(a) General. A freight car or freight train equipped with an ECP brake system must, at a minimum, meet the Association of American Railroads (AAR) standards contained in the AAR Manual of Standards and Recommended Practices related to ECP brake systems listed in paragraph (g) of this section; an alternate standard approved by FRA pursuant to § 232.17; or a modified standard approved in accordance with the provisions contained in paragraph (g) of this section.

(1) AAR S-4200, “Electronically Controlled Pneumatic (ECP) Cable-Based Brake Systems—Performance Requirements,” (Adopted 1999; Revised: 2002, 2004, 2008);

(2) AAR S-4210, “ECP Cable-Based Brake System Cable, Connectors, and Junction Boxes—Performance Specifications,” (Adopted: 1999; Revised 2002, 2007);

(3) AAR S-4220, “ECP Cable-Based Brake DC Power Supply—Performance Specification,” Version 2.0 (Adopted: 1999; Revised: 2002);

(4) AAR S-4230, “Intratrain Communication (ITC) Specification for Cable-Based Freight Train Control System,” Version 3.0 (Adopted: 1999; Revised: 2002, 2004);

(5) AAR S-4240, “ECP Brake Equipment—Approval Procedure” (Adopted: 2007);

(6) AAR S-4250, “Performance Requirements for ITC Controlled Cable-Based Distributed Power Systems,” Version 2.0 (Adopted: 2003; Revised: 2004);

(7) AAR S-4260, “ECP Brake and Wire Distributed Power Interoperability Test Procedures” (Adopted: 2007); and

(8) AAR S-4270, “ECP Brake System Configuration Management” (Adopted: 2008).

(b) Approval. A freight train or freight car equipped with an ECP brake system and equipment covered by the AAR standards incorporated by reference in this section shall not be used without conditional or final approval by AAR in accordance with AAR Standard S-4240, “ECP Brake Equipment—Approval Procedures” (2007).

(c) Configuration management. A railroad operating a freight train or freight car equipped with ECP brake systems shall adopt and comply with the configuration management plan developed in accordance with the AAR standards incorporated by reference in this section. FRA reserves the right to audit a manufacturer's configuration management plan at any time.

(d) Exceptions. (1) A freight car or freight train equipped with a standalone ECP brake system is excepted from the requirement in § 232.103(l) referencing AAR Standard S-469-01, “Freight Brakes—Performance Specification.”

(e) New technology. Upon written request supported by suitable justification and submitted pursuant to the special approval procedures in § 232.17, the Associate Administrator may except from the requirements of subpart F of this part the testing of new ECP brake technology, demonstration of new ECP brake technology, or both, where testing or demonstration, or both, will be conducted pursuant to an FRA-recognized industry standard and FRA is invited to monitor the testing or demonstration, or both.

(f) Modification of standards. The AAR or other authorized representative of the railroad industry may seek modification of the industry standards identified in or approved pursuant to paragraph (g) of this section. The request for modification will be handled and shall be submitted in accordance with the modification procedures contained in § 232.307.

(g) Incorporation by reference. 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 at the Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC, 202-493-6300 or 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, 425 Third Street SW, Washington, DC 20024, telephone: (202) 639-2345, email: [email protected], website: https://aarpublications.com.

(i) AAR S-4200, “Electronically Controlled Pneumatic (ECP) Cable-Based Brake Systems—Performance Requirements,” Revised 2014, (contained in AAR Manual of Standards and Recommended Practices, Brakes and Brake Equipment).

(ii) AAR S-4210, “ECP Cable-Based Brake System Cable, Connectors, and Junction Boxes—Performance Specifications,” Revised 2014, (contained in AAR Manual of Standards and Recommended Practices, Brakes and Brake Equipment).

(iii) AAR S-4220, “ECP Cable-Based Brake DC Power Supply—Performance Specification,” Version 2.0, Revised 2002, (contained in AAR Manual of Standards and Recommended Practices, Electronically Controlled Brake Systems).

(iv) AAR S-4230, “Intratrain Communication Specification for Cable-Based Freight Train Control System,” Version 4.1, Revised 2014, (contained in AAR Manual of Standards and Recommended Practices, Brakes and Brake Equipment).

(v) AAR S-4240, “ECP Brake Equipment—Approval Procedure,” Adopted 2007, (contained in AAR Manual of Standards and Recommended Practices, Electronically Controlled Brake Systems).

(vi) AAR S-4250, “Performance Requirements for ITC Controlled Cable-Based Distributed Power Systems,” Version 3.0, Revised 2014, (contained in AAR Manual of Standards and Recommended Practices, Brakes and Brake Equipment).

(vii) AAR S-4260, “ECP Brake and Wire Distributed Power Interoperability Test Procedures,” Revised 2008 (contained in AAR Manual of Standards and Recommended Practices, Brakes and Brake Equipment).

(viii) AAR S-4270, “ECP Brake System Configuration Management,” Adopted 2008, (contained in AAR Manual of Standards and Recommended Practices, Electronically Controlled Brake Systems).

(2) [Reserved]