Track Safety Standards Compliance Manual

1 Federal Railroad AdministrationTrack Safety StandardsCompliance ManualUnited StatesDepartment of TransportationOffice of Safety Assurance and ComplianceJanuary 1, 2002iTABLE OF CONTENTSCHAPTER 1 IntroductionIntroduction .. Inspection 2 Field Reporting Procedures and FormsGeneral Inspection Report Forms, FRA Distribution of Report 3 Automated Track Inspection .. On-Board and of FRA Inspectors and Track Geometry Inspection Car Instructions (Issued to Railroad Dispatchers) . 4 Exceptions to the Notice for Repairs - Track Orders and Compliance of FRA Emergency Order or FRA Special Notice For of the Safety Laws and Regulations Against 5 Track Safety Standards Classes 1 Through A Scope of Preemptive Excepted Responsibility for Designation of Qualified Persons to Supervise Certain Renewals and Inspect Classes of Track ; Operating Speed Restoration or Renewal of Track Under Traffic Measuring Track Not Under Information C Track Curves; Elevation and Speed Elevation of Curved Track ; Runoff (Rate of Change).

2 Track D Track Ballast; Gage Restraint Measurement Defective Rail End Mismatch .. Continuous Welded Rail (CWR); Rail Torch Cut Tie Plates .. Rail Turnouts and Track Crossing Spring Rail Self-Guarded Frog Guard Rails and Guard Faces; ETrack Appliances and Track - Related Track Inspections .. Inspection of Switches, Track Crossings, and Lift Rail Assemblies or Other Transition Devices on Moveable Inspection of Special Inspection Records .. 6 Track Safety Standards Classes 6 Through 9 Subpart Scope of Responsibility for Compliance .. Designation of Qualified Individuals; General Class of Track ; Operating Speed Restoration or Renewal of Track Under Traffic Measuring Track Not Under Track Curves; Elevation and Speed Track Automated Vehicle Inspection Ballast; Defective Inspection of Rail in Initial Inspection of New Rail and Continuous Welded Rail (CWR).

3 Vehicle Qualification Automotive or Railroad Crossings at Rail-End Rail Torch Cut Turnouts, Track Crossings and Lift Rail Assemblies or Other Transition Devices on Moveable Frog Guard Rails and Guard Faces; Track Visual Special Inspection 7 Railroad Bridge Safety .. Elements of Information .. Procedures - and Preparation for Program Observation of for Class I Railroads and Major Regional and Passenger of the Investigation - Smaller of Hazardous Bridge of Emergency Orders and Compliance Agreements Related to of Agency Policy on Railroad Bridge Railroad Assignments by Observations Report for Electronic Reporting of Bridge Unbalance Top 20 Track Causes of Track Class/Defect Code Source/Activity Code Activity/Defect Code Safety Standards Compliance Manual Chapter 1 December 12, 2008 Federal Railroad Administration Track Safety Standards Compliance Manual Chapter 1 Introduction/General Guidance Office of Safety Assurance and Compliance Track and Structures Division December 12, 2008 CHAPTER 1.

4 1 INTRODUCTION/GENERAL GUIDANCE .. 1 Introduction to Track Inspection .. 1 Safety .. 1 Track Inspections .. 1 Opening Conference .. 2 Closing Conference .. 3 Track Safety Standards Compliance Manual Chapter 1 December 12, 2008 CHAPTER 1 Introduction/General Guidance Introduction to Track Inspection The Track Safety Standards Compliance Manual (Chapters 1-7 and Appendix) provides technical guidance to Federal and State Track Inspectors. The Compliance Manual provides guidance for enforcement of the Track Safety Standards (TSS). The guidance provided in this Manual may be revoked or modified without notice by memorandum of the Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety /Chief Safety Officer. This Manual does not modify, alter, or revise the TSS in any way. Comments, additions, and suggestions for future changes should be directed to Regional Track Specialists for consideration. Inspectors should refer to this Manual as often as necessary for clarification of FRA regulation interpretation and policy.

5 When an inspector is unsure of meaning or intent in this Manual , the inspector should promptly contact a Regional Track Specialist for guidance. The entire Manual can be viewed and printed online at: Safety The first priority of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is Safety . Therefore, all activities are to be conducted with personal Safety and the Safety of accompanying personnel in mind. Inspectors shall conduct activities in accordance with the Safety instructions contained in the General Manual . roadway worker protection , Bridge worker Safety , and roadway Maintenance Machine Safety guidance is in the Railroad Workplace Safety Compliance Manual online at: Track Inspections An Inspector s primary duty is to conduct inspections to determine whether the railroads are complying with the TSS and Railroad Workplace Safety (Bridge worker Safety , roadway worker protection , and roadway Maintenance Machine Safety ). Effective inspection requires identification, evaluation, and reporting of conditions and practices that fail to meet minimum Federal Compliance requirements.

