Title 49

SECTION 238.135

238.135 Operating practices for exterior side door safety systems.

§ 238.135 Operating practices for exterior side door safety systems.

(a) At the beginning of his or her duty assignment prior to the train's departure, each crewmember must participate in a safety briefing that identifies each crewmember's responsibilities relating to the safe operation of the train's exterior side doors, including responsibilities for the safe operation of the exterior side doors when arriving at or departing a station.

(b) After April 5, 2016, all passenger train exterior side doors and trap doors must be closed when a train is in motion between stations except when:

(1) The train is departing or arriving at a station if:

(i) A crewmember needs to observe the station platform; and

(ii) The open door is attended by the crewmember; or

(2) A crewmember must perform on-ground functions, such as, but not limited to, lining switches, making up or splitting the train, providing crossing protection, or inspecting the train.

(c)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, passenger railroads must receive special approval from FRA's Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety/Chief Safety Officer to operate passenger trains with exterior side doors or trap doors, or both, open between stations.

(2) Any request for special approval must include:

(i) A written justification explaining the need to operate a passenger train with its exterior side doors or trap doors, or both, open between stations; and

(ii) A detailed hazard analysis, including a description of specific measures to mitigate any added risk.

(3) The request must be signed by the chief executive officer (CEO), or equivalent, of the organization(s) making the request.

(4) FRA may request that the passenger railroad submit additional information to support its request before FRA approves the request.

(d) No later than December 6, 2018, each railroad shall adopt and comply with operating rules on how to safely override a door summary circuit or no-motion system, or both, in the event of an en route exterior side door failure or malfunction on a passenger train. Railroads shall provide these written rules to their crewmembers and control center personnel and make them available for inspection by FRA. These written rules shall include:

(1) Instructions to crewmembers and control center personnel, describing what conditions must be present in order to override the door summary circuit or no-motion system, or both; and

(2) Steps crewmembers and control center personnel must take after the door summary circuit or no-motion system, or both, have been overridden to help provide for continued passenger safety.

(e) No later than December 6, 2018, each passenger train crewmember must be trained on:

(1) The requirements of this section; and

(2) How to identify and isolate equipment with a malfunctioning exterior powered or manual side door.

(f) No later than December 6, 2018, each railroad shall adopt and comply with operating rules requiring train crewmembers to determine the status of their train's exterior side doors so that their train may safely depart a station. These rules shall require crewmembers to determine that there are no obstructions in their train's exterior side doors before the train departs.

(g) Beginning December 6, 2018, each railroad shall periodically conduct operational (efficiency) tests and observations of its operating crewmembers and control center personnel as appropriate to their roles, to determine each individual's knowledge of the railroad's powered and manual exterior side door safety procedures for its passenger trains.

[80 FR 76148, Dec. 7, 2015]

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