(a) An inspector is authorized to perform any noise test prescribed in the Standards and in the procedures of this part at any time, at any appropriate location, and without prior notice to the railroad, for the purpose of determining whether railroad equipment is in compliance with the Standards.

(b)(1) An inspector is authorized to request that railroad equipment and appropriate railroad personnel be made available for a passby or stationary noise emission test, as prescribed in the Standards and in the procedures of this part, and to conduct such test, at a reasonable time and location, for the purpose of determining whether the railroad equipment is in compliance with the Standards.

(2) If the railroad has the capability to perform an appropriate noise emission test, as prescribed in the Standards and in the procedures of this part, an inspector is authorized to request that the railroad test railroad equipment. The railroad shall perform the appropriate test as soon as practicable.

(3) The request referred to in this paragraph will be in writing, will state the grounds upon which the inspector has reason to believe that the railroad equipment does not conform to the Standards, and will be presented to an appropriate operating official of the railroad.

(4) Testing or submission for testing is not required if the cause of the noise defect is readily apparent and the inspector verifies that it is corrected by the replacement of defective components or by instituting a normal maintenance or repair procedure.

(c)(1) An inspector is authorized to inspect or examine a locomotive, rail car, or consist of a locomotive and rail cars operated by a railroad, or to request that the railroad inspect or examine the locomotive, rail car, or consist of a locomotive and rail cars, whenever the inspector has reason to believe that it does not conform to the requirements of the Standards.

(2) An inspector may request that a railroad conduct an inspection or examination of a locomotive, rail car, or consist of a locomotive and rail cars on the basis of an excessive noise emission level measured by a passby test. If, after such inspection or examination, no mechanical condition that would result in a noise defect can be found and the inspector verifies that no such mechanical condition exists, the locomotive, rail car, or consist of a locomotive and rail cars may be continued in service.

(3) The requests referred to in this paragraph will be in writing, will state the grounds upon which the inspector has reason to believe that the locomotive, rail car, or consist of a locomotive and rail cars does not conform to the Standards, and will be presented to an appropriate operating official of the railroad.

(4) The inspection or examination referred to in this paragraph may be conducted only at recognized inspection points or scheduled stopping points.