6 Since the purpose of regular inspection activity is to evaluate the performance of the carrier and the carrier s representatives in conducting thorough inspections and complying with the TSS, an inspection of Track inspection records maintained by the carrier as required by 49 CFR and is necessary. Determine the adequacy of the carrier s inspections by evaluating what is recorded on the carrier s inspection reports, and determine if these reports reflect the actual conditions of the Track structure. To conduct a thorough inspection, the following preparations are suggested: Obtain the names and locations of the supervisor s territory to be inspected. Advise the supervisor of the territory to be inspected and invite them to have a railroad representative accompany you. Set a date, time, and location for the inspection. Track Safety Standards Compliance Manual Chapter 1 December 12, 2008 If you must change the date, time, or location, make every effort to contact the carrier as soon as possible to advise them.

7 Determine what, if any, transportation will be furnished by the carrier. Always have a copy of the TSS and the Compliance Manual as reference. Carry properly calibrated Track measuring equipment (tape measure, level board, string line). If possible, have the following information before the inspection: o Timetables and Special Instruction for speeds and restrictions. o Current slow orders. o Recent carrier Track inspection reports. o Train, tonnage and hazardous material information. o Current and recent program work. o Current carrier RWP program. o Current CWR program (if required). For information on general FRA policy, refer to the General Manual Part IV Chapter 2 for issues such as property entry, refusal to permit inspections, forcible interference with official duties, and release for entry and strike or labor disputes. Opening Conference Before starting an inspection, Inspectors should introduce themselves to all present and obtain a list of individuals participating in the inspection.

8 An inspector may then explain the reason for the inspection as: Regular to ensure the carrier s inspection process is adequate in finding, reporting, and remedying non-TSS-compliant conditions. Follow-up or re-inspection of a regular inspection to ensure proper remedial action. Complaint of unsafe conditions by an individual, group or entity. Caution must be used to not to identify the complainant. It is not mandatory to divulge that you are on a complaint investigation, as it may compromise the investigation. Inspectors should consult with the Regional Track Safety Specialist. Accident investigations caused by derailments or accidents, etc. Waiver investigation for relief from TSS. ATIP FRA geometry car inspections (Chapter 3). Special Inspections such as focused inspections or program enforcement. During the Workplace Safety Briefing prior to the inspection, all parties involved should understand that FRA s goal is to help the carrier improve Safety , and we welcome suggestions and ideas.

9 Track Safety Standards Compliance Manual Chapter 1 December 12, 2008 Closing Conference Upon completion of an inspection, the inspector shall provide the carrier representative a report with all conditions that do not meet minimum Safety requirements. Field reporting is discussed in Chapter 2. The reporting of exceptions to the Standards is discussed in Chapter 4. Federal Railroad Administration Track Safety Standards Compliance Manual Chapter 2 Field Reporting Procedures and Forms Office of Safety Assurance and Compliance Track and Structures Division January 10, 2008 Track Safety Standards Compliance Manual Chapter 2 January 10, 2008 Table of Contents CHAPTER FIELD REPORTING PROCEDURES AND Track Inspection Report Form, FRA General Special Instructions Inspections from/to State Defect Line Item Violation Recommended Line Item Violation Report Narrative FRA General Submission of Photographs as Statements of Copies of Railroad s Violation Report Package Supervisory Violation Report Package Special Notice for General Special Notice for Repairs Special Repair Remedial Action Report APPENDIX A ACTIVITY APPENDIX B SOURCE APPENDIX C INSTRUCTIONS, Track APPENDIX D INSTRUCTIONS.

10 Track APPENDIX E INSTRUCTIONS, SPECIAL NOTICE FOR APPENDIX F INSTRUCTIONS, SPECIAL REPAIR REMEDIAL ACTION Safety Standards Compliance Manual Chapter 2 January 10, 2008 CHAPTER 2 Field Reporting Procedures and Forms Introduction Inspectors must record each field inspection on a Track Inspection Report Form, (also called form 96 ). Inspection reports shall be completed and promptly submitted, even when an inspection is free of defect observations. The data contained in each form (including a railroad s reply to corrective action items) transfers to FRA s Safety database for processing in order to permit the generation of several management reports. This data helps to determine the effectiveness of the overall inspection program, the degree of Compliance , and the effect of the Track Safety Standards (TSS) on reducing Track -related accidents. The information obtained by inspection activities also plays a key role in the development of FRA s National Inspection Plan.