This subpart contains the periodic brake system maintenance and testing requirements for equipment used in freight and other non-passenger trains.

(a) Definitions. The following definitions are intended solely for the purpose of identifying what constitutes a shop or repair track under this subpart.

(1) Shop or repair track means:

(i) A fixed repair facility or track designated by the railroad as a shop or repair track;

(ii) A fixed repair facility or track which is regularly and consistently used to perform major repairs;

(iii) Track which is used at a location to regularly and consistently perform both minor and major repairs where the railroad has not designated a certain portion of that trackage as a repair track;

(iv) A track designated by a railroad as a track where minor repairs will be conducted or used by a railroad to regularly and consistently perform minor repairs during the period when the track is used to conduct major repairs; however, such trackage is considered a shop or repair track only for each car receiving major repairs on such trackage and not for a car receiving only minor repairs; and

(v) The facilities and tracks identified in paragraphs (a)(1)(i) through (a)(1)(iv) shall be considered shop or repair tracks regardless of whether a mobile repair vehicle is used to conduct the repairs.

(2) Major repair means a repair that normally would require greater than four person-hours to accomplish or would involve the use of specialized tools and equipment. Major repairs include such activities as coupler replacement, draft gear repair, and repairs requiring the use of an air jack but exclude changing wheels on intermodal loading ramps either with or without an air jack.

(3) Minor repair means repairs, other than major repairs, that can be accomplished in a short period of time with limited tools and equipment. Minor repairs would include such things as safety appliance straightening, handhold replacement, air hose replacement, lading adjustment, and coupler knuckle or knuckle pin replacement.

(b) A car on a shop or repair track shall be tested to determine that the air brakes apply and remain applied until a release is initiated.

(c) A car on a shop or repair track shall have its piston travel inspected. For cars equipped with 8 1/2-inch or 10-inch diameter brake cylinders, piston travel shall be within 6 to 9 inches. If piston travel is found to be less than 6 inches or more than 9 inches, it must be adjusted to nominally 7 1/2 inches. For cars not equipped with 8 1/2-inch or 10-inch diameter brake cylinders, piston travel shall be within the piston travel stenciled or marked on the car or badge plate.

(d) Before a car is released from a shop or repair track, a qualified person shall ensure:

(1) The brake pipe is securely clamped;

(2) Angle cocks are properly located with suitable clearance and properly positioned to allow maximum air flow;

(3) Valves, reservoirs, and cylinders are tight on supports and the supports are securely attached to the car;

(4) Hand brakes are tested, inspected, and operate as intended; and

(5) Brake indicators, on cars so equipped, are accurate and operate as intended.

(e) If the single car air brake test required by § 232.305 cannot be conducted at the point where repairs can be made to the car, the car may be moved after the repairs are made to the next forward location where the test can be performed. Inability to perform a single car air brake test does not constitute an inability to make the necessary repairs.

(1) If it is necessary to move a car from the location where the repairs are performed in order to perform a single car air brake test required by this part, a tag or card shall be placed on both sides of the equipment, or an automated tracking system approved for use by FRA, shall contain the following information about the equipment:

(i) The reporting mark and car number;

(ii) The name of the inspecting railroad;

(iii) The location where repairs were performed and date;

(iv) Indication whether the car requires a single car air brake test;

(v) The location where the appropriate test is to be performed; and

(vi) The name, signature, if possible, and job title of the qualified person approving the move.

(2) The tag or card required by paragraph (e)(1) of this section shall remain affixed to the equipment until the necessary test has been performed.

(3) An electronic or written record or copy of each tag or card attached to or removed from a car or locomotive shall be retained for 90 days and, upon request, shall be made available within 15 calendar days for inspection by FRA or State inspectors.

(4) The record or copy of each tag or card removed from a car or locomotive shall contain the date, location, and the signature or identification of the qualified person removing it from the piece of equipment.

(f) The location and date of the last single car air brake test required by § 232.305 shall be clearly stenciled, marked, or labeled in two-inch high letters or numerals on the side of the equipment. Alternatively, the railroad industry may use an electronic or automated tracking system to track the required information and the performance of the test required by § 232.305.

(1) Electronic or automated tracking systems used to meet the requirement contained in this paragraph shall be capable of being reviewed and monitored by FRA at any time to ensure the integrity of the system. FRA's Associate Administrator for Safety may prohibit or revoke the railroad industry's authority to utilize an electronic or automated tracking system in lieu of stenciling or marking if FRA finds that the electronic or automated tracking system is not properly secure, is inaccessible to FRA or railroad employees, or fails to adequately track and monitor the equipment. FRA will record such a determination in writing, include a statement of the basis for such action, and will provide a copy of the document to the affected railroads.

(2) [Reserved]

(a) Single car air brake tests must be performed by a qualified person in accordance with either Section 3.0, “Tests-Standard Freight Brake Equipment,” and Section 4.0, “Special Tests,” AAR Standard S-486-18; Section 3.0, “Single-Car Test Requirements,” Section 4.0, “Special Tests,” and Section 13.0 “4-Pressure Single-Car Test Requirements,” AAR Standard S-4027-18; an alternative procedure approved by FRA pursuant to § 232.17; or a modified procedure approved in accordance with the provisions contained in § 232.307.

