This part provides minimum requirements for glazing materials in order to protect railroad employees and railroad passengers from injury as a result of objects striking the windows of locomotives, caboose and passenger cars.

(a) This part applies to railroads that operate rolling equipment on standard gauge track that is a part of the general railroad system of transportation.

(b) This part does not apply to—

(1) Locomotives, cabooses, and passenger cars that operate only on track inside an installation that is not part of the general railroad system of transportation.

(2) Rapid transit operations in an urban area that are not connected with the general railroad system of transportation.

(3) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section:

(i) Locomotives, cabooses, and passenger cars that are historic or more than 50 years old and, except for incidental freight service, are used only for excursion, educational, recreational, or private transportation purposes; and

(ii) Cabooses and passenger cars in a railroad's fleet on April 11, 2016 that are used only for the railroad's private transportation purposes. Each such railroad caboose or car that is equipped with glazing that complies with the glazing requirements contained in appendix A to this part as of February 9, 2016, must remain in compliance with those requirements.

(4) Locomotives that are used exclusively in designated service as defined in § 223.5.

(5) Locomotives, cabooses, and passenger cars built or rebuilt prior to July 1, 1980, that are operated at speeds not exceeding 30 mph, and used only where the risk of propelled or fouling objects striking the equipment is low. Risk is presumed low, unless the railroad operating the equipment has knowledge, or FRA makes a showing, that specific risk factors exist. Risk factors include reported incidents of propelled or fouling objects striking rail equipment, or infrastructure conditions or other operating environment conditions that have led or are likely to lead to objects striking rail equipment in operation.

(c) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(3) of this section, this paragraph (c) applies, as specified, to each locomotive, passenger car, and caboose built after 1945 that is more than 50 years old and is used only for excursion, educational, recreational, or private transportation purposes.

(1) Each such passenger car must comply with the emergency window requirements contained in § 223.9(c) or § 223.15(c), as appropriate, when it is occupied and operates in an intercity passenger or commuter train subject to part 238 of this chapter. A tool or other instrument may be used to remove or break an emergency window if the tool or other instrument is clearly marked and legible and understandable instructions are provided for its use.

(2) Each such locomotive, passenger car, and caboose that is equipped with glazing that complies with the glazing requirements contained in appendix A to this part as of February 9, 2016, must remain in compliance with those requirements.

As used in this part—

Administrator means the Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration or the Administrator's delegate.

Caboose means a car in a freight train intended to provide transportation for crewmembers.

Certified glazing means a glazing material that has been certified by the manufacturer as having met the testing requirements set forth in appendix A of this part and that has been installed in such a manner that it will perform its intended function.

Designated service means exclusive operation of a locomotive under the following conditions:

(1) The locomotive is not used as an independent unit or the controlling unit is a consist of locomotives except when moving for the purpose of servicing or repair within a single yard area;

(2) The locomotive is not occupied by operating or deadhead crews outside a single yard area; and

(3) The locomotive is stenciled “Designated Service—DO NOT OCCUPY”.

Emergency window means the segment of a side-facing glazing panel that has been designed to permit rapid and easy removal from inside a passenger car in an emergency situation.

End facing glazing location means any exterior location where a line perpendicular to the plane of the glazing material makes a horizontal angle of 50 degrees or less with the centerline of the locomotive, caboose, or passenger car, including a dome or observation car, except for: The coupled ends of multiple-unit (MU) locomotives or other equipment that is semi-permanently connected to each other in a train consist; and end doors of passenger cars at locations other than the cab end of a cab car or MU locomotive. Any location which, due to curvature of the glazing material, can meet the criteria for either an end facing location or a side facing location shall be considered an end facing location.

FRA means the Federal Railroad Administration.

Incidental freight service means the occasional and irregular use of a locomotive in freight service that is more than 50 years old and used primarily for excursion, educational, recreational, or private transportation purposes.

Locomotive means a self-propelled unit of equipment designed primarily for moving other equipment. It does not include self-propelled passenger cars.

Locomotive cab means that portion of the superstructure designed to be occupied by the crew while operating the locomotive.

Passenger car means a unit of rail rolling equipment intended to provide transportation for members of the general public and includes self-propelled cars designed to carry baggage, mail, express or passengers. This term includes a passenger coach, cab car, and an MU locomotive.

Person includes all categories of entities covered under 1 U.S.C. 1,including,but,a; any manager, supervisor, official, or other employee or agent of a railroad; any owner, manufacturer, lessor, or lessee of railroad equipment, track, or facilities; any passenger, any trespasser or nontrespasser; any independent contractor providing goods or services to a railroad; and any employee of such owner, manufacturer, lessor, lessee, or independent contractor.

Railroad means:

(1) Any form of non-highway ground transportation that runs on rails or electromagnetic guideways, including

(i) Commuter or other short-haul rail passenger service in a metropolitan or suburban area and commuter railroad service that was operated by the Consolidated Rail Corporation on January 1, 1979, and

(ii) High speed ground transportation systems that connect metropolitan areas, without regard to whether those systems use new technologies not associated with traditional railroads, but does not include rapid transit operations in an urban area that are not connected to the general railroad system of transportation and

(2) A person that provides railroad transportation, whether directly or by contracting out operation of the railroad to another person.

Rebuilt locomotive, caboose or passenger car means a locomotive, caboose or passenger car that has undergone overhaul which has been identified by the railroad as a capital expense under Surface Transportation Board accounting standards.

Side facing glazing location means any location where a line perpendicular to any plane of the glazing material makes an angle of more than 50 degrees with the centerline of the locomotive, caboose or passenger car. A side facing glazing location also means a location at the coupled ends of MU locomotives or other equipment that is semi-permanently connected to each other in a train consist, and a location at end doors other than at the cab end of a cab car or MU locomotive.

Windshield means the combination of individual units of glazing material of the locomotive, passenger car, or caboose that are positioned in an end facing glazing location.

Yard is a system of auxiliary tracks used exclusively for the classification of passenger or freight cars according to commodity or destination; assembling of cars for train movement; storage of cars; or repair of equipment.

Yard caboose means a caboose that is used exclusively in a single yard area.

Yard locomotive means a locomotive that is operated only to perform switching functions within a single yard area.

Any person (an entity of any type covered under 1 U.S.C. 1,including; a manager, supervisor, official, or other employee or agent of a railroad; any owner, manufacturer, lessor, or lessee of railroad equipment, track, or facilities; any independent contractor providing goods or services to a railroad; and any employee of such owner, manufacturer, lessor, lessee, or independent contractor) who violates any requirement of this part or causes the violation of any such requirement is subject to a civil penalty of at least $1,086 and not more than $35,516 per violation, except that: Penalties may be assessed against individuals only for willful violations, and, where a grossly negligent violation or a pattern of repeated violations has created an imminent hazard of death or injury to persons, or has caused death or injury, a penalty not to exceed $142,063 per violation may be assessed. Each day a violation continues shall constitute a separate offense. See FRA's website at www.fra.dot.gov for a statement of agency civil penalty policy.