[Title 49 CFR 232.103]
[Code of Federal Regulations (annual edition) - October 1, 2006 Edition]
[Title 49 - TRANSPORTATION]
[Subtitle B - Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued)]
[Chapter II - FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF]
[Part 232 - BRAKE SYSTEM SAFETY STANDARDS for FREIGHT and OTHER NON-]
[Subpart B - General Requirements]
[Sec. 232.103 - General requirements for all train brake systems.]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
49TRANSPORTATION42006-10-012006-10-01falseGeneral requirements for all train brake systems.232.103Sec. 232.103TRANSPORTATIONOther Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued)FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OFBRAKE SYSTEM SAFETY STANDARDS for FREIGHT and OTHER NON-General Requirements
Sec. 232.103 General requirements for all train brake systems.
(a) The primary brake system of a train shall be capable of stopping
the train with a service application from its maximum operating speed
within the signal spacing existing on the track over which the train is
operating.
(b) If the integrity of the train line of a train brake system is
broken, the train shall be stopped. If a train line uses other than
solely pneumatic technology, the integrity of the train line shall be
monitored by the brake control system.
(c) A train brake system shall respond as intended to signals from
the train line.
(d) One hundred percent of the brakes on a train shall be effective
and operative brakes prior to use or departure from any location where a
Class I brake test is required to be performed on the train pursuant to
Sec. 232.205.
(e) A train shall not move if less than 85 percent of the cars in
that train have operative and effective brakes.
(f) Each car in a train shall have its air brakes in effective
operating condition unless the car is being moved for repairs in
accordance with Sec. 232.15. The air brakes on a car are not in
effective operating condition if its brakes are cut-out or otherwise
inoperative or if the piston travel exceeds:
(1) 10\1/2\ inches for cars equipped with nominal 12-inch stroke
brake cylinders; or
(2) The piston travel limits indicated on the stencil, sticker, or
badge plate for the brake cylinder with which the car is equipped.
(g) Except for cars equipped with nominal 12-inch stroke (8\1/2\ and
10-inch diameters) brake cylinders, all cars shall have a legible decal,
stencil, or sticker affixed to the car or shall be equipped with a badge
plate displaying the permissible brake cylinder piston travel range for
the car at Class I brake tests and the length at which the piston travel
renders the brake ineffective, if different from Class I brake test
limits. The decal, stencil, sticker, or badge plate shall be located so
that it may be easily read and understood by a person positioned safely
beside the car.
(h) All equipment ordered on or after August 1, 2002, or placed in
service for the first time on or after April 1, 2004, shall have train
brake systems designed so that an inspector can observe from a safe
position either the piston travel, an accurate indicator which shows
piston travel, or any other means by which the brake system is actuated.
The design shall not require the inspector to place himself or herself
on, under, or between components of the equipment to observe brake
actuation or release.
(i) All trains shall be equipped with an emergency application
feature that produces an irretrievable stop, using a brake rate
consistent with prevailing adhesion, train safety, and brake system
thermal capacity. An emergency application shall be available at all
times, and shall be initiated by an unintentional parting of the train
line or loss of train brake communication.
(j) A railroad shall set the maximum main reservoir working
pressure.
(k) The maximum brake pipe pressure shall not be greater than 15 psi
less than the air compressor governor starting or loading pressure.
(l) Except as otherwise provided in this part, all equipment used in
freight or other non-passenger trains shall, at a minimum, meet the
Association of American Railroads (AAR) Standard S-469-47, ``Performance
Specification for Freight Brakes,'' contained in the AAR Manual of
Standards and Recommended Practices, Section E (April 1, 1999). The
incorporation by reference of this AAR standard was approved by the
Director of the Federal Register in accordance
[[Page 548]]
with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. You may obtain a copy of the
incorporated document from the Association of American Railroads, 50 F
Street, NW, Washington, DC. 20001. You may inspect a copy of the
document at the Federal Railroad Administration, Docket Clerk, 1120
Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 7000, Washington, DC or at the National
Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the
availability of this material at NARA, call 202-741-6030, or go to:
http://www.archives.gov/federal--register/code--of--federal--
regulations/ibr--locations.html.
(m) If a train qualified by the Air Flow Method as provided for in
subpart C of this part experiences a brake pipe air flow of greater than
60 CFM or brake pipe gradient of greater than 15 psi while en route and
the movable pointer does not return to those limits within a reasonable
time, the train shall be stopped at the next available location and be
inspected for leaks in the brake system.
(n) Securement of unattended equipment. A train's air brake shall
not be depended upon to hold equipment standing unattended on a grade
(including a locomotive, a car, or a train whether or not locomotive is
attached). For purposes of this section, ``unattended equipment'' means
equipment left standing and unmanned in such a manner that the brake
system of the equipment cannot be readily controlled by a qualified
person. Unattended equipment shall be secured in accordance with the
following requirements:
(1) A sufficient number of hand brakes shall be applied to hold the
equipment. Railroads shall develop and implement a process or procedure
to verify that the applied hand brakes will sufficiently hold the
equipment with the air brakes released.
(2) Except for equipment connected to a source of compressed air
(e.g., locomotive or ground air source), prior to leaving equipment
unattended, the brake pipe shall be reduced to zero at a rate that is no
less than a service rate reduction, and the brake pipe vented to
atmosphere by leaving the angle cock in the open position on the first
unit of the equipment left unattended.
(3) Except for distributed power units, the following requirements
apply to unattended locomotives:
(i) All hand brakes shall be fully applied on all locomotives in the
lead consist of an unattended train.
(ii) All hand brakes shall be fully applied on all locomotives in an
unattended locomotive consist outside of yard limits.
(iii) At a minimum, the hand brake shall be fully applied on the
lead locomotive in an unattended locomotive consist within yard limits.
(iv) A railroad shall develop, adopt, and comply with procedures for
securing any unattended locomotive required to have a hand brake applied
pursuant to paragraph (n)(3)(i) through (n)(3)(iii) when the locomotive
is not equipped with an operative hand brake.
(4) A railroad shall adopt and comply with a process or procedures
to verify that the applied hand brakes will sufficiently hold an
unattended locomotive consist. A railroad shall also adopt and comply
with instructions to address throttle position, status of the reverse
lever, position of the generator field switch, status of the independent
brakes, position of the isolation switch, and position of the automatic
brake valve on all unattended locomotives. The procedures and
instruction required in this paragraph shall take into account winter
weather conditions as they relate to throttle position and reverser
handle.
(5) Any hand brakes applied to hold unattended equipment shall not
be released until it is known that the air brake system is properly
charged.
(o) Air pressure regulating devices shall be adjusted for the
following pressures:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Locomotives PSI
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Minimum brake pipe air pressure:
Road Service........................................ 90
Switch Service...................................... 60
(2) Minimum differential between brake pipe and main 15
reservoir air pressures, with brake valve in running
position...............................................
(3) Safety valve for straight air brake................. 30-55
[[Page 549]]
(4) Safety valve for LT, ET, No. 8-EL, No. 14 EI, No. 6- 30-68
DS, No. 6-BL and No. 6-SL equipment....................
(5) Safety valve for HSC and No. 24-RL equipment........ 30-75
(6) Reducing valve for independent or straight air brake 30-50
(7) Self-lapping portion for electro-pneumatic brake 50
(minimum full application pressure)....................
(8) Self-lapping portion for independent air brake (full 30-50
application pressure)..................................
(9) Reducing valve for high-speed brake (minimum)....... 50
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[66 FR 4193, Jan. 17, 2001, as amended at 67 FR 17581, Apr. 10, 2002]