(b) Except as provided in § 232.303(e), a railroad shall perform a single car air brake test on a car when:

(1) A car has its brakes cut-out or inoperative when removed from a train or when placed on a shop or repair track, as defined in § 232.303(a);

(2) A car is on a shop or repair track, as defined in § 232.303(a), for any reason and has not received either:

(i) A manual single car air brake test (AAR Standard S-486) within the previous 12-month period;

(ii) An automated single car air brake test (AAR Standard S-4027 §§ 3.0 and 4.0) within the previous 24-month period;

(iii) Or a 4-pressure single car air brake test (AAR Standard S-4027 § 13.0) within the previous 48-month period;

(3) A car is found with missing or incomplete single car air brake test information;

(4) One or more of the following conventional air brake equipment items is removed, repaired, or replaced:

(i) Brake reservoir;

(ii) Control valve mounting gasket;

(iii) Pipe bracket stud;

(iv) Service portion;

(v) Emergency portion; or

(vi) Pipe bracket.

(5) A car is found with one or more of the following wheel defects:

(i) Built-up tread, unless known to be caused by hand brake left applied;

(ii) Slid flat wheel, unless known to be caused by hand brake left applied; or

(iii) Thermal cracks.

(c) Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, each car shall receive a single car air brake test no less than every 5 years.

(d) Each car shall receive a single car air brake test no less than 8 years from the date the car was built or rebuilt.

(e) A single car air brake test shall be performed on each new or rebuilt car prior to placing or using the car in revenue service.

(f) The Director of the Federal Register approves the incorporation by reference of the standards required in this section into this section in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. You may inspect a copy of the material at the Federal Railroad Administration, Docket Clerk, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: 855-368-4200). You may also inspect the material at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this material at NARA, email [email protected], or go to: www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html. You may obtain the material from the following source(s):

(1) Association of American Railroads (AAR), 425 Third Street SW, Washington, DC 20024, telephone: (202) 639-2345, email: [email protected], website: https://aarpublications.com.

(i) AAR Standard S-486, “Code of Air Brake System Tests for Freight Equipment—Single Car Test,” Revised 2018 (contained in AAR Manual of Standards and Recommended Practices, Brakes and Brake Equipment), also referred to as AAR Standard S-486-18.

(ii) AAR Standard S-4027, “Automated Single-Car Test Equipment, Conventional Brake Equipment—Design and Performance Requirements,” Revised 2018 (contained in AAR Manual of Standards and Recommended Practices, Brakes and Brake Equipment), also referred to as AAR Standard S-4027-18.

(2) [Reserved]

(a) Request. The AAR or other authorized representative of the railroad industry may seek modification of brake test procedures prescribed in this chapter. The request for modification shall be submitted to the Associate Administrator for Safety, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590 and shall contain:

(1) The name, title, address, and telephone number of the primary person to be contacted with regard to review of the modification;

(2) The section and paragraph at issue, and the modification, in detail, to be substituted for a particular procedure prescribed in this chapter;

(3) Appropriate data or analysis, or both, for FRA to consider in determining whether the modification will provide at least an equivalent level of safety; and

(4) A statement affirming that the railroad industry has served a copy of the request on the designated representatives of the employees responsible for the equipment's operation, inspection, testing, and maintenance under this part, together with a list of the names and addresses of the persons served.

(b) Federal Register document. Upon receipt of a request for modification, FRA will publish a document in the Federal Register containing the requested modification. The document will permit interested parties 60 days to comment on any requested modification.

(c) FRA review. During the 60 days provided for public comment, FRA will review the petition. If FRA objects to the requested modification, written notification will be provided, within this 60-day period, to the party requesting the modification detailing FRA's objection.

(d) Disposition. (1) If no comment objecting to the requested modification is received during the 60-day comment period, provided by paragraph (b) of this section, or if FRA does not issue a written objection to the requested modification, the modification will become effective 15 days after the close of the 60-day comment period.

(2) If an objection is raised by an interested party, during the 60-day comment period, or if FRA issues a written objection to the requested modification, the requested modification will be handled as follows:

(i) If FRA finds that the request complies with the requirements of this section and that the proposed modification is acceptable and justified, the request will be granted, normally within 90 days of its receipt. If the request for modification is neither granted nor denied within 90 days, the request remains pending for decision. FRA may attach special conditions to the approval of any request for modification. Following the approval of a request for modification, FRA may reopen consideration of the request for cause.

(ii) If FRA finds that the request does not comply with the requirements of this section and that the proposed modification is not acceptable or justified, the requested modification will be denied, normally within 90 days of its receipt.

(iii) When FRA grants or denies a request for modification, or reopens consideration of the request, written notice is sent to the requesting party and other interested parties.

(a) Equipment and devices used to perform single car air brake tests shall be tested for correct operation at least once each calendar day of use.

(b) Except for single car test devices, mechanical test devices such as pressure gauges, flow meters, orifices, etc. shall be calibrated once every 92 days.

(c) Electronic test devices shall be calibrated at least once every 365 days.

(d) Test equipment and single car test devices placed in service shall be tagged or labeled with the date its next calibration is due.

(e) Each single car test device shall be tested not less frequently than every 92 days after being placed in service and may not continue in service if more than one year has passed since its last 92-day test.

(f) Each single car test device shall be disassembled and cleaned not less frequently than every 365 days after being placed in service.