

Sec.  232.105  General requirements for locomotives.



    (a) The air brake equipment on a locomotive shall be in safe and 

suitable condition for service.

    (b) All locomotives ordered on or after August 1, 2002, or placed in 

service for the first time on or after April 1, 2004, shall be equipped 

with a hand or parking brake that is:

    (1) Capable of application or activation by hand;

    (2) Capable of release by hand; and

    (3) Capable of holding the unit on a three (3) percent grade.

    (c) On locomotives so equipped, the hand or parking brake as well as 

its parts and connections shall be inspected, and necessary repairs 

made, as often as service requires but no less frequently than every 368 

days. The date of the last inspection shall be either entered on Form 

FRA F 6180-49A or suitably stenciled or tagged on the locomotive.

    (d) The amount of leakage from the equalizing reservoir on 

locomotives and related piping shall be zero, unless the system is 

capable of maintaining the set pressure at any service application with 

the brakes control valve in the freight position. If such leakage is 

detected en route, the train may be moved only to the nearest forward 

location where the equalizing-reservoir leakage can be corrected. On 

locomotives equipped with electronic brakes, if the system logs or 

displays a fault related to equalizing reservoir leakage, the train may 

be moved only to the nearest forward location where the necessary 

repairs can be made.

    (e) Use of the feed or regulating valve to control braking is 

prohibited.

    (f) The passenger position on the locomotive brake control stand 

shall be used only if the trailing equipment is designed for graduated 

brake release or if equalizing reservoir leakage occurs en route and its 

use is necessary to safely control the movement of the train until it 

reaches the next forward location where the reservoir leakage can be 

corrected.

    (g) When taking charge of a locomotive or locomotive consist, an 

engineer must know that the brakes are in operative condition.