Title 49

SECTION 173.184

173.184 Highway or rail fusee.

§ 173.184 Highway or rail fusee.

(a) A fusee is a device designed to burn at a controlled rate and to produce visual effects for signaling purposes. The composition of the fusee must be such that the fusee will not ignite spontaneously or undergo marked decomposition when subjected to a temperature of 75 °C (167 °F) for 48 consecutive hours.

(b) Fusees (highway and railway) must be packaged in steel (1A2), aluminum (1B2) or other metal (1N2) drums, steel (3A2) or aluminum (3B2) jerricans, steel (4A), aluminum (4B) or other metal (4N) boxes, wooden (4C1, 4C2), plywood (4D) or reconstituted wood (4F) boxes or in fiberboard boxes (4G), plywood (1D) or fiber (1G) drums. If the fusees are equipped with spikes packagings must have reinforced ends to prevent penetration of spikes through the outer packagings; packages must be capable of passing drop test requirements (§ 178.603 of this subchapter), including at least one drop with spike in a downward position, and other requirements of part 178 of this subchapter, at the Packing Group II performance level.

(c) For transportation by highway, railroad flagging kits are not subject any other requirements of this subchapter when all of the following conditions are met:

(1) The flagging kits may only contain fusees and railroad torpedoes as follows:

(i) Fusee (rail or highway) (NA1325, Division 4.1, PG II).

(ii) Articles, pyrotechnic (UN0431, Division 1.4G, PG II).

(iii) Signal devices, hand (UN0373, Division 1.4S, PG II).

(iv) Signal devices, hand (UN0191, Division 1.4G, PG II).

(v) Signals, railway track, explosive (UN0193, Division 1.4S, PG II).

(2) Fusees and railroad torpedoes must be transported in compartmented metal containers. Each compartment must have a cover with a latching device. Compartments for railroad torpedoes must be equipped with a spring-loaded positive locking device. Each compartment may only contain one type of device.

(3) Each flagging kit may contain a maximum of 36 fusees and 36 railroad torpedoes. No more than six (6) flagging kits may be transported at one time on any motor vehicle.

(4) Flagging kits may only be transported on railroad motor vehicles including privately owned motor vehicles under the direct control of on-duty railroad employees.

(5) The fusees and railroad torpedoes must be kept in the closed flagging kits whenever they are not being used on the railroad right-of-way, while the motor vehicle is being driven, or whenever the motor vehicle is located on other than railroad property.

(6) When left in unattended motor vehicles on non-railroad property, a flagging kit must be locked inside the motor vehicle, or stored in a locked compartment on the motor vehicle.

[Amdt. 173-224, 55 FR 52643, Dec. 21, 1990, as amended at 66 FR 45379; 78 FR 1088, Jan. 7, 2013; 81 FR 3674, Jan. 21, 2016]

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