Federal Railroad Administration Rules

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This page was last updated on May 6, 2024.

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Contrasting Colors

All locomotives used in switching service built after March 1977 must be equipped with illuminated step treads. (49 CFR 231.30, paragraph c., part 6)

After September 1979, all locomotives used in switching service built before April 1977, and not equipped with illuminated step treads, must have the outer edge of each step tread painted in a contrasting color. (49 CFR 231.30, paragrpah a., part 2)

All locomotives used in switching service built after March 1977 must have their vertical handholds painted a contrasting color at least 48 inches above the step tread surface. (49 CFR 231.30, paragraph e., part 1)

After September 1979, all locomotives used in switching service built before April 1977 must have their vertical handholds painted a contrasting color at least 48 inches above the step tread surface. (49 CFR 231.30, paragraph a., part 2)

Ditch Lights

In January 1980, the Federal Railroad Administration proposed a new rule for the application of ditch lights to locomotives. Due to controversy and cost to impact to railroad industry, the final rule was extended to July 1980, and again to January 1981. The proposed rule was withdrawn in April 1982, specifically because the rule did not allow any lights other than "strobe lights," with the FRA admitting more study was needed to determine actual safety benefits and reasonable short-term cost. Then in April 1983, the proposed rule was terminated completely.

In late 1988, the FRA raised the subject of ditch lights as part of its proposed program to add nighttime visibility to trains and grade crossings. The studies and discussions continued, and on March 6, 1996, as part of the Amtrak Authorization Act, ditch lights became the law of the land, "Effective December 31, 1997, each lead locomotive operated at a speed greater than 20 miles per hour over one or more public highway-rail crossings shall be equipped with operative auxiliary lights, in addition to the headlight."

(Read about the need for ditch lights, and Union Pacific's use of them)

Footboards

All locomotives built after March 1975 must not be equipped with footboards. (49 CFR 231.30 paragraph d., part 1)

After September 1978, all locomotives built before April 1975 must not be equipped with footboards. (49 CFR 231.30, paragraph d., part 2)

Freight Car Running Boards (not Roofwalks)

All cars built after April 1966, and entering service before October 1966 must not be equipped with roofwalks, except those with roof hatches. (49 CFR 231.27, paragraph i.)

By December 31, 1983, all cars built before April 1966 must not be equipped with roofwalks. (49 CFR 231.1, note)

A note about names, nomenclature, and what to call 'em. UP called them running boards. In the federal documentation, they are called roofwalks. (Don Strack, email to UP Modelers Yahoo discussion group, September 1, 2001)

In looking through numerous issues between 1888 and 1980 of the Car Builders' Cyclopedia, I find that the Dictionary of Car Terms lists "Running Board" in every issue and "Roofwalk" in none. So, it would appear the Master Car Builders had a distinct preference for Running Board, as did the UP. The federal writers must have been readers of Model Railroader or some other popular modeling magazine. (Dick Harley, email to UP Modelers Yahoo discussion group, September 6, 2001)

Locomotive Identification

The letter 'F' shall be legibly shown on each side of every locomotive near the end which for identification purposes will be known as the front end. (49 CFR 229.11, paragraph a)

The locomotive number shall be displayed in clearly legible numbers on each side of each locomotive. (49 CFR 229.11, paragraph b)

Note that there is no mention of requiring a railroad name to be shown, just the number.

Locomotive Main Reservoirs

In 1972, a new safety requirement was put into place concerning the removal and testing of locomotive main reservoirs. Prior to the change, reservoirs were removed every 24 months and hammer tested, and hydrostatic tested, to determine if the interior had corrided making the reservoir unsafe. The new rule allowed reservoirs to remain in place on the locomotive if a series of drilled tell-tale holes were drilled in a pattern not more than 12 inches apart. The original requirement came from the thinking that as reservoirs age, the interior would deteriorate with the standing water condensate, the shell would deteriorate from the inside, especially along the reservoirs bottom. The new rule allowed drilled reservoirs, under the concept that one or more drilled tell-tale hole would be opened by corrosion and begin leaking compressed air. Any drilled reservoir that leaked was to be immediately condemned.

The rule for the drilling of telltale holes in locomotive air reservoirs was first proposed and published in the Federal Register, September 25, 1969 (Vol 34, #184), page 14767.

The rule was finalized and approved, and became effective when it was published in the Federal Register, November 21, 1969 (Vol 34, #224), page 18555. The reporting requirement was changed in August 1972, but the drilling of telltale holes remained the same.

New locomotives delivered after 1969 had the telltale holes drilled in their main air reservoirs prior to delivery.

As of October 1, 1976, the rule reads as follows.

Part 230.406 Testing of main reservoirs. (changed to Part 229.31)

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, each main reservoir, before being put in service and at least once every 24 months thereafter, shall be subjected to hydrostatic pressure not less than 25 percent above the maximum working pressure fixed by the chief mechanical officer. The date and place of each test and the pounds of pressure applied shall be recorded on Form FRA F 6180-49, and attested thereon by the person conducting the test and his supervisor.

(b) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, the entire surface of each main reservoir shall be hammer tested while the reservoir is empty each time the locomotive is shopped for general repairs, but not less frequently than once every 24 months. The date and place of each test shall be recorded on Form FRA F 6180-49 and attested thereon by the person conducting the test and his supervisor.

(c) Each main reservoir of the type described in the note below hereafter put Into service may be drilled over its entire surface with telltale holes, made by a standard 3/16-inch drill, which holes shall be spaced not more than 12 inches apart, measured both longitudinally and circumferentially and drilled from the outer surface to an extreme depth less than one-sixteenth inch. One row of holes shall be drilled lengthwise of the reservoir on a line intersecting the drain opening. No reservoir so drilled needs to be subjected to the requirement of paragraph (a) or (b), except the requirement for a hydrostatic test before being put in service. Whenever any such telltale hole shall have penetrated the interior of any such reservoir, the reservoir shall be permanently withdrawn from service. At the option of the carrier, such drilling may be applied to any reservoir now in service, in lieu of the tests provided for by paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, but not without the said hydrostatic test after first being drilled.

Note: Paragraph (c) applies only to welded reservoirs originally constructed to withstand at least five times the maximum working pressure fixed by the chief mechanical officer of the railroad desiring to come within the terms of such paragraph.

In March 1980, the telltale holes rule was changed from Part 230.406 to Part 229.31. (Federal Register, Vol. 45, No. 63, March 31, 1980) (proposed in May 1979; Federal Register, Vol. 44 No. 99, May 21, 1979, page 29617)

(Side Note: This was also when the safety inspection of steam locomotives became its own section, being assigned to Part 230 after the other parts were consolidated as part of Part 229.)

Current rule (Part 229.31) as of October 1, 2023, with the tell-tale hole requirement still in place. (PDF; 2 pages)

Terms Defined

49 CFR = Code of Federal Regulations, Title 49, Transportation (Department of Transportation).

Chapter II (Part 2xx) concerns the Federal Railroad Administration.

Part 229, Railroad Locomotive Safety Standards.

Part 231, Railroad Safety Appliance Standards

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