[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 49, Volume 4]
[Revised as of October 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 49CFR224.107]

[Page 355-357]
 
                        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 356]]

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 357]]

